Night and day did the lad stand upon those heights overlooking Kilbrannan Sound, and on the third day he saw appearing a squadron of six ships with many gay flags flying and the armour of countless warriors glinting in the sunlight.  The largest of the galleys sailed in advance, bearing the viking’s flag, and having an array of knights and soldiers upon her decks and many archers at her prow.

Lulach ran in terror to Kilmory Castle, and straightway Sir Oscar Redmain prepared to meet the coming foe.

Lulach was then to have hastened to St. Blane’s; but he thought he had yet time to run down and warn old Elspeth Blackfell, who had steadfastly refused to take the protection offered her in the chapel vaults, saying that she had a safe refuge of her own —­ though where that refuge was none sought to know.  Lulach followed her down to the little point of land that juts out into St. Ninian’s Bay.

Now it chanced that it was in that same bay that the invaders landed, and before Lulach could escape, the first ship was close upon the shore.

The first man to spring into the water and wade to land was the great pirate Rudri.  Seeing Elspeth standing near, leaning upon her long staff, he accosted her.

“What, ho! thou witch of Satan!” he cried in thundering voice.  “Speak, crone, your life is yours if you but tell me truly, by your sooth, the thing that I shall ask.”

“Thou godless man, stand back!” cried Elspeth, seeing him draw his sword as though to slay her.

“Nay, tell me of your sooth —­ for I do believe you are a very witch —­ tell me, what shall the issue of this invasion be?  Speak, thou vile hag! lest I release your black soul over soon!”

Elspeth stretched out her shrivelled arms and dropped her staff.  Then she turned to the pirate and answered him.  Her voice came hard and shrill from between her withered lips.

“Since thou wouldst know,” she said, “the things that shall be, hear this, oh Rudri, that he shall be defeated upon whose side the first blood drop is spilled!”

A heavy silence fell after her words.  It was broken by a loud laugh from the pirate’s deep throat.

“Be it as thou wilt,” he cried.

But Elspeth in that moment snatched a dagger from her girdle, and gathering her strength she made a lunge with it at the man’s broad chest.  The weapon turned upon the strong armour that he wore, and, unhurt, he caught her by the wrist, raising his sword.

Now Elspeth had spoken in the Danish, and the chieftain, remembering her words of prophecy, and, it may be, thinking that she was of the Norse folk, lowered his weapon and flung the old woman away from him.  Then seeing Lulach limping away, and taking him to be a Scot, he ran after the lad, eager that the first blood should be that of one born in Bute.  Catching Lulach by the long hair he speedily slew him.

“’Tis done!” said Rudri when he saw that the lad was dead.  “And now have we forestalled our enemies and assured to ourselves the victory.