No man shall say again I stood between him and his duty." I returned sadly enough to my post; and all that night we kept weary watch on the walls, straining our ears for Ludar's call or news of the battle.
But neither Ludar nor news of him came.
At daybreak, however, as the sun rose over the headlands, there came a noise of pipes and shouting, and a flutter of pennons on the hill-tops.
Then we knew Sorley Boy had come.
Before him fled scattered parties of the enemy, yet far enough beyond our range; nor, when they sped away into the hills westward, did the chief allow his men to continue the chase.

The McDonnells gave a wild, mighty cheer, when they saw the heather of the clan flying aloft on their ancient castle; and in the silence that followed I could see the old chief stand a moment to pass his hand across his eyes, as if to make sure he saw aright.
Then, erect, with a proud step, he advanced at the head of his men and crossed the bridge.

Our men, waving their hats aloft, answered back the cheers, and, as the gate swung up to let them in, all else seemed forgotten in the triumph of this home-coming of the grand old chief.
But when, a moment after, he halted and looked round him, the shouting suddenly ceased and there fell a dead silence.
"My sons," said he, "where are they ?" No one seemed ready to answer, so that I was fain to step forward.
"Sir," said I, saluting, "Sir Ludar, your son, renders you your castle, which he won by his own arm two nights ago.

He is not here to salute himself, as he is tending his brother who was traitorously wounded in the battle yesterday." The old man said nothing, but blazed on me with his eyes as though he would blast me where I stood.

Had I been the murderer myself, I could not have trembled more.