t trips.

The city was empty because of the storm. From time to time lightning
rent the clouds, illuminating with its glare the fresh walls of houses
newly built or in process of building and the wet flag-stones with which
the streets were paved. At last a flash came, when they saw, after a
rather long road, the mound on which stood the small temple of Libitina,
and at the foot of the mound a group of mules and horses.

"Niger!" called Vinicius, in a low voice.

"I am here, lord," said a voice in the rain.

"Is everything ready?"

"It is. We were here at dark. But hide yourselves under the rampart, or
ye will be drenched. What a storm! Hail will fall, I think."

In fact Niger's fear was justified, for soon hail began to fall, at
first fine, then larger and more frequent. The air grew cold at once.
While standing under the rampart, sheltered from the wind and icy
missiles, they conversed in low voices.

"Even should some one see us," said Niger, "there will be no suspicion;
we look like people waiting for the storm to pass. But I fear that they
may not bring the bodies out till morning."

"The hail-storm will not last," said Petronius. "We must wait even till
daybreak."

They waited, listening to hear the sound of the procession. The
hail-storm passed, but immediately after a shower began to roar. At
times the wind rose, and brought from the "Putrid Pits" a dreadful odor
of decaying bodies, buried near the surface and carelessly.

"I see a light through the mist," said Niger,--"one, two, three,--those
are torches. See that the mules do not snort," said he, turning to the
men.

"They are coming!" said Petronius.

The lights were growing more and more distinct. After a time it was
possible to see torches under the quivering flames.

Niger made the sign of the cross, and began to pray. Meanwhile the
gloomy procession drew nearer, and halted at last in front of the temple
of Libitina. Petronius, Vinicius, and Niger pressed up to the rampart in
silence, not knowing why the halt was made. But the men had stopped only
to cover their mouths and faces with cloths to ward off the stifling
stench which at the edge of the "Putrid Pits" was simply unendurable;
then they raised the biers with coffins and moved on. Only one coffin
stopped before the temple. Vinicius sprang toward it, and after him
Petronius, Niger, and two British slaves with the litter.

But before they had reached it in the darkness, the voice of Naz