ns in Britain, because I need
troops in Gaul. Now I come to take troops from the Wall itself," said
he.

"'I wish you joy of us," said Pertinax. "We're the last sweepings of
the Empire--the men without hope. Myself, I'd sooner trust condemned
criminals."

"'You think so?" he said, quite seriously. "But it will only be till I
win Gaul. One must always risk one's life, or one's soul, or one's
peace--or some little thing."

'Allo passed round the fire with the sizzling deer's meat. He served
us two first.

"'Ah!" said Maximus, waiting his turn. "I perceive you are in your own
country. Well, you deserve it. They tell me you have quite a
following among the Picts, Parnesius."

"'I have hunted with them," I said. "Maybe I have a few friends among
the heather."

"'He is the only armoured man of you all who understands us," said
Allo, and he began a long speech about our virtues, and how we had
saved one of his grandchildren from a wolf the year before.'

'Had you?' said Una.

'Yes; but that was neither here nor there. The little green man orated
like a--like Cicero. He made us out to be magnificent fellows.
Maximus never took his eyes off our faces.

"'Enough," he said. "I have heard Allo on you. I wish to hear you on
the Picts."

'I told him as much as I knew, and Pertinax helped me out. There is
never harm in a Pict if you but take the trouble to find out what he
wants. Their real grievance against us came from our burning their
heather. The whole garrison of the Wall moved out twice a year, and
solemnly burned the heather for ten miles North. Rutilianus, our
General, called it clearing the country. The Picts, of course,
scampered away, and all we did was to destroy their bee-bloom in the
summer, and ruin their sheep-food in the spring.

"'True, quite true," said Allo. "How can we make our holy
heather-wine, if you burn our bee-pasture?"

'We talked long, Maximus asking keen questions that showed he knew much
and had thought more about the Picts. He said presently to me: "If I
gave you the old Province of Valentia to govern, could you keep the
Picts contented till I won Gaul? Stand away, so that you do not see
Allo's face; and speak your own thoughts."

"'No," I said. "You cannot remake that Province. The Picts have been
free too long."

"'Leave them their village councils, and let them furnish their own
soldiers," he said. "You, I am sure, would hold the reins very
lightly."

"E