"He shall die!" cried Galdus, with the look of a savage.

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No, no; you are in a civilized land, not in Britain.

It is

not so easy to kill men in Rome. I wish you to watch out for this man. He is an Asiatic, with brown skin, black curling hair, black eyes, and the face of a villain. His name is Hegio. Watch out for him. If you ever see him on these grounds, do what you like with him. If you ever see him in this neighbourhood, let me know. He is still trying to injure me, and I believe that he has recently done me a great wrong. He may yet do worse."

"If he does, he dies," said Galdus, slowly and solemnly.

XXVI.

The Arrest.

NE day Labeo received a visit from one whom he had

not seen for a long time.

It was Julius.

Pale, emaciated, and haggard, he looked but little like that stout young soldier who formerly had been here. Cineas had seen him constantly ever since his new life, but Labeo had not. There was anxiety in his face, which struck Cineas at once and excited his apprehensions.

“There is bad news?” said Cineas, inquiringly, after the first salutations were over.

"There is," said Julius, gloomily, " or else I would not have entered the house of a public officer."

“That I am no longer,” said Labeo.

"True," said Julius, sadly, regarding him for a moment. Then, with a hurried movement,—“ There's no time to lose—I bring fearful news to you."

“What?”

“Labeo, your wife is a Christian.”

Labeo and Cineas turned as pale as ashes, and looked at each other, while a feeling of sickening horror thrilled through them. The fact that Helena was a Christian was of course well enough known to both, but in these fearful times of persecution and proscription, the hurried visit of this outlaw, with these words on his lips, had a fearful meaning.

"Well?" said Labeo, in a voice which was scarce audible. "They are going to arrest her," said Julius.

"Arrest her!"

"Yes. And there is no time to lose.

"Fly!—where?"

"To the catacombs."

She must fly."

"To the catacombs !-to a living tomb! And why ?” cried Labeo, passionately. "Who would dare to arrest her? She is not a common woman of the mob. She is not a thing for informers and perjured witnesses to practise on. Let them try it if they dare."

"There is no time to lose," cried Julius, interrupting him, "not a moment. I came out to save them, and to save also Lydia. They must fly—with me—at once—or they are lost!" "Fly!-like criminals! Fly!-my wife!-never," cried Labeo, vehemently. "Never. There is no such thing as this yet. I have not fallen so low. While I live she shall live. She shall not go there-no-never."

"Think of Nero, and you will see that no cruelty is impossible for him."

"Nero has no cause for hating me. He has favoured me greatly until recently."

"Others have supplanted you," said Julius, impatiently. "You can do nothing. But I lose time. Haste. If you wish the safety of your wife, bid her prepare; if not, then at least summon Lydia."

Cineas said not a word. Labeo was the judge here. He knew not what to say, and said nothing. The suddenness of the blow bewildered him.

Then Julius implored Labeo to save his wife; to send her away, or convey her away; to do anything rather than allow hér to remain. And Labeo steadily refused. He was still unable to understand how any one would dare to arrest her. All his pride was roused. Never would he consent to that

which seemed so deep a disgrace. For it seemed to him like additional insult to his present adverse fortunes, and he fought against it, and determined to hold out against fate.

Julius, therefore, finding all his representations useless, in his deep anxiety, and in his haste, urged that Lydia might be summoned. This Labeo readily granted. The young maiden was informed of the state of the case, and Helena, who heard the news with the most gloomy forebodings, not unmingled with terror, hurried her away, and took leave of her as though this were their last meeting on earth. Scarcely did Julius allow a word, but in his hurry at once set out. The horse which had carried him out carried both back towards their destination.

Then the two friends were left to their thoughts. Soon Helena appeared, pale and frightened. She flung herself into her husband's arms. He folded her in them, and held her close to his heart, and looked with a fierce glance away, as though in search of some imaginary enemy.

"There's no danger," said he, "and no fear, sweet wife. Who would dare to arrest you?"

Helena shuddered, and wept.

"I am such a coward," she said, "I cannot face danger."

Danger! No; you are too tender even to be exposed to the fear of it. And never shall harm come to you while I live." "Had I not better fly?" she asked, timidly.

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"Fly! Alas, where? What place is secure from Cæsar ? But why talk of flight? There is no cause. This is a needless alarm. There may, indeed, have been danger for Lydia, but there is none for you. I have some power yet, and influence. I am not a fallen man altogether. The Sulpicii are not so mean that they have become poor victims of a tyrant. No, no. Calm yourself, dearest. Look up-my own-the danger is only a fancy. It was a mistake of Julius-a mistake— that's all."

With such words Labeo strove to calm his wife, yet, with all his indignant disbelief, his heart was ill at ease. His mind misgave him. For Christians of name and station had already suffered the most cruel of deaths, and it was possible that Helena might be arrested after all.

While Labeo tried to give to Helena a confidence which he himself did not possess, Cineas sat, pale and anxious, looking at the floor. Well he knew the danger. He had anticipated some such thing as this, and he seemed to see the actual presence of that which he feared.

Now, while these three were thus together struggling with fear and anxiety, they became aware of a sudden tumult outside the tramp of horses, the rattle of arms. Helena heard it first. She shrieked, and clung more closely to her husband.

"O my God!" she cried, "support me. I cannot support myself."

came nearer.

Labeo held her and looked wildly at the door. The sounds There were voices at the portico, footsteps on the pavement, and, without any summons or message, the footsteps drew nearer.

An officer entered the room, followed by several soldiers. One man accompanied them whose appearance filled Labeo with bitterest rage. It was Hegio.

He had come to triumph in his revenge. Labeo knew it. And that revenge was wreaked through his wife. His brain reeled in his furious passion.

The officer respectfully saluted Labeo, and apologized for his presence. He hoped that he might be forgiven for performing a painful duty, and after some long preamble of this sort, he at length told the nature of his errand. He had been sent to arrest Helena, the wife of Labeo, as a Christian, and a traitor to the state. Saying this, he displayed the imperial mandate.

Labeo looked at it for a moment, and then at the officer.