sed the bracelet
and the imperfect Runic inscription upon it reverently.

"This came from Theodoric, the great King, and from him--my dear--son
Wargs. Mark--it belongs to Adalgoth. It is his most valuable
inheritance. The other half of the bracelet--and the half of the
inscription--I gave to the boy when I sent him away. When King Totila
has read the writing, and if Adalgoth is present--as he must be if he
obeys my orders--then call Adalgoth and put half-ring to half-ring, and
ask the King to pronounce a judgment. He is said to be mild and wise
and clear as the light of day. He will judge righteously. If not he,
then no one. Now kiss my darkening eyes, and go and sleep. May the Lord
of heaven and all his clear eyes, sun, moon, and stars, shine upon all
thy ways. When thou hast found Adalgoth, and when thou dwellest with
him in the little rooms of the close houses in the narrow streets of
the city, and when it feels too small and close and narrow down
there--then both of you think of your childish days up here upon the
high Iffinger, and once again the fresh mountain air will seem to blow
across your heated brows."

Silently, without objection, without fear, without a question, the
shepherd-girl listened and obeyed.

"Farewell, grandfather!" she said, kissing him upon his eyes; "I thank
thee for much love and faithfulness."

But she did not weep.

She knew not what death was.

She went away from him to the threshold of the door, and looked out at
the mountain landscape, which now appeared dark and melancholy. The sky
was clear, the summits of the mountains shone in the moonlight.

"Farewell!" said Gotho; "farewell, thou Iffinger! and thou,
Wolf's-head! and thou, old Giant! and thou, running below,
bright-shining Passara! Do you know it already? To-morrow I leave you
all. But I go willingly, for I go to _him_!"

CHAPTER IV.

After the lapse of many weeks, Cassiodorus and Julius returned from
Byzantium, bringing--no peace.

On landing, Cassiodorus, weary of the world and its ways, retired at
once to Brundusium, to his Apulian cloister, leaving Julius to report
their ill-success to the King in Rome.

Totila received his friend in the Capitol, in the presence of the
leaders of the army.

"At first," related Julius, "our prospects were sufficiently
favourable. The Emperor, who had formerly refused to receive the
ambassadors of Witichis, could not shut his palace doors in t