it belief,
he told Demetrius that he had seen in Alexandria, only the day before, a
recluse who had been present when Apelles fell, and Demetrius had at once
set out to find this monk, enquiring among those who had swarmed into the
city. He had very soon been successful; Kosnias, who since then had been
elected abbot of the monastery to which he belonged, now again told
Marcus the story of his father's heroic courage in the struggle with the
freebooters who had attacked his caravan. Apelles, he said, had saved his
life and that of two other anchorites, one of whom was in Alexandria at
this very time. They were travelling from Hebron to Aila, a party of
seven, and had placed themselves under the protection of the Alexandrian
merchant's escort; everything had gone well till the infidel Saracens had
fallen upon them in the high land south of Petra. Four of the monks had
been butchered out of hand; but Apelles, with a few of the more resolute
spirits in the company, had fought the heathen with the valor of a lion.
He, Kosmas, and his two surviving comrades had effected their escape,
while Apelles engaged the foe; but from a rocky height which they climbed
in their flight they saw him fall, and from that hour they had always
mentioned him in their prayers. It would be an unspeakable satisfaction
to him to do his utmost to procure for such a man as Apelles the rank he
deserved in the list of martyrs for the Faith.

Marcus, only too happy, wanted to hurry away at once to his mother and
tell her what he had heard, but Demetrius detained him. The Bishop-he
told his brother--had desired his immediate presence, to be congratulated
on his victory; his first duty was to obey that mandate, and he should at
once avail himself of its favorable opportunity to obtain for his
deceased parent the honor he had earned.

It rather startled Marcus to find his brother taking its interest in a
matter which, so lately, he had vehemently opposed; however, he proceeded
at once to the episcopal palace, accompanied by the abbot, and half an
hour later Demetrius, who had awaited his return, met him coming out with
sparkling eyes. The Prelate, he said, had received him very graciously,
had thanked him for his prowess and had bid him crave a reward. He at
once had spoken of his father, and called the recluse to witness to the
facts. The Bishop had listened his story, and had ended by declaring
himself quite willing to put the name of Apelles on the list