CHAPTER XI.
THE BAITING OF CATHBARR.
The bearded giant still wore the long mail-shirt that reached to hisknees, and he paused at the doorway with his eyes roving about the hall.Well did Brian know whom he sought, but it was vain, for Cathbarr couldnot see him where he lay.
Then Brian saw that the ax had been changed, and wondered at it. One ofthe long, back-curving blades had been rubbed down with files, so thatit was very tapering and thin like an ordinary ax-blade, while the otherwas still the blunt, heavy thing it had always been. Brian read thecunning of Turlough Wolf in that handiwork, and in fact the great ax wasthus rendered tenfold more deadly.
The Dark Master waited quietly until Cathbarr began a slow advance upthe hall, all eyes fixed on him in no little wonder. Then O'Donnellraised a hand, stopping him.
"Let us have your message, Cathbarr."
The giant halted and dropped the ax-head, leaning on the haft of theweapon. He took his time about replying, however, and his eyes stillroved about the hall ceaselessly and uneasily. Then of a sudden he gaveover the search, and gazed straight at the Dark Master with a swiftword:
"Have you slain him?"
"Slain who, Cathbarr?" queried O'Donnell, with a thin smile.
"_Duar na Criosd!_" bellowed Cathbarr with sudden fury. "Who but myfriend Brian?"
"Oh!" The Dark Master laughed and eased back in his chair. "No, he'sstill alive, Cathbarr? Is your message from the Bird Daughter in hisregard?"
"Yes." Cathbarr fought for self-control, the breast of his mail shirtrising and falling, his bloodshot eyes beginning to circle about theplace once more in a helpless and angry wonder.
"O'Donnell Dubh," he went on at last, "Nuala O'Malley sends you thisword. Give Brian Buidh over to her, and she will pay you what ransom youdemand."
"What alliance is there between Brian and her?" asked O'Donnell softly.
"Brian has given her service, and I have," Cathbarr flung up his head."Our men lie in Gorumna Castle, there are ships coming from Erris andthe isles, and if Brian be slain we shall bear on this hold and give noquarter. We have four hundred men now, and five ships are coming fromthe North."
The Dark Master gazed quietly at the giant, Vere taking no part in thetalk. But Brian, watching also, saw that which brought a mocking smileto O'Donnell's pallid face. Cathbarr had no fear of any man, and liesdid not come easily to his lips; when he spoke of the force lying inGorumna, and of help from Erris, his face gave him away. Brian sawTurlough behind that tale, but Cathbarr was no man to carry it off withsuccess.
"Well," laughed the Dark Master, "none the less shall Brian be slain.Carry back that word to Nuala O'Malley."
Cathbarr's mighty chest heaved like a barrel near to bursting. Brian wasminded to break his promise, but Murrough's pistol was at his head, andhe could but lie quietly and watch. The giant's face flushed somewhat.
"I have not finished," said he. "My business for the Bird Daughter isdone in truth, but now I have to speak a word of my own."
"Let us hear it," returned O'Donnell.
"It is this." Cathbarr drew himself up. "I am more your enemy than isBrian. Let him go, O'Donnell Dubh, and take me in his place, for I lovehim."
A sudden amazed silence fell on every man there, and but for Murrough'swarning hand Brian would have sat up. O'Donnell's jaw fell for aninstant, then his head drew in between his shoulders, he put a hand toVere's arm, and whispered something. The royalist nodded, a grin on hiscoarse face, and the Dark Master settled back easily. Cathbarr stillstood waiting, the ax held out before him, and a glory in his wide eyes.
"I would sooner hold you than Brian," and O'Donnell spoke softly. "Ifyou will to take his place and die in his stead, Cathbarr, then loosethat ax of yours."
Brian saw that Cathbarr was lost indeed, for the Dark Master was notlikely to give over his pact with the royalists so easily. Cathbarrheaved up his ax with a great laugh, like a child; he brought it down onthe stones, but if he had meant to break it the effort was vain. Thehuge weapon clanged down and bounded high out of his two hands, so thatmen drew back in awe; but the ax whirled twice in the cresset-light,then fell and slithered over the flagging beneath a table, and no mantouched it.
"Take me," said Cathbarr simply.
"Nay," answered the Dark Master calmly, though his eyes flamed, "kneeldown."
Cathbarr stood breathing heavily for an instant, then slowly obeyed.Brian saw that his curly beard was beginning to stand out from his face,but no word came from him as he went to his knees.
"Now," went on the Dark Master, "pray me for Brian's life, mighty one."
The giant struggled with himself, for humiliation came hard to him. Thenhis voice fell curiously low, terrible in its self-restraint.
"I pray you for the life of Yellow Brian, O'Donnell."
Brian forced himself up, thinking to cry out a warning before it was toolate; but Murrough's hand closed over his mouth and forced him backrelentlessly.
"Bring ropes," said the Dark Master, and ordered Cathbarr to his feet.
Men hastened out, and returned with a length of rope, binding thegiant's arms behind his back, from elbow to wrist. Then the Dark Masterlaughed harshly, but Vere leaned toward him, his face troubled.
"Do not carry this thing farther, O'Donnell," said the royalisthoarsely. "This man is a fool, but he has a great heart. Let be."
For answer the Dark Master whirled on him with such fury in his snarlthat Vere drew back hastily, and no more words passed between them atthat time. O'Donnell rose and walked down the hall toward Cathbarr, inhis hand a little switch that he used upon that wolfhound of his.
"Now," he said softly, yet his voice pierced hard through the deadstillness, "in token that your humility in this affair is without guile,Cathbarr of the Ax, bow your head to me."
The giant obeyed, closing his eyes. The Dark Master lifted his hand andcut him twice across the head with his switch, while Brian gasped inamazement and looked for Cathbarr to strike out with his foot. Butalthough the giant shuddered, he made no move, and the Dark Masterstrode back to his seat with a laugh. Then Cathbarr raised his face, andBrian saw that it was terribly convulsed.
"Do with me as you wish," he said, still in that low voice. "But now letBrian be freed in my presence."
The Dark Master flung back his head in a laugh, and when the men saw hisjest, a great howl of derision rang up to the rafters. Only Vere'sofficers looked on with black faces, for it was plain that this affairwas none of their liking. A look of simple wonder came into Cathbarr'swide-set eyes.
"Why do you not loose him?" he asked quietly.
"Fetch the man out, Murrough," ordered the Dark Master. "Shoot him if hespeaks."
Now, whether through some shred of mercy--for he knew well that Brianwould cry out--or for some other reason, Murrough leaned down swiftly toBrian's ear.
"Careful," he whispered as he motioned his men forward. "Play the part,and mind that this thing is not yet finished."
The warning came in good time, and cooled Brian's raging impulse. He waslifted from behind the table, his chains clanking, and laid upon it;Cathbarr gave a great start and bellowed out one furious word:
"Dead!"
"Nay," smiled the Dark Master. "His eyes are open, and he is but weakwith his wounds, Cathbarr. Now say--would you sooner that we cut offthat right hand of his, or blinded him? One of these things I shall dobefore I loose him, for I said only that I would take your life forhis."
Brian saw that the Dark Master was only playing with the giant, for wellhe knew that Vere wanted to take him back to Galway whole and sound. ButCathbarr knew nothing of this, and as the whole terrible trickeryflashed over his simple mind he lifted a face that was dark with bloodand passion.
"Do not play with me!" he cried out, his voice deep and angry. "Loosehim!"
Then O'Donnell leaned back in his chair, laughing with his men, andwaved a careless hand toward Vere.
"He is not mine," he grinned. "I have given him to the royali
sts, forhanging at Galway. You, however, are now mine to slay."
Whether the Dark Master indeed meant to break his plighted faith, Briannever knew. Cathbarr took a single step forward, his curly beardwrithing and standing out, and his whole face so terrible to look onthat all laughter was stricken dead in the hall.
"You lied to me!" he cried hoarsely. "You lied to me!"
O'Donnell laughed.
"Aye, Cathbarr. Your master goes back to Galway to be hung--he is out ofmy hands, but you are in them. However, since I have passed my word onyour safe-conduct, I think that I may hold to it."
But the giant had not heard him. Throwing back his head, he gave onedeep groan of anguish, and his shoulders began to move very slowly ashis chest heaved up. All the while his eyes were fixed on the DarkMaster, while the whole hall watched him in awe; not even Brian orO'Donnell himself guessed what that slow movement of Cathbarr's bodyboded.
"Best put chains upon him, Murrough," said the Dark Master, his teethshining under his drooping mustache.
Vere cried out in sudden wonder.
"'Fore Gad! Look!"
Then indeed the Dark Master looked, and sprang to his feet, and onegreat shout of alarm and fear shrilled up from those watching. For asCathbarr stood there, the veins had suddenly come out on his face andneck, and with a dull sound the ropes had broken on his arms, and he wasfree.
Murrough rushed forward, and his pistol spat fire. Cathbarr, with hiseyes still on the Dark Master, put out a hand and Murrough went whirlingaway with a dull groan. Then the giant rushed.
O'Donnell did not stay for that meeting, but slipped away like a shadowinto his surging men, yelling at them to fire. There were few muskets inthe hall, however, and an instant later Cathbarr had reached the tablewhere Vere still sat astounded. He brought down a fist on the royalist'ssteel cap, and Vere coughed horribly and fell out of his chair with hisskull crushed.
Now a musket roared out, and another. But Cathbarr caught up the oakentable and faced around on the men who were surging forward at him;lifting the ten-foot table as though it were paper, he bellowedsomething and rushed at them, casting the table in a great heave. Itfell squarely on the front rank, and then indeed fear came upon thehall. For Cathbarr's foot had struck against his ax, and he rose with itin his hand.
There was a din of screams and shouts, for half the men were strugglingto get out of the hall and the rest were rushing to get at Cathbarr.Another musket crashed, and in the smoke Brian saw the giant stagger,recover, and go bellowing into the crowd.
Brian struggled from the table, groaned with pain, and then stoodwatching. He could walk, but his weakness and the chains on his wristsand ankles hindered him from being of any advantage to Cathbarr, thoughhe lifted his voice in a shout of encouragement.
Cathbarr heard the shout, and roared out with delight. A musket-ball hadcut across his forehead, and with the blood dripping from his beard helooked more like a demon than a man. The huge ax flashed in the smokylight, and before it men groaned and shrieked and gave back; it cleavedsteel and flesh, or smashed helms and heads together, and the DarkMaster had slipped from the place, so that his men had no leader.
Over the roar of fear-mad men, over the storm of shrieks and shouts,over the dust and smoke, rose the mighty bellow of Cathbarr and thethudding blows of his ax. The royalist officers were fighting around thedoorway, while O'Donnell's men were trying to make head against thegiant, but he swept through them like a whirlwind, awing them more byhis ferocious aspect and his mad rage than by the half-seen effect ofhis terrific strength.
Little by little they eddied out from the door. Men lay all about,tables were overturned, and through the crowd swirled the terrible ax,leaving a path of dead in its wake. Brian staggered to the motionlessform of Colonel Vere, and reaching down drew a pistol from the deadman's belt. His strength was flooding back to him, and in spite of theagony caused by every movement, he clanked slowly down toward the door.At sight of his chained and bandage-swathed figure a wild shriek welledup, and when he laughed and fired into the midst of them all oppositionceased.
Cathbarr still sought the Dark Master, raging back and forth, smitingand smiting with never a pause in the flaillike sweep of his long arms.He saw Brian standing there, and emitted a wild bellow of joy, but neverceased from his smiting. Out through the door poured a stream ofmaddened figures, for blind panic had come on every man there, andCathbarr's was not the only weapon that drew blood as the men fought forexit.
Brian laughed again, for now he knew that he would die in no long time,but it would not be under the torturers. Cathbarr cleared the hall, sentthe last man flying out with an arm lopped from him, and swung to thehuge doors after kicking two or three bodies from his way. When the beamhad dropped into place and they were alone with the dead and dying, heturned to Brian and flung out his arms.
"Careful!" exclaimed Brian, seizing his hand. "None of your bear-hugs,old friend," and he swiftly told of his tortures. Tears ran down thegiant's blood-strewn face as he listened, and with the tenderness of awoman he picked up Brian and carried him back to a table, setting him onit.
"First for these chains, brother," he cried, going back for his ax. "Wemay yet win out against these devils."
"Small chance," smiled Brian grimly. "I cannot swing a blade, and wecannot hold this hall for long. Besides, you have some wounds."
Cathbarr roared out a laugh, exuberantly as a boy, and carefully spreadBrian's legs open on the table.
"Hold quiet!" he cautioned, and swung up the ax. Down it flashed, thethinner blade sheared through the chain an inch from Brian's ankle andsplit the oak beneath, and Cathbarr drew back for a second blow.
Four times he struck, and the blows smote off the chains from each wristand ankle, although the locked rings still remained. But Brian was free,and when he gained his feet he found the exercise had somewhat loosenedhis muscles, and he picked up a sword.
"We can at least die fighting, Cathbarr," he said, and looked into thegiant's eyes. "And, brother, I thank you."
"Nonsense!" blurted out Cathbarr, wiping the blood from his eyes andgrinning through his beard. "Turlough Wolf has our men hidden aroundthis royalist camp, and the Bird Daughter has a boat outside the castle.We cannot get through the royalists, but there is a chance that we canget to the shore. Besides, she has ships and men coming from her kinsmenin the North. Now, how shall we get away?"
Brian shook his head. "I can hardly walk, Cathbarr, to say nothing ofswimming or fighting. There is a rear door out of the hall, yonder, butno use trying it."
"Perchance I have still some strength," grinned Cathbarr, picking up hisax. "Let us have a look at that rear door, before they come at us withmuskets."