racis walked out into the piazza.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

THAT GREAT MAN.

For a few moments there was utter silence, Cracis looking as if stunned,
and a slight colour beginning to appear in the visitor's pallid cheeks
as he stood gazing at Marcus' father, waiting for him to speak, while
Cracis after catching his son's wrist and snatching him back, and
without taking his eyes from their visitor, found words at last to
speak.

"Are you mad, boy?" he exclaimed, hoarsely. "Do you know who this is?"

"No, father," cried the boy, passionately, "only that he is a man who
has dared to speak ill of you."

"Ah!" said Cracis, slowly, and with his face softening, as he pressed
the boy's arm; and then, in a voice full of dignity and pride: "May I
ask why Caius Julius has condescended to visit my humble home?"

"I have come as a friend, Cracis," was the reply.

"To continue your old enmity, and in mine absence revile me to my son?"

"Revile? Nonsense!" cried his visitor. "It was by accident. I came,
and found you away, and reviled you?--no! I was but speaking to try
your brave and spirited boy. I never for a moment thought that he would
fire up as he did with all his father's spirit and readiness to resent a
wrong."

"Indeed?" said Cracis, coldly.

"Indeed," replied the visitor. "Only a few minutes ago I was telling
your boy how that once we were the greatest of friends. Did I not?" he
said quickly, turning to Marcus.

"Yes, father, that is right," cried Marcus. "He praised you very highly
at first, and said he was your friend."

"My friend!" said Cracis, bitterly. "My greatest enemy, he meant."

"I was, Cracis, in the past. In my ignorance and pride it was only
after we had parted that I learned all that I had lost in my separation
from my bravest colleague, my truest and wisest counsellor."

"And now," said Cracis, coldly, "you have found out the truth and have
tracked me to my home to accuse me with some base invention to my son."

"Believe me, no!" cried Julius, warmly, and he held out his hand.
"Cracis, after much thought and battling with my pride, the pride that
has come with the position to which I have climbed, I have mastered self
so as to come humbly to my oldest and best friend."

"Why?" said Cracis.

"Because you are the only man I know whose counsel I can respect, and in
whom I could fully trust."

"My greatest enemy comes to me to utter words like these, in the
presence of my son?"

"