pated him.

"You would pay any price as ransom?"

"Any."

"Is she a princess or a noble's daughter, that your people set so high
a value upon her liberty?"

"She is a free maiden of our people, and has as much right to our
protection as a queen."

"Well, your protection has been of little service to her," cried
Herculanus, laughing.

"I will give her weight in silver, nay, if needful, in gold--her full
weight."

"Pshaw!" replied Ausonius, smiling, "that isn't saying much. The little
one doesn't weigh heavily. Don't trouble yourself: I will not release
her."

"Pardon me, Prefect," said Saturninus quietly, yet without averting his
eyes an instant from Adalo, "I must again remind you that the Barbarian
girl is not your slave, but mine."

"What? O ye gods!" cried Adalo, wild with grief and horror.

He hastily advanced two paces toward the Roman. "Is it possible? Is it
true? Say no, Ausonius." The voice of the usually defiant youth now
sounded almost pleading.

"Unfortunately it is true," replied the Prefect sullenly.

But Saturninus, who now knew what he wished to learn, answered calmly:
"The captive is my property. And she cannot be bought with gold. But I
will release her, if you--" he rose, approached Adalo and whispered
into his ear.

The youth burst forth angrily: "The location of our fortification and
the strength of our force? Come into the woods, Roman: you will learn
there."

Saturninus stepped back coldly. "As you choose. Never will the
red-haired maiden see her people."

"And consider, Barbarian," hissed Herculanus, "we need not use the rack
to torture a maiden."

Adalo, with a fierce cry, gripped the hilt of the short sword at his
side. But he controlled himself and only cast a look at Herculanus,
who, unable to endure it, blinked and turned his eyes away.

Adalo, tortured by deep anguish, gazed inquiringly, searching into the
characters and dispositions of the two men; first into Saturninus's
stern, handsome face, then his glance scanned Ausonius's features,
kindly in expression, but wholly lacking the impress of a firm will. He
sighed heavily. But, conscious that the eyes of all were fixed intently
upon him, he summoned his whole strength, and said quietly: "If any
harm should befall her, her people will take terrible vengeance." The
firmly repressed, yet intense fury in the brief words, did not fail to
make an impression.

Adalo, without any gesture of farewell, turned to leave the t