Father prophesied. The naked swords wait at the tent door
to give me the death I gave to Gratian. Therefore I, your General and your
Emperor, send you free and honourable dismissal from my service, which you
entered, not for money __or office, but, as it makes me warm to believe,
because you loved me!_"

'"By the Light of the Sun," Amal broke in. "This was in some sort a Man!
We may have been mistaken in his servants!"

'And Pertinax read on: "_You gave me the time for which I asked. If I have
failed to use it, do not lament. We have gambled very splendidly against
the Gods, but they hold weighted dice, and I must pay the forfeit.
Remember, I have been; but Rome is; and Rome will be! Tell Pertinax his
Mother is in safety at Nicaea, and her monies are in charge of the Prefect
at Antipolis. Make my remembrances to your Father and to your Mother,
whose friendship was great gain to me. Give also to my little Picts and to
the Winged Hats such messages as their thick heads can understand. I would
have sent you three Legions this very day if all had gone aright. Do not
forget me. We have worked together. Farewell! Farewell! Farewell!_"

'Now, that was my Emperor's last letter.' (The children heard the
parchment crackle as Parnesius returned it to its place.)

'"I was mistaken," said Amal. "The servants of such a man will sell
nothing except over the sword. I am glad of it." He held out his hand to
me.

'"But Maximus has given you your dismissal," said an elder. "You are
certainly free to serve--or to rule--whom you please. Join--do not
follow--join us!"

'"We thank you," said Pertinax. "But Maximus tells us to give you such
messages as--pardon me, but I use his words--your thick heads can
understand." He pointed through the door to the foot of a catapult wound
up.

'"We understand," said an elder. "The Wall must be won at a price?"

'"It grieves me," said Pertinax, laughing, "but so it must be won," and he
gave them of our best Southern wine.

'They drank, and wiped their yellow beards in silence till they rose to
go.

'Said Amal, stretching himself (for they were barbarians), "We be a goodly
company; I wonder what the ravens and the dogfish will make of some of us
before this snow melts."

'"Think rather what Theodosius may send," I answered; and though they
laughed, I saw that my chance shot troubled them.

'Only old Allo lingered behind a little.

'"You see," he said, winking and blinking, "I am no more tha