losed villa. Behind the high mud walls a dog was howling in despair.

Then once more solitude, silence, absence of life, a paralysis that
seemed to creep over the fields. Night began to fall. From afar, as if
diffused and mellowed by the distance, he heard a muffled booming;
something like the surging of an invisible sea, the swelling roar of an
inundation.

The Greek left the road; his horse began to climb a cultivated hill, his
hoofs sinking into the red soil of the vineyards. From the height he
could dominate the landscape for a great distance.

The sun's last rays dyed the mountain slopes a brilliant orange. On the
winding red road shone like a rivulet of sparks the cuirasses of a group
of horsemen approaching cautiously on a trot, as if exploring the way.
Actaeon recognized them; they were the Numidian cavalry with white and
floating mantles, while, mingled with them galloped other warriors of
less imposing stature, waving lances and making their small horses
caracole. The Greek smiled as he recognized Hannibal's Amazons, the
famous squadron he had seen in New Carthage, formed of the wives and
daughters of soldiers, commanded by the valorous Asbyte, daughter of
Iarbas, the Garamantan of Fezzan.

Behind this group, the road was deserted for some distance. Against the
background, like a dark monster moving with serpentine undulations,
loomed the army, an immense girdle upon which glittered the lances like
a line of fire broken at intervals by square bulks, which advanced like
moving towers. These were the elephants.

Suddenly a new sun seemed to rise behind the army, illuminating its
footsteps. A lurid light filled the horizon, and upon this ruddy
background the serrated outlines of an immense mass were traced. A
village was in flames. Hannibal's troops, composed of mercenaries from
all countries, and from barbarian tribes in the interior, intended to
terrify the hostile city, hence immediately upon entering Saguntine
territory they laid waste the fields and set fire to the dwellings.
Actaeon feared to become surrounded by the Numidians and the Amazons, and
riding down from the height he started toward Saguntum at a desperate
gallop.

It was after dark when he reached the city, and he had to call his
friend Mopsus and make himself known before the gate would open to him.

"Have you seen them?" asked the archer.

"Before the cock crows they will be before our walls."

The city presented an extraordinary aspe