o-day the gods show mercy to Hellas, later they may show justice to me.
The war is far from ended. Can you not let me serve on some ship of the
allies where none can recognize me? Thus let me wait a year, and trust
that in that year the sphinx will find her riddle answered."

"To wait thus long is hard," spoke the other, kindly.

"I have done many hard things, Themistocles."

"And your wife?"

"Hera pity her! She bade me return when Athens knew me innocent. Better
that she wait a little longer, though in sorrow, when I can return to her
even as she bade me. Nevertheless, promise one thing."

"Name it."

"That if her parents are about to give her to Democrates or any other, you
will prevent."

Themistocles's face lightened. He laid a friendly hand on the young man's
shoulder.

"I do not know how to answer your cry of innocency, _philotate_, but this
I know, in all Hellas I think none is fairer in body or soul than you.
Have no fear for Hermione, and in the year to come may Revealer Apollo
make all of your dark things bright."

Glaucon bowed his head. Themistocles had given everything the outlaw could
ask, and the latter went out of the cabin.

BOOK III

THE PASSING OF THE PERSIAN

CHAPTER XXXI

DEMOCRATES SURRENDERS

Hellas was saved. But whether forever or only for a year the gods kept
hid. Panic-stricken, the "Lord of the World" had fled to Asia after the
great disaster. The eunuchs, the harem women, the soft-handed pages, had
escaped with their master to luxurious Sardis, the remnant of the fleet
fled back across the AEgean. But the brain and right arm of the Persians,
Mardonius the Valiant, remained in Hellas. With him were still the Median
infantry, the Tartar horse-archers, the matchless Persian lancers,--the
backbone of the undefeated army. Hellas was not yet safe.

Democrates had prospered. He had been reelected strategus. If Themistocles
no longer trusted him quite so freely as once, Aristeides, restored now to
much of his former power, gave him full confidence. Democrates found
constant and honourable employment through the winter in the endless
negotiations at Sparta, at Corinth, and elsewhere, while the jealous Greek
states wrangled and intrigued, more to humiliate some rival than to
advance the safety of Hellas. But amongst all the patriot chiefs none
seemed