“There,” said he.
Then, as we both strained our eyes, there arose, as it seemed from that very spot, a strange wild sound, like the rise and fall of some wailing music, which moaned in the air and died away.
“What was that?” I asked.
“Hush!” said he. “Listen.”
It came again, rising almost to a shriek, and sinking again into a sigh.
Once more I looked at Ludar; and once more, with pale face, he motioned me to hold my peace and listen.
A third time the sound came, like a snatch of some mad song, ending in a sob. After it, you could almost feel the silence. We stood rooted to the spot, until presently the footsteps of the herdsman broke the spell. Then Ludar said:
“That is the Banshee. It means that in this business a McDonnell of us will fall. Heaven help us!”
Then, scornfully throwing off the fear which for a moment had seemed to overtake him, he resolutely snatched the torch from the man’s hand and plunged it into the pile.
We stood and watched the fire, as first it crackled amidst the under-layer of twigs and dry heather, then caught the branches above, and finally shot up in a grand tall column of flame skyward, showering high its sparks, and casting a fierce glow far and wide over land and sea.