s unlocked. The mountain wall
of OEta would hinder him no more. But the triumph had been bought with a
price which made Mardonius and every other general in the king's host
shake his head.

"Lord," reported Hystaspes, commander of the Scythians, "one man in every
seven of my band is slain, and those the bravest."

"Lord," spoke Artabazus, who led the Parthians, "my men swear the Hellenes
were possessed by _daevas_. They dare not approach even their dead bodies."

"Lord," asked Hydarnes, "will it please your Eternity to appoint five
other officers in the Life Guard, for of my ten lieutenants over the
Immortals five are slain?"

But the heaviest news no man save Mardonius dared to bring to the king.

"May it please your Omnipotence," spoke the bow-bearer, "to order the
funeral pyres of cedar and precious oils to be prepared for your brothers
Abrocomes and Hyperanthes, and command the Magians to offer prayers for
the repose of their _fravashis_ in Garonmana the Blessed, for it pleased
Mazda the Great they should fall before the Hellenes."

Xerxes waved his hand in assent. It was hard to be the "Lord of the
World," and be troubled by such little things as the deaths of a few
thousand servants, or even of two of his numerous half-brethren, hard at
least on a day like this when he had seen his desire over his enemies.

"They shall be well avenged," he announced with kingly dignity, then
smiled with satisfaction when they brought him the shield and helmet of
Leonidas, the madman, who had dared to contemn his power. But all the
generals who stood by were grim and sad. One more such victory would bring
the army close to destruction.

Xerxes's happiness, however, was not to be clouded. From childish fears he
had passed to childish exultation.

"Have you found the body also of this crazed Spartan?" he inquired of the
cavalry officer who had brought the trophies.

"As you say, Omnipotence," rejoined the captain, bowing in the saddle.

"Good, then. Let the head be struck off and the trunk fastened on a cross
that all may see it. And you, Mardonius," addressing the bow-bearer, "ride
back to the hillock where these madmen made their last stand. If you
discover among the corpses any who yet breathe, bring them hither to me,
that they may learn the futility of resisting my might."

The bow-bearer shrugged his shoulders. He loved a fair battle and fair
treatment of valiant foes. The dishonouring of the corpse of Leonidas was