bad, and Wardo's eyes were not over keen to see what he was not looking
for.

"Why, yes," said Wardo. "It is held in the Hall of Columns. By this
time, without doubt, the kiss is given and taken, the pledge is passed,
and our little lady by rights is in another's keeping. It wants only
the marriage three days hence."

Nicanor rose lithely to his feet, pressing back his mane of hair with
both hands.

"Wardo, we two have been friends, have we not, ever since we put each
the other to sleep with blows over the baker's black-eyed daughter?"

Wardo looked at him.

"Ay, that is so," he said sincerely.

"Then I shall ask of thee a thing which will put all thy friendship to
the test," said Nicanor. His voice was rapid and tense, and Wardo began
to look at him in surprise. "Let me go free and unhindered from here for
two hours. I give my word that when that time is over I will be at any
place thou shalt name, to go with thee willingly thy prisoner. If aught
untoward befall, no blame shall come to thee. It will be easily done;
the stewards are busy, and I shall have care not to be seen."

"But--body of me!--this is impossible!" Wardo cried, confounded. "I am
friend to thee, but I am my lord's gaoler, for the time, and it would
betray my lord for me to do this. Wherefore dost desire it? What will it
avail thee--freedom for two hours?"

"It will avail me much," Nicanor answered. "Have I ever broken faith
with thee or any man?"

"Nay," said Wardo. "Thou wilt steal, as I have known, but thou wilt not
lie, and I would have thy word as soon as another's bond. Sure never was
there such a strange fellow--"

"Then believe that I will not break faith now. How may our lord be the
worse for it? Thou hast ever been friend to me, man; we have drunk
together and feasted together and starved together; we have fought
together and clasped hands together. Dost remember a day of freedom we
two spent together, in the wine-shop to which I took thee, on the island
in the fords, when we and the five drunken gladiators fought until the
watch fell upon us, and how we escaped, both battered and bloody, and
left the gladiators in their hands?"

Wardo grinned regretfully.

"Eh, that was a great day! I have the scars yet. We have seen good days
together, thou and I."

"And they are gone over now, and done with. Here we part, I to the
mines, thou to the arms of thy fat Hito, I wish thee joy of him!
Comrade, dost remember that when we say farewe