urriedly.

"Nay, nay, not Titus Caesar, but Vespasian Caesar, his father, to whom I
must make report of all that was passing in Judaea when we left, of the
treasure that I brought with me and--of yourself."

"Oh! Gallus," said Miriam, "will he take me away from your charge?"

"I know not. I hope not. But who can say? It is as his fancy may move
him. But if he listens to me I swear that you shall stay here for ever;
be sure of that."

Then he went, leaning on a spear shaft, for the wound in his leg had
caused it to shrink so much that he could never hope to be sound again.

Three hours later he returned to find the two women waiting for him
anxiously enough. Julia glanced at his face as he came through the door
of the street wall into the vestibulum or courtyard where they were
waiting.

"Have no fear," she said. "When Gallus looks so solemn he brings good
tidings, for if they are bad he smiles and makes light of them," and
advancing she took him by the hand and led him past the porter's room
into the atrium.

"What news, husband?" she asked when the door was shut behind them so
that none might overhear their talk.

"Well," he answered, "first, my fighting days are over, since I am
discharged the army, the physicians declaring that my leg will never be
well again. Wife, why do you not weep?"

"Because I rejoice," answered Julia calmly. "Thirty years of war and
bloodshed are enough for any man. You have done your work. It is time
that you should rest who have been spared so long, and at least I have
saved while you were away, and there will be food to fill our mouths."

"Yes, yes, wife, and as it happens, more than you think, since
Vespasian, being gracious and pleased with my report, has granted me
half-pay for all my life, to say nothing of a gratuity and a share of
the spoil, whatever that may bring. Still I grieve, who can never hope
to lift spear more."

"Grieve not, for thus I would have had it, Gallus. But what of this
maid?"

"Well, I made my report about her, as I was bound to do, and at first
Domitian, Caesar's son, being curious to see her, prompted Vespasian to
order that she should be brought to the palace. Almost Caesar spoke the
word, then a thought seemed to strike him and he was silent, whereon I
said that she had been very sick and still needed care and nursing, and
that if it was his will, my wife could tend her until such time as Titus
Caesar, whose spoil she was, might arrive. Again Dom