rew near he heard a swift yell of
"Albanach!" that boded no good. But Brian shouted to them and asked who
they were.

"None of your affair!" answered their leader, a huge, dark man. "Who are
you?"

"Stephen Burke from Galway," answered Brian; but before the words left
him he saw a musket flash, and one of his men fell.

Upon that, no more words were wasted. Brian threw up his ax and dug in
his spurs, with his men behind; and when they loosed their muskets they
rode on the hundred with butts swinging. This was a new kind of warfare
in Connaught, and before Brian's ax had struck twice the field was won.
From two prisoners he found that the band was composed of a levy of the
O'Connors out of the Storm Mountains.

"That is not well for our return," said one of his lieutenants. "We will
have the whole country up after this battle, and we have lost ten men."

"Then we shall have the more need of recruits," quoth Brian, and let his
prisoners go free, since they would take no service, but only cursed
him.

However, Brian was not ill pleased, since he found that he was nearly
sped of his wounds, though his left hand gave him some trouble at times.
His pleasure was speedily cured, for when they camped that night on the
hither side of Kiltarnagh there came a rush of men toward dawn, and
before they were beaten off twenty of Brian's men were dead. Five
prisoners were taken, and when two of these had been hung, the other
three confessed that the attack had been made by certain O'Connors from
the southern end of Lough Conn, to whose villages fugitives had come
from the affray of the previous morning.

With that, Brian took counsel with some of his men who knew the country,
and it was their advice that he give up the ride and return home.

"I will not," said Brian shortly. "This war was not of my seeking, but
thirty of my men have been slain. Guide me to these villages, and I will
take blood-fine."

This he did because he needs must. His men did no ravaging, and were in
need of provisions, while he was minded to fill up his ranks. Also, by
taking sharp vengeance, he knew that on his return he was not like to be
molested.

So he turned aside and rode fast for Lough Conn, which he reached the
next evening, and there came a storm of men on all that country. Twice
through the days that followed Brian had to fight hard--once against a
muster of the O'Connors, and once against a large force of ravaging
hillsmen under one Fitzge