Page:Heroes of the dawn.djvu/269

 came to Mongan, and said that he had come to take possession of both him and his property. Mongan only replied: "Wait until the close of day."

Evening came, and Mongan was in his palace, surrounded by the warriors and nobles of Ulster. His queen sat beside him, weeping and full of sorrow, for in little more than an hour the three days would expire, and still Mongan had made no effort to prove his word.

"Why do you weep?" said Mongan; "do you not know that aid is drawing nearer and nearer to us? Even now I hear the feet of our helper as he strides over the hills and rivers on his way here." He knew that Caeilté was coming to his assistance, though none of the others seemed to see or hear anything unusual.

He had scarcely finished speaking when an extremely tall and handsome warrior, carrying a long spear-shaft in his hand, suddenly appeared in the great hall of the palace, and corroborated the assertion Mongan had made to Forgall.

"I remember it well," said the warrior, "see-