Page:The Yellow Book - 07.djvu/96

 mid-thigh, were of fine cloth, but stained and torn by exposure in these rude times that had befallen him. The face he bent upon his tribesmen was long and thin, and marked with many lines. They were skilled from years of use to see in this wrinkled countenance sometimes the cunning of a fox, sometimes the wistful enquiry of a puzzled child; and they never feared him, and would always die for him, and understood when they heard men call him Turlogh of the Two Minds.

"I heard the bull of the bog," he said, giving the bittern its old name among the people. "It was good to the ears." His voice was grave and lingering.

Goron the messenger nodded again. He saw that Turlogh had noted the strange craft entering the bay, and waited for a little more to be questioned. Then he motioned to the others to leave him alone with his Chief, and as they moved away he clambered up on the rock.

"O'Mahony, there will be no help coming at all," he said. "Young Donogh, son of Murtogh, will not stir from Dunlogher, for the reason that he is watching the O'Driscolls of the island, to take a prey of cattle from them at the change of the moon. The strong houses of Dunmanus and Ballydivlin and Leamcon are like Dunbeekin there, with the sunlight shining through their windows, and their people are dispersed and have no footing in their country."

"And Conogher of the Cross, in Ardintenant, the head of our sept, the venerable and holy man?" asked Turlogh, with a bitter little jest in his tone. "And Teige of Rosbrin, whom I saved from the MacCarthy, and from his own brother?"

Goron shook his head.

"The English lie between you and them. They will not be lifting their short finger for us."

"They