hbarr a goodly thrust through the shoulder, which had let
out most of the giant's vanity and promised to give the huge ax some
time to rest and rust. So, then, Brian found himself heading two hundred
and fifty men of his own, with Nuala's hundred O'Malleys, when they rode
down again to Bertragh Castle.

This had been left in charge of a hundred men under Red Murrough, who
had not been slain, but only wounded by Cathbarr's fist, that night in
the great hall. Having left a party to bring in the wounded in wagons
from the farms, they arrived before the castle shortly after noon.
Cathbarr was left in charge of the camp, and Brian rode up to the gates
with Nuala and her two kinsmen, with a flag of truce.

Murrough and his men were put into consternation by the news Brian gave
them. After much stroking of his matted beard, Murrough proposed to
surrender the castle on condition that he hold his post of lieutenant.
Brian laughed, for he had other views on the subject.

"You sold your master, and you will have no chance to sell me, Murrough.
I will give you the ten pounds I owe you and a good horse. Refuse, and I
slay you when we storm the castle."

The end of that matter was that Murrough assented. An hour later he
opened the gates, his men taking service with the rest under Brian.
Then, having obtained his ten English pounds and a horse, he waved
farewell to his men and rode away; and what became of him after that is
not set forth in the chronicle, so he comes no more into this tale.

Nuala loaded her fifty men into her carack, and sent them home that
night to Gorumna in case of need, proposing to follow later with Lame
Art, Shaun the Little, and her Kerry recruits. The O'Malley cousins
intended going south, since their affair had been so unexpectedly
ended, and picking up a Spanish ship or two before returning home.

"And now, what of your plans?" asked Nuala, as she and Brian sat
together that night before the huge fireplace in the hall, where Brian
had been burned and where Cathbarr had fought so well. "Of course, we
can settle rents later on."

"When there are farms to gather rents from," laughed Brian, stretching
out easily. He lifted his bandaged left hand, gazing at it. "First, I am
minded to rest here and wait for news from Galway. The bones in this
hand of mine are not broken, from what I can make out, and it will soon
knit. As soon as may be, I shall ride after the Dark Master; when I have
paid my debts, I wil