"It is a true word. But to-night, after the moon is up, there shall be none." At that, all who heard laughed, and were less heavy in their hearts because of the slaying and drowning of Haco the Laugher and all his crew. "Where is the woman Brenda that you took?" Olaus asked, as he stared at Sweno's boat and saw no woman there. "She is in the sea." Olaus the White looked. It was his eyes that asked. "I flung her into the sea because she laughed when she heard of how the birlinns that were under Somhairle the Renegade drove in upon our ships, and how Haco laughed no more, and the sea was red with viking blood." "She was a woman, Sweno--and none more fair in the isles, after Morna that is mine." "Woman or no woman, I flung her into the sea. The Gael call us Gall: then I will let no Gael laugh at the Gall. It is enough. She is drowned. There are always women: one here, one there--it is but a wave blown this way or that." At this moment a viking came running across the ruined town with tidings. Maoliosa and his culdees were crowding into a great birlinn. Perhaps they were coming to give battle: perhaps they were for sailing away from that place. Olaus and Sweno stared across the fjord. At first they knew not what to do. If Maoliosa thought of battle he would hardly choose that hour and place. Or was it that he knew the Gael were coming in force, and that the vikings were caught in a trap? At last it was clear. Sweno gave a great laugh. "By the blood of Odin," he cried, "they come to sue for peace!" Filled with white-robed culdees, the birlinn drew slowly across the loch. A tall, old man stood at the prow, with streaming hair and beard, white as sea-foam. In his right hand he grasped a great Cross, whereon Christ was crucified. The vikings drew close to one another. "Hail them in their own tongue, Sweno," said Olaus. The Hammerer moved to the water-edge, as the birlinn stopped, a short arrow-flight away. "Ho, there, priests of the Christ-faith!" "What would you, viking?" It was Maoliosa himself that spoke. "Why do you come here among us, you that are Maoliosa?" "To win you and yours to God, Pagan." "Is it madness that is upon you, old man? We have swords and spears here, if we lack hymns and prayers." All this time Olaus kept a wary watch inland and seaward, for he feared that Maoliosa came because of an ambush. Truly the old monk was mad. He had told his culdees that God would prevail, and that the pagans would melt away before the Cross. The ebb-tide was running swift. Even while Sweno spoke, the birlinn touched a low sea-hidden ledge of rock. A cry of consternation went up from the white-robes. Loud laughter came from the vikings. "Arrows!" cried Olaus. With that threescore men took their bows. A hail of death-shafts fell. Many pierced the water, but some pierced the necks and hearts of the culdees.