t his recovered aureus with
joy. 'Magister Palae,' he muttered to himself, ''tis a fine weapon.'

The doctor did not arrive at The Crag till some two hours later, and
when he did he showed a long face. After he had seated himself in
Turnbull's little sanctum, sacred to his antiquities, he delivered
himself slowly of his professional opinion. 'He's bad,' he said
mournfully, 'verra bad,' for the doctor was Scotch; 'he's had an unco
shock'--he glanced keenly at his companion as he spoke--'and a verra bad
fall. His hairt is gey weak--and he says--if he disna recover he'll
haunt ye--for what ye've done.'

'For what I've done!' cried 'Plain Tom,' aghast. 'The poor man's brain's
affected. What on earth can he mean?'

'And he said also that if the worst should happen,' continued the other
with unmoved visage, 'that he would bequeath me the aureus. He's a
warrum-hearted body, an' he kens that I'm a bit of an antiquary mysel'.'

'_His_ aureus!' exclaimed 'Plain Tom' with re-aroused indignation, and
forgetful of secrecy, 'why, the damned fellow--no, I don't mean that--I
mean he's delirious; but he'll be all right again soon, doctor?' he
appealed earnestly.

'I'm nane so sure of that,' replied the other, shaking his head. 'I
thought as I came alang I had a sort of a feeling as of a wraith nigh
about me--a lang, eldritch sort o' a form i' the mist.'

His host shuddered, looked through the window apprehensively in the
gloaming, saw some vague, misty wraith approaching. Then he felt for the
aureus in his waistcoat pocket.

'Oot wi' it,' the doctor demanded, and 'oot' it came after a struggle.
The doctor rose and held out his hand. 'Aweel,' he said, 'it's safe wi'
me. I'll awa noo--back to my patient, for I'll no' can leave him just
yet.'

Then the door closed silently behind him. '_Vicisti, O Caledonia_,'
groaned 'Plain Tom,' and as he spoke he rose up in search of the whisky
bottle and consolation.

APUD CORSTOPITUM

(_per lineam murus._)

L. Sentius Castus--at one time an officer in the 'Domestici,' or
Emperor's Guards--had volunteered for active service, and was now a
'Vexillarius,' or Standard Bearer to the first squadron of horse
attached to the Sixth Legion--'the Victorious and Faithful,' that had
come over to Britain with the Emperor Hadrian. He was sitting one August
afternoon by the fountain in the Forum of Corstopitum, engaged upon
improving a system of fire signals for use on the great wall, which
Had