ests and long files of the Spartans--the prey he
would crush with one stroke as a vulture swoops over the sparrow. Then
nigh involuntarily his hand drew rein. What came to greet him? A man on
foot--no horseman even. A man of huge stature running at headlong speed.

The risen sun was now dazzling. The general clapped his hand above his
eyes. Then a tug on the bridle sent the Nisaean on his haunches.

"Lycon, as Mazda made me!"

The Spartan was beside them soon, he had run so swiftly. He was so dazed
he barely heeded Mardonius's call to halt and tell his tale. He was almost
naked. His face was black with fear, never more brutish or loathsome.

"All is betrayed. Democrates is seized. Pausanias and Aristeides are
warned. They will give you fair battle. I barely escaped."

"Who betrayed you?" cried the Prince.

"Glaucon the Alcmaeonid, he is risen from the dead. _Ai!_ woe! no fault of
mine."

Never before had the son of Gobryas smiled so fiercely as when the giant
cowered beneath his darting eyes. The general's sword whistled down on the
skull of the traitor. The Laconian sprawled in the dust without a groan.
Mardonius laughed horribly.

"A fair price then for unlucky villany. Blessed be Mithra, who suffers me
to give recompense. Wish me joy,"--as his captains came galloping around
him,--"our duty to the king is finished. We shall win Hellas in fair
battle."

"Then it were well, Excellency," thrust in Artabazus, "since the plot is
foiled, to retire to the camp."

Mardonius's eyes flashed lightnings.

"Woman's counsel that! Are we not here to conquer Hellas? Yes, by Mithra
the Glorious, we will fight, though every _daeva_ in hell joins against us.
Re-form the ranks. Halt the charge. Let the bowmen crush the Spartans with
their arrows. Then we will see if these Greeks are stouter than
Babylonian, Lydian, and Egyptian who played their game with Persia to sore
cost. And you, Artabazus, to your rear-guard, and do your duty well."

The general bowed stiffly. He knew the son of Gobryas, and that
disobedience would have brought Mardonius's cimeter upon his own helmet.
By a great effort the charge was stayed,--barely in time,--for to have flung
that disorganized horde on the waiting Spartan spears would have been
worse than madness. A single stadium sundered the two hosts when Mardonius
brought his men to a stand, set his strong divisions of bowmen in array
behind their wall of shields, and drew up his cavalry on the fla