e bitter words. Men say he went home that afternoon
with that look burned into his breast, and those words dinging in his
ears. Nor, go where he would, could he escape the one or the other.
They possessed him waking and sleeping, in council and in war, at home
and abroad. And, when at last he died, some say he was found crouched
in a corner of his room with his fingers over his eyes and his thumbs on
his ears.

Nor, after what I saw, did I find it in my heart to pity him.

As for Sorley Boy, he walked out of Dublin like a man in a dream. None
of us durst speak to him, or say so much as a word in his hearing. Nor
had we the heart to do it. Ludar with his clenched teeth looked
straight before him; and the Scots who followed, only half comprehending
what had happened, dropped into sullen silence, and gave no sound but
the dull beat of their steps on the road.

About an hour beyond Dublin, Sorley Boy halted and turned to Ludar.

"Ludar McDonnell," said he, sternly, "we part here. I have no son--no
son. Farewell."

And he and the soldiers marched on without another word, leaving Ludar
and me looking after them, and marvelling if all this were what it
seemed or some horrid vision.

Ludar recovered himself sooner than I.

"Come," said he; "why stand you here, Humphrey, when all the world,
except Dunluce, is before us? Let us back to the city."

I knew why he wished to go back. He was thinking not of Sorley Boy or
Dunluce, but of that cruel trophy above the city gate. And in my heart
I pitied the keepers, should they chance to withstand him in his
purpose.

'Twas dark when we crossed the bridge and found ourselves once more
within the walls. The streets were empty, for the night was bleak, and
the troops had long since been called into their quarters. Only a few
sentinels stood about the gate, who, to keep away the cold and cheer
their stomachs, huddled together in a sheltered nook and discussed the
news of the day over ale and sack. Little heeded they the creaking pole
with its horrible burden, as it rocked and swung in the winter wind
above them!

While we waited the snow began to fall and drove the tipplers further
into the shelter of the guard-room, where was a merry fire. Now was our
chance. Ludar led me round to where, over some tumbled stones, we were
able to scramble on to the wall, and thence back towards the gate. So
thick fell the snow that, as we crawled along, we were as white as the
r