means may be found to bind
his tongue; for woe to you if Caracalla discovers prematurely that you
are promised to another, and woe then to your betrothed! After sundown,
when every one here has gone to the Circus, I will take Diodoros to a
place of safety. Farewell, child, and may our heavenly Father defend
you!"

He laid his right hand upon her head as if in blessing; but Melissa
cried, wringing her hands: "Oh, let me go to him once more! How can
I leave him and go far away without one word of farewell or of
forgiveness?"

But Andreas interrupted her, saying: "You can not. His life is at stake
as well as your own. I shall make it my business to look after his
safety. The wife of Seleukus will assist you in your flight."

"And you will persuade him to trust me?" urged Melissa, clinging
convulsively to his arm.

"I will try," answered the freedman, gloomily. Melissa, dropped his arm,
for loud, manly voices were approaching down the stairs near which they
stood.

It was Heron and Alexander, returning from their audience with the
emperor. Instantly the Christian went to meet them, and dismissed the
temple servant who accompanied them.

In the half-darkness of the corridor, Melissa threw herself weeping into
her father's arms. But he stroked her hair lovingly, and kissed her
more tenderly on brow and eyes than he had ever clone before, whispering
gayly to her: "Dry your tears, my darling. You have been a brave maiden,
and now comes your reward. Fear and sorrow will now be changed into
happiness and power, and all the glories of the world. I have not even
told Alexander yet what promises to make our fortunes, for I know my
duty." Then, raising his voice, he said to the freedman, "If I have
been rightly informed, we shall find the son of Polybius in one of the
apartments close at hand."

"Quite right," answered the freedman, gravely, and then went on to
explain to the gem-cutter that he could not see Diodoros just now, but
must instantly leave the country with his son and daughter on Berenike's
ship. Not a moment was to be lost. Melissa would tell him all on the
way.

But Heron laughed scornfully: "That would be a pretty business! We have
plenty of time, and, with the greatness that lies before us, everything
must be done openly and in the right way. My first thought, you see, was
to come here, for I had promised the girl to Diodoros, and he must be
informed before I can consent to her betrothal to another."

"Fa