crupulousness, he reflected. Beyond the brown sails of two
fishing-boats, and low, storm-boding clouds over the farther hills,
there was nothing more in sight.

As Cathbarr still wore his long mail-shirt, Brian kicked him awake, and
after his first bellowing yawn their door opened and men brought in jars
of water. When the giant's wounds had been dressed, under protest, and
they had broken their fast, the seneschal appeared.

"Chieftains," he said respectfully, "the Lady Nuala has received your
message and will have speech with you this afternoon. Until then she
wishes that you keep your chamber, since she knows not your mind in this
visit."

"That is but fair," assented Brian.

Cathbarr grumbled, but there was no help for it, since they were
virtually prisoners. The day passed slowly, and toward noon storm drew
down on the harbor and snow eddied in their casement. With that, they
fell to polishing their weapons; Brian procured a razor and a
much-needed shave, and Cathbarr furbished up his huge ax until it glowed
like silver.

Finally Muiertach appeared. Brian slung the great sword across his back,
and they followed the seneschal down to the courtyard. Here they were
joined by the captive O'Donnells and the seamen who had brought them to
the castle, and Muiertach led them to the great hall.

The father of this O'Malley woman must have been a man of parts, thought
Brian as he gazed around. The hall was scantily filled with, perhaps,
three-score men ranged along the walls, and at the farther end was a low
dais where a huge log fire roared high. The beams were hung with a few
pennons and ship-ensigns, and on the dais were placed a half-dozen
chairs. Behind one of these stood two women, and in the chair, calmly
facing the hall, sat the Bird Daughter.

Brian caught his breath sharply, and his blue eyes flickered flame as he
saw her. Never in his life had his gaze met such a woman--not in all the
land of Spain or elsewhere in Ireland.

At this time Nuala O'Malley was twenty years old, and ten of those years
had been passed either on shipboard or here in Gorumna Isle. As one
chronicler describes her, "She was not tall, but neither was she small
of stature, and when she stood on a ship's deck there was no tossing
could cause her to stumble. Her hair was not blue, but neither was it
black, and her eyes were very deep and bright, violet in color, and set
wide in her head. Her nose was neither small nor large, her cheeks