aves of Oceanus. The Athenian knew his
power was failing, and doled it out as a miser, counting his strokes,
taking deep gulps of air between each wave. Then, even while consciousness
and strength seemed passing together, again beneath his feet were the
shifting sands, again the voices encouraging, the hands outstretched,
strange forms running down into the surf, strange faces all around him.
They were bearing him and the Barbarian high upon the beach. They laid him
on the hard, wet sand--never a bed more welcome. He was naked. His feet and
hands bled from the tearing of stones and barnacles. His head was in fever
glow. Dimly he knew the Barbarian was approaching him.

"Hellene, you have saved us. What is your name?"

The other barely raised his head. "In Athens, Glaucon the Alcmaeonid, but
now I am without name, without country."

The Oriental answered by kneeling on the sands and touching his head upon
them close to Glaucon's feet.

"Henceforth, O Deliverer, you shall be neither nameless nor outcast. For
you have saved me and her I love more than self. You have saved
Artazostra, sister of Xerxes, and Mardonius, son of Gobryas, who is not
the least of the Princes of Persia and Eran."

"Mardonius--arch foe of Hellas!" Glaucon spoke the words in horror. Then
reaction from all he had undergone robbed him of sense. They carried him
to the fisher-village. That night he burned with fever and raved wildly.
It was many days before he knew anything again.

* * * * * * *

Six days later a Byzantine corn-ship brought from Amorgos to Peiraeus two
survivors of the _Solon_,--the only ones to escape the swamping of the
pinnace. Their story cleared up the mystery of the fate of "Glaucon the
Traitor." "The gods," said every Agora wiseacre, "had rewarded the villain
with their own hands." The Babylonish carpet-seller and Hiram had
vanished, despite all search, but everybody praised Democrates for saving
the state from a fearful peril. As for Hermione, her father took her to
Eleusis that she might be free from the hoots of the people. Themistocles
went about his business very sorrowful. Cimon lost half his gayety.
Democrates, too, appeared terribly worn. "How he loved his friend!" said
every admirer. Beyond doubt for long Democrates was exceeding thoughtful.
Perhaps a reason for this was that about a month after the going of
Glaucon he learned from Sicinnus that Prince Mardonius was at length in
Sardi