in bed with orders not to awaken him."

"Whether thou awaken him or no, make thy choice. Here is the message
and I await a reply."

"Take thou it," the first guard said to the second one. "Take thou the
message to his bed."

"Risk thou thine own life," was the prompt reply.

"Enter and awaken him," the first guard said to the messenger.

"Time is passing," he replied with dignity. "I await a reply."

"Let us all waken him!" the second guard suggested.

So they advanced to the curtains that hung over Pilate's door and
shouted together as they beat the floor, "Awake! Arise, my Lord
Pilate!"

"Is the house falling?" The voice was that of Pilate. A moment later
he stuck his head from between the curtains shouting, "To the fires of
Pluto with you! What meaneth this disturbance?"

"A message for my Lord Pilate," the messenger replied, handing him a
tablet. "From the Tower of Antonio, a message."

Claudia stepped behind Pilate and looked over his shoulder. "What is
it?" she asked.

"The hiding-place of a Jew who hath not regard for the Law of Moses has
been discovered. This is a request for soldiers to go out against him."

"A Jew? Who is he?" and Claudia's voice bespoke deep interest.

"What matter?" Pilate replied, yawning. "A Jew is a Jew. Let them go
out against him. My tablets!" he shouted to a servant. After hastily
writing, he gave the messenger a tablet saying, "Depart! One Jew is
not worth the asking, but take him." Before the feet of the messenger
had crossed the threshold Pilate was ready to return to his sleep.
"Get thou on guard," he commanded his Legion soldiers, "and let none
less than Caesar pass my threshold."

For a few hours the long corridors and empty chambers of the palace
were quiet. Then again there came the sound of approaching feet,
followed by knocking and a heavy voice calling the Procurator.

"Pilate again!" murmured one of the guards sleepily. Then speaking to
the other he cried, "Why sleepest thou on duty? Get thee awake!"

Hardly had they assumed their positions inside the door when it was
thrown open and an officer followed by soldiers, entered. "Let not an
instant pass!" he commanded. "Call the Procurator, Pontius Pilate."

Following his command, the voice of Claudia behind the curtains was
heard saying, "Pilate--my Lord Pilate--awake! It is an officer of the
Legion. Arise!"

A moment later the head of Pilate was again thrust between the curtains
a