cted his young master in any underhand or forbidden courses; but,
after all, Marcus was his father's son, and, in his younger days, the old
man had often and often had to risk his skin in Apelles' love-intrigues.
And now it was the Son's turn--and if he were to take his fancy for that
pretty chit as seriously as he did most things, if he got the notion into
his head of marrying the little singer--what a storm there was brewing
between him and his mother!

The old man did his best to keep up with Marcus who did not see or heed
him, for his eyes and attention were centered on the fair companion who
was clinging to his arm, while he tried to force a passage through the
mob, towards the gate. Miracle on miracle seemed to him to have been
wrought in his behalf; for Heaven had not only sent him Dada, but she was
wearing blue ribbands; and when he asked her why, she had replied "For
your sake, and because I like your Faith."

He was tired to death; but as soon as Dada had put her hand through his
arm he lead felt refreshed as if by magic. His swollen and blistered
hands, to be sure, were painful and his shoulders ached and winced from
stiffness; but as she pressed his arm to her side and looked up gladly in
his face--telling him how happy she was while he responded: "And how I
love you!"--he felt himself in Heaven, and pain and discomfort were
forgotten. The crush did not allow them to say more than a few words; but
the things their eyes and lips could smile were sweeter and dearer than
anything they had ever known before.

They had got through the gate and were in the Canopic way when Dada
suddenly perceived that his lips were white, and felt the arm tremble on
which her hand was lying. She asked him what ailed him; he made no reply,
but put his hand to his head, so she led him aside into the public garden
that lay to their right between the little Stadium and the Maeandrian
circus. In this pretty spot, fresh with verdure and spring flowers, she
soon found a bench shaded by a semicircular screen of dark-tufted
tamarisk, and there she made him lie down. He yielded at once, and his
pale face and fixed gaze showed her that he was in a fainting state.
Indeed, he must be quite worn out by the terrible struggle of the race,
and after it was over he had not given himself time to take a cup of
drink or a scrap of food for refreshment. It was only too natural that
his strength should fail him, so, without feeling at all alarmed but o