e we shall find the Dark
Master, unless he is here before us."

"Well, let us ride on and see to that," said Brian, and they did so.

However, they found the valley deserted and empty, and picked a place
for camp, sending back a horseman to bring up the force. They could make
out no smoke rising from the mountain, nor dared they light fires until
after dark for fear of alarming O'Donnell; but when the force came up,
Brian sent out scouts to bring in what word might be had.

"Where got you such knowledge of this wilderness?" he asked Turlough
that night when the fires were blazing and the men were warmed and fed.
The old man narrowed his gray eyes and chuckled a little.

"I have been in many armies, master, though I have fought not; and I
have been outlawed twice by the English, in the old days. This was
always a good place to flee to."

Brian laughed and said no more. That night the men rested well, and
Brian himself got sleep which sent strength into him and served him well
in the days to come, for it was long before he was to sleep again, save
as he rode, nodding in the saddle.

Not until nearly dawn did the last of the scouts straggle in. None of
these bore any news, and all agreed that no signs could they find of any
large band of men, nor of any men at all. Turlough heard their reports,
letting Brian sleep, and only when the last man came in were any tidings
brought. This man bore a strip of sheepskin, which, he said, an old
woman had given him to bear to his master.

"A woman!" exclaimed Turlough, scanning the written words on the
sheepskin, but unable to read them. "What is she like? It is a strange
thing if women bide on Slieve Clochaun! Was there any stead near by?"

"None," replied the man, who trembled with something more than cold.
"_M'anam go'n Dhia!_ She was a witch woman, or worse, Turlough Wolf. She
leaped out of the snow in my path, told me to bear that skin to Yellow
Brian, and vanished in a burst of fire. How could she not have been a
devil?"

"Nonsense!" grunted Turlough, though he suddenly laid the strip of skin
down. "You are overwarm with _uisquebagh_, man. What was this woman
like? Was she clad all in black?"

"Faith, I did not stop to see," grinned the man sheepishly.

Turlough stroked his beard, while the men went off to eat and sleep. He
gazed at the strip of skin, and twice stretched out his hand toward it,
with his eye on the fire, but each time drew back. Then he glanced
around