hipped!
You see how badly you are served when Syphax is absent. And be so kind
as to give me your right shoe."

"Properly I should refuse to do so, and let you remain in suspense, to
punish you for your impudent lies," laughed the Prefect. "This piece of
leather is worth your life, my panther! How will you ransom it?"

"With important news. I now know all the particulars of the plan
against the life of Belisarius; the place and time, and the names of
the confederates. They are--Teja, Totila, and Hildebad."

"Each one of whom is a match for the magister militum," remarked
Cethegus, with evident pleasure.

"I think, sir, that you have prepared another nice trap for the
barbarians! According to your order, I have told them that Belisarius
himself will sally out from the Tiburtinian Gate to-morrow, in order to
forage for supplies."

"Yes; he goes himself because the Huns, who have so often been beaten,
will not again venture out alone. He will take only four hundred men."

"And the three confederates will place an ambush of a thousand men in
order to surprise Belisarius."

"This news is really worth the shoe!" said Cethegus, and threw it to
Syphax.

"Meanwhile King Witichis will make a feigned assault upon the Gate of
St. Paul, in order to divert attention from Belisarius. So I will now
hasten to the latter, as you ordered, and tell him to take three
thousand men with him, and destroy the confederates and their band."

"Stop," said Cethegus quietly; "do not be in such a hurry. You will
tell him nothing."

"What?" asked Syphax in surprise. "If he be not warned, he will be
lost!"

"One must not always interfere with the commander's guardian angel.
To-morrow Belisarius may prove his good fortune."

"Aye, aye," said Syphax, with a cunning smile, "is such your pleasure?
Then I would rather be Syphax the slave than Belisarius the magister
militum. Poor widowed Antonina!"

Cethegus was just about to stretch himself upon his couch for a short
rest, when Fidus, the ostiarius, announced:

"Kallistratos, of Corinth!"

"Always welcome!"

The young Greek with the gentle countenance entered. A flush of shame
or pleasure coloured his cheeks; it was evident that some special cause
had led him to the Prefect.

"What of beauty do you bring besides yourself?" asked Cethegus in the
Grecian tongue.

The Greek looked up with sparkling eyes.

"A heart full of admiration for you, and the wish to prove it to you. I
beg fo