this hour a shadow fell upon the soul of the young Goth.
Miriam, with the holy right of suffering, had buried herself in his
heart for ever.

When Johannes returned from his fruitless pursuit, and sprang from his
horse, he cried in a furious voice: "Where is the girl who warned him?
Throw her to the dogs!" And he hurried away to Belisarius, to report
the mishap.

But no one could tell how the lovely corpse had disappeared. The horses
had trampled it beyond recognition, thought the crowd.

But _one_ knew better--Garizo, the Bajuvar.

He had borne her away from the tumult in his strong arms like a
sleeping child; had carried her into the little garden, had lifted the
stone from the scarcely-covered grave, and had laid the daughter
carefully by her father's side.

Then he stood still and contemplated her features. In the distance
sounded the tumult from the plundered town, in which the Huns of
Belisarius, in spite of his command, burned and murdered, and did not
even spare the churches, until the general himself, rushing amongst
them with his drawn sword, put a stop to the cruel work of destruction.

Such a noble expression lay upon Miriam's dead face, that Garizo did
not dare to kiss it, as he so much longed to do. So he placed her with
her face to the east, gathered a rose which was blooming near the
grave, and laid it upon her breast.

He wished to take part in the pillage, but he could not leave the
place; he turned back again. And all the night long, leaning on his
sword, he kept watch over the grave of the beauteous girl.

He looked up at the stars and repeated an ancient blessing on the dead,
which his mother had taught him in his home on the Liusacha. But that
did not satisfy him; he added a Christian paternoster.

And when the sun rose, he carefully placed the stone over the grave and
went away.

Thus Miriam had disappeared without leaving a trace behind.

But in Neapolis the people, who in secret were faithful to Totila, told
how his guardian angel had descended to save him, and had then
reascended to heaven.

CHAPTER V.

The fall of Neapolis had occurred a few days after the meeting at
Regeta, and Totila, on his march thither, met at Formiae with his
brother Hildebad, whom King Witichis had at once sent off with a few
thousands to strengthen the garrison at Neapolis, until he himself
could follow with a larger force.

As things stood at present, the brothers