been mistaken in his servants!"

'And Pertinax read on: "You gave me the time for which I asked. If I
have failed to use it, do not lament. We have gambled very splendidly
against the Gods, but they hold weighted dice, and I must pay the
forfeit. Remember, I have been; but Rome is; and Rome will be. Tell
Pertinax his Mother is in safety at Nicaea, and her monies are in
charge of the Prefect at Antipolis. Make my remembrances to your Father
and to your Mother, whose friendship was great gain to me. Give also
to my little Picts and to the Winged Hats such messages as their thick
heads can understand. I would have sent you three Legions this very
day if all had gone aright. Do not forget me. We have worked
together. Farewell! Farewell! Farewell!" 'Now, that was my Emperor's
last letter.' (The children heard the parchment crackle as Parnesius
returned it to its place.)

"'I was mistaken," said Amal. "The servants of such a man will sell
nothing except over the sword. I am glad of it." He held out his hand
to me.

"'But Maximus has given you your dismissal," said an elder. "You are
certainly free to serve--or to rule--whom you please. Join--do not
follow--join us!"

"'We thank you," said Pertinax. "But Maximus tells us to give you such
messages as--pardon me, but I use his words--your thick heads can
understand." He pointed through the door to the foot of a catapult
wound up.

"'We understand," said an elder. "The Wall must be won at a price?"

"'It grieves me," said Pertinax, laughing, "but so it must be won," and
he gave them of our best Southern wine.

'They drank, and wiped their yellow beards in silence till they rose to
go.

'Said Amal, stretching himself (for they were barbarians): "We be a
goodly company; I wonder what the ravens and the dogfish will make of
some of us before this snow melts."

"'Think rather what Theodosius may send," I answered; and though they
laughed, I saw that my chance shot troubled them.

'Only old Allo lingered behind a little.

"'You see," he said, winking and blinking, "I am no more than their
dog. When I have shown their men the secret short ways across our
bogs, they will kick me like one."

"'Then I should not be in haste to show them those ways," said
Pertinax, "till I was sure that Rome could not save the Wall."

"'You think so? Woe is me!" said the old man. "I only wanted peace
for my people," and he went out stumbling through the snow behind th