n, and for a
second Vere was very near to death, had he known it.

"What of him, Colonel Vere?"

"Why, the rogue had the impudence to come down on a convoy of powder and
stores, last week, going from the Archbishop at Ennis to Malbay, for our
use. Not only this, but a hundred of our rascally Scots deserted to him,
he slipped past us at Galway, and I was in hopes you could give me word
of him when I hit over this way. You're something of a ravager yourself,
sink me if you aren't!" and he dug the Dark Master jovially in the
ribs.

"Yes," murmured O'Donnell thoughtfully, "so they say, Colonel Vere. But
only when Parliament men come past, you understand. So you heard that
this Yellow Brian was here?"

"Aye, and that you were doing him to death," coolly responded Vere, and
his eyes flickered to the white form on the stones. "Zounds! What's
this?"

"Yellow Brian," responded the Dark Master dryly. "What do you want with
him?"

"Eh? Why, I'll take him back to Galway and hang him! I've a dozen of the
Scots he was fool enough to let loose, and when my men come up they'll
identify him readily enough."

"Unless he's dead," chuckled O'Donnell. "Well, if you want him you may
have him and welcome. So now come in and sample some prime sack I took
from the O'Malleys last year."

"With all the honors," responded Vere gallantly, and as they strode past
Brian the Dark Master hastily directed that he be washed and tended and
brought back to his right mind as soon as might be.

This order, and the conversation preceding it, gave Red Murrough some
cause for thought. So it was that when Brian wakened once more in his
cell, as evening was falling, he found the fetters on him indeed, but
Red Murrough had bound up his wounds, dressed his sundered hand-bones,
and was sitting watching him reflectively. It had occurred to the Dark
Master's lieutenant that there might be something made out of this man,
who seemed wanted in several places at once.

Therefore it was that while Brian made an excellent meal for a man
swathed from crown to knees in bandages, Red Murrough poured into his
ear the tale of what had chanced in the courtyard, and why it was that
he was not at this moment nailed to the castle door. Brian collected his
energy with some effort.

"Well, what of it?" he asked weakly.

"Just this, Yellow Brian," and Murrough stroked his matted red beard
easily. "O'Donnell will make a good thing out of handing you over to the
royalist