the dread inspired
by the terrible power of the judges, that the friends and relations of
those who were missing dared make neither complaint nor inquiry. It was
not against the leaders of the Barcine party that such measures were
taken. Had one of these been missing the whole would have flown to arms.
The dungeons would have been broken open, and not only the captives
liberated, but their arrest might have been made the pretext for an
attack upon the whole system under which such a state of things could
exist.

It was chiefly among the lower classes that the agents of Hanno's
vengeance operated. Among these the disappearance of so many men who
were regarded as leaders among the rest spread a deep and mysterious
fear. Although none dared to complain openly, the news of these
mysterious disappearances was not long in reaching the leaders of the
Barcine party.

These, however, were for the time powerless to act. Certain as they
might be of the source whence these unseen blows descended, they had no
evidence on which to assail so formidable a body as the judges. It
would be a rash act indeed to accuse such important functionaries of the
state, belonging, with scarcely an exception, to powerful families, of
arbitrary and cruel measures against insignificant persons.

The halo of tradition still surrounded the judges, and added to the fear
inspired by their terrible and unlimited power. In such an attack the
Barcine party could not rely upon the population to side with them; for,
while comparatively few were personally affected by the arrests which
had taken place, the fear of future consequences would operate upon all.

Among the younger members of the party, however, the indignation aroused
by these secret blows was deep. Giscon, who was continually brooding
over the tyranny and corruption which were ruining his country, was one
of the leaders of this section of the party; with him were other spirits
as ardent as himself. They met in a house in a quiet street in the lower
town, and there discussed all sorts of desperate projects for freeing
the city of its tyrants.

One day as Giscon was making his way to this rendezvous he met Malchus
riding at full speed from the port.

"What is it, Malchus, whither away in such haste?"

"It is shameful, Giscon, it is outrageous. I have just been down to the
port to tell the old fisherman with whom I often go out that I would
sail with him tomorrow, and find that four days ago he