to rise,
he sprang off his bed with a sigh of relief, dressed, and went out into
the garden to have what he called a good rest.

His intention was to go round to the back and rouse up Serge, not to
make any confidence, but just to have a talk about the coming of the
visitor and the surly reception the old soldier had given to his
father's friend; but, before he had gone many yards, a gleam of
something white amongst the trees caught his attention, and he found
himself face to face with his father.

"You out so soon?" he cried, in astonishment.

"Yes, boy; it has been no time for sleep. I have had too much to think
about."

"But, father--" began the boy.

Cracis held up his hand.

"Wait," he said. "Our visitor, Marcus, seems to have been as sleepless
as I; here he comes." For at the same moment they caught sight of Caius
Julius leaving the doorway; and, upon seeing them, he came quickly to
join them, with extended hand.

The rest of that morning seemed afterwards one whirl of confusion to
Marcus, in which he could recall his father's words to their visitor,
and his quiet, grave declaration of how much it meant to him to have to
give up his calm and peaceful home and its surroundings to plunge at
once into the toil, excitement and care of public life.

Marcus recalled too how, divining how they seemed to wish to be alone,
he had left them pacing up and down beneath the shading vines, talking
earnestly, while he consoled himself by joining Serge, who was in as
great a state of excitement as himself and literally pelted him with
questions which he could not answer, making the old soldier turn from
him fiercely after telling him that he might speak out if he liked,
instead of being so obstinate and refusing to trust him with what he
knew.

Serge went off in high dudgeon, while, hardly giving him a thought,
Marcus strolled back towards the garden in the hope that his father
would take some notice of him and call him to his side.

It was then approaching mid-day, and this time he was not disappointed,
for, as soon as the boy appeared, Cracis signed to him to approach.

"Come here, Marcus," he said; and the boy noticed that their visitor
smiled at him in a satisfied way.

"I am going away, my boy," he said, "to leave our quiet little home, on
very serious business."

"Soon, father?" cried Marcus, excitedly, as his father stopped short.

"Very soon, boy--now--at once. That is, as soon as I can make my
prep