at the old nurse says is
true, my Lady Cantire is not the woman lightly to abandon her rights in
the maiden. She is more likely to hold her as a bait to trap the
Captain into some benefit to herself, and to that end she will at least
keep her safe out of his clutches for a while."

Ludar groaned.

"Humphrey," said he, "you are a glib comforter. Tell me," he added,
"from this height we should surely be able to see Castleroe."

"Yes," said I, "I remember seeing this round hill, as we stood parleying
with the sentinel."

Ludar said no more, but sat at the mouth of the cave, looking westward,
till sunset.

Then a new resolve seemed to have taken hold of him. He led me to the
cairn on the mountain top, where was piled a great heap of wood and
briar ready for a beacon fire.

"When shall this be lit?" he asked our guide.

"When Sorley Boy is ready. 'Tis the last signal agreed upon. When
Knocklayd is fired, friend and foe, the country round, will march."

"Then," said Ludar, "pile up more fuel, and fetch a torch."

The man and I stared at him in amazement.

"Do you hear?" he thundered. "Am I McDonnell or are you?"

Then when the man, scared and terrified, went off to obey, Ludar said to
me:

"I cannot help this, Humphrey. The signal must go out to-night, or all
will be too late. Something tells me she is looking this way even now,
praying for deliverance. Something tells me, too, that a day's more
delay, and Dunluce is lost to us for ever. This shall bring all to a
head, for better or worse."

"But your father," said I. "If he be not ready--"

"Sorley Boy McDonnell is always ready," said Ludar, proudly.

So we stood silent and waited till the shepherd brought the torch.

"Can we see Dunluce from here?" I asked presently.

He took my arm and pointed to where, away in the west, a gleam of
moonlight struck the sea.

"There," said he.

Then, as we both strained our eyes, there arose, as it seemed from that
very spot, a strange wild sound, like the rise and fall of some wailing
music, which moaned in the air and died away.

"What was that?" I asked.

"Hush!" said he. "Listen."

It came again, rising almost to a shriek, and sinking again into a sigh.

Once more I looked at Ludar; and once more, with pale face, he motioned
me to hold my peace and listen.

A third time the sound came, like a snatch of some mad song, ending in a
sob. After it, you could almost feel the silence. We stood roo