detected that he had come to show no special
friendliness to his owner.

"Is that dangerous dog, gnashing its teeth there, your property?" asked
Keraunus.

"Yes."

"This morning it threw down my daughter and smashed a costly pitcher,
which she is fond of carrying to fetch water in the dawn."

"I heard of that misadventure," said Hadrian, "and I would give much if
I could undo it. The vessel shall be amply made good to you."

"I beg you not to add insult to the injury, we have suffered by your
fault. A father whose daughter has been knocked down and hurt--"

"Then, Argus actually bit her?" cried Antinous, horrified.

"No," Keraunus replied. "But as she fell her head and foot have been
injured, and she is suffering much pain."

"That is very sad," said Hadrian, "and as I am not ignorant of the
healing art, I will gladly try to help the poor girl."

"I pay a professional leech, who attends me and mine," replied the
steward, in a repellant tone, "and I came hither to request--or, to be
frank with you--to require--"

"What?"

"First, that my pardon shall be asked."

"That, the artist, Claudius Venator, is always ready to do when any
one has suffered damage by his fault. What has happened--I repeat
it--grieves me sincerely, and I beg you tell the maiden to whom the
accident happened, that her pain is mine. What more do you desire?"

The steward's features had calmed down at these last words, and he
answered with less excitement than before:

"I must request you to chain up your dog, or to shut it up, or in some
way to keep it from mischief."

"That is pretty strong!" cried the Emperor.

"It is only a reasonable demand, and I must stand by it," replied
Keraunus decidedly. "Neither I--nor my children's lives are safe, so
long as this wild beast is prowling about at pleasure."

Hadrian had, ere now, erected monuments to deceased favorites, both dogs
and horses, and his faithful Argus was no less dear to him, than other
four-footed companions have been to other childless men; hence the
queer fat man's demand seemed to him so audacious and monstrous, that he
indignantly exclaimed:

"Folly!--the dog shall be watched, but nothing farther."

"You will chain him up," replied Keraunus, with an angry, glare, "or
someone will be found who will make him harmless forever."

"That will be an evil attempt for the cowardly murderer!" cried Hadrian.
"Eh! Argus, what do you think?"

At these words the dog drew himsel