rk Master. He shouted
back to those of his men whose matches were lit to loose off their
muskets, but before the first pan had flashed out he saw the O'Donnells
draw rein and wheel at the bridge-head, while two of their number drove
clattering on into the town.

Now, had Brian chosen to wait for his men things would have fallen out
differently; but this he would not do, for he thought to break through
these as he had done with the others. So he went at them with naked
sword, his heart raging within him and his face set and cold like stone.
He was still fifty paces from the bridge-head when their pistols
spattered out; the men behind dared not fire for fear of hitting him, so
that Brian had all the fight for himself.

He came near to having none, for at that first discharge a pistol-ball
split his jack and lodged in his buff-coat over his heart, while another
came between his arm and his side, drawing blood a little from both;
while a third and worse went into his horse between the fore shoulders.
Brian felt the poor beast falter shudderingly, and pause; then the
O'Donnells shouted greatly and closed about him, thinking to slay him
before his men could come up.

Brian saw a long _skean_ plunge into his horse's neck, and in terrible
anger he smote with the edge, so that a hand and arm hung down from the
dagger, a ghastly thing to see. But the poor steed was dead with that
blow, and Brian had but time to fling himself headlong ere the horse
rolled over.

The leap saved his life, for the O'Donnells were striking fast at him.
Brian rose up between two of them, dragged one down with his left hand
and thrust the other under the arm, and tried to leap up into the
saddle. But as he did so his own men struck, so that the horses were
swept together and pinned Brian's legs between them, and he hung
helpless.

In that instant he saw an ax swinging above him and flung back his head,
but not enough, for the ax fell, and Brian went down under the horses.

Save for three of his men who saw the thing and stood over him, Brian
would have been trampled to death on the spot. These O'Donnells were no
loose fighting-men, and they smote shrewdly against the press of
Brian's greater numbers, while their wild cry rose high over the shrill
of steel. When Brian's men knew that he was down, however, they struck
such blows as they knew not they had in them, and quarter was not asked
or offered in that battle by the bridge.

The fight was no