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.
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