on joined him, and the two, lying close together, looked down at
the court.

"I tell you we must do away with him," one of the group below said in
tones louder than had been hitherto used. "You know as well as I do
that his heart is not in the worship of the gods. He has already shown
himself desirous of all sorts of innovations, and unless we take
matters in our hands there is no saying to what lengths he may go. He
might shatter the very worship of the gods. It is no use to try to
overthrow him openly; for he has the support of the king, and the
efforts that have been made have not in any way shaken his position.
Therefore he must die. It will be easy to put him out of the way.
There are plenty of small chambers and recesses which he might be
induced to enter on some pretext or other, and then be slain without
difficulty, and his body taken away by night and thrown into some of
the disused catacombs.

"It would be a nine days' wonder when he was missed, but no one could
ever learn the truth of his disappearance. I am ready to kill him with
my own hands, and should regard the deed as one most pleasing to the
gods. Therefore if you are ready to undertake the other arrangements,
and two of you will join me in seeing that the deed is carried out
without noise or outcry, I will take the matter in hand. I hate him,
with his airs of holiness and his pretended love for the people.
Besides, the good of our religion requires that he shall die."

There was a chorus of approbation from the others.

"Leave me to determine the time and place," the speaker went on, "and
the excuse on which we will lead him to his doom. Those who will not
be actually engaged with me in the business must be in the precincts
of the place, and see that no one comes that way, and make some excuse
or other should a cry by chance be heard, and must afterward set on
foot all sorts of rumors to account for his actions. We can settle
nothing to-night; but there is no occasion for haste, and on the third
night hence we will again gather here."

Chebron touched Amuba, and the two crept back to where they had been
standing on the ledge.

"The villains are planning a murder in the very temple!" Chebron said.
"I will give them a fright;" and applying his mouth to the orifice he
cried:

"Beware, sacrilegious wretches! Your plots shall fail and ruin fall
upon you!"

"Come on, Chebron!" Amuba exclaimed, pulling his garment. "Some of the
fellows may know th