Another hour passed. A weary sleep was on him. He dozed, woke, stared at the shadowy figure of Oona, dozed again. At last he too slumbered, the _duain-samhach_ that is too calm for dreams, too deep for sorrow.
It was in the middle of the third hour that he stirred because of the howling of a dog.
Nial could do what was impossible even for Murdo the shepherd: he could tell in the dark, and by the sound only, which of the dogs barked. He knew now that the howling came neither from Donn nor Luath. It was not the coming of Murdo, then, for these were his two dogs, and that was not the howl of either. If they were near, their baying would be audible.
Yes, it was Fior. She must have left her pups, and be roaming round the sheiling. Why was she not in the barn? What had alarmed her?
If it were not because of Oona, he would go and quiet her. Tenderly he glanced toward the bed. He rose slowly, his heart beating.
In the flicker of the fire he saw the child sitting upright, her eyes wide open and staring fixedly.
She said no word. He feared to speak. Her unwavering gaze disconcerted him, though now he saw that it was not upon him. He would just whisper to her, he thought:
"Oona-mùirnean, Oona-uanachan, it is only Fior. She will be baying against the moon, because of the spell against her pups."
She paid no attention to him. He shivered as he saw that her eyes were now unnaturally bright: and that their gaze shifted, as though they followed one who moved about the room.
The child shivered, but seemed more in startled amaze than dread. There was more fear in Nial than with her, when he heard her speak.
"_Is coma leam thu!_ I hate you, I hate you!" cried the child, with a passionate sob. "Go back to him! I left him with you! He is not here; he is dead ... he is dead ... he is dead!"
Trembling, the dwarf advanced a step or two.
"Oona! Oona! It is I, Nial! Speak to me!"
"Stand back, Nial: the woman Anabal, wife of Fergus, is speaking to me."
With a groan he staggered to one side. Was she here, then, and not still sitting on the great rock overlooking the Strath? Sure, then, a spirit must she be: and no wraith now, for his eyes were void of her.
But for all his dread, he must guard his lamb. If only he knew one of the spells in the Book, that he had placed at Oona's feet!