fire.

'"No," said Allo, pushing the platter back into the bag. "That is for
you and me. Your fate is fixed. Come."

'We came. When one takes Heather, one must obey one's Pict--but that
wretched smoke was twenty miles distant, well over on the East coast,
and the day was as hot as a bath.

'"Whatever happens," said Allo, while our ponies grunted along, "I want
you to remember me."

'"I shall not forget," said Pertinax. "You have cheated me out of my
breakfast."

"What is a handful of crushed oats to a Roman?" he said. Then he laughed
his laugh that was not a laugh.

"What would _you_ do if _you_ were a handful of oats being crushed
between the upper and lower stones of a mill?"

'"I'm Pertinax, not a riddle-guesser," said Pertinax.

'"You're a fool," said Allo. "Your Gods and my Gods are threatened by
strange Gods, and all you can do is to laugh."

'"Threatened men live long," I said.

'"I pray the Gods that may be true," he said. "But I ask you again not
to forget me."

'We climbed the last hot hill and looked out on the eastern sea, three
or four miles off. There was a small sailing-galley of the North Gaul
pattern at anchor, her landing-plank down and her sail half up; and
below us, alone in a hollow, holding his pony, sat Maximus, Emperor of
Britain! He was dressed like a hunter, and he leaned on his little
stick; but I knew that back as far as I could see it, and I told
Pertinax.

'"You're madder than Allo!" he said. "It must be the sun!"

'Maximus never stirred till we stood before him. Then he looked me up
and down, and said: "Hungry again? It seems to be my destiny to feed you
whenever we meet. I have food here. Allo shall cook it."

'"No," said Allo. "A Prince in his own land does not wait on wandering
Emperors. I feed my two children without asking your leave." He began to
blow up the ashes.

'"I was wrong," said Pertinax. "We are all mad. Speak up, O Madman
called Emperor!"

'Maximus smiled his terrible tight-lipped smile, but two years on the
Wall do not make a man afraid of mere looks. So I was not afraid.

'"I meant you, Parnesius, to live and die a Centurion of the Wall," said
Maximus. "But it seems from these,"--he fumbled in his breast--"you can
think as well as draw." He pulled out a roll of letters I had written to
my people, full of drawings of Picts, and bears, and men I had met on
the Wall. Mother and my sister always liked my pictures.

'He handed me one that I had called