d may be doubly useful. He is ready to take the oath of
our society."

As Giscon was the leading spirit of the band his recommendation was
taken as amply sufficient. The young men rose and formed in a circle
round Malchus. All drew their daggers, and one, whom Malchus recognized
with a momentary feeling of surprise as Carthalon, whom Adherbal had
pointed out at the Barcine Club as one who thought only of horse racing,
said:

"Do you swear by Moloch and Astarte to be true to this society, to
devote yourself to the destruction of the oppressors of Carthage, to
carry out all measures which may be determined upon, even at the certain
risk of your life, and to suffer yourself to be torn to pieces by the
torture rather than reveal aught that passes within these walls?"

"That I swear solemnly," Malchus said.

"I need not say," Carthalon said carelessly, "that the punishment of the
violation of the oath is death. It is so put in our rules. But we are
all nobles of Carthage, and nobles do not break their oaths, so we
can let that pass. When a man's word is good enough to make him beggar
himself in order to discharge a wager, he can be trusted to keep his
word in a matter which concerns the lives of a score of his fellows. And
now that this business is arranged we can go on with our talk; but first
let us have some wine, for all this talking is thirsty work at best."

The young men threw themselves upon the couches around the room and,
while slaves brought round wine, chatted lightly with each other about
horses, the play presented the day before, the respective merits of the
reigning beauties of Carthage, and other similar topics, and Malchus,
who was impressed with the serious nature of the secret conspiracy which
he had just sworn to aid, could not help being surprised at the careless
gaiety of the young men, although engaged in a conspiracy in which they
risked their lives.

It was not until some minutes after the slaves had left the apartment
that the light talk and banter ceased, as Giscon rose and said:

"Now to business. Malchus has told me that an old fisherman, who took
a lead in stirring up his fellows to declare for Hannibal, has been
decoyed away from his home and murdered; his body has been found
floating in the lake, strangled. This is the nineteenth in the course of
a week. These acts are spreading terror among the working classes, and
unless they are put a stop to we can no longer expect assistance from