t
off and threatened them that unless they spoke on the morrow, their
tongues would be cut off the next day. And if after that they still
remained obdurate, their heads would go the way of their tongues and
ears."

Exclamations of horror greeted this gruesome tale, the relevancy of
which no one had as yet perceived. But Caius Nepos, having pledged his
friends in a draught of Sicilian wine, resumed:

"I, as an idle traveller from Rome had been received by the dusky
chieftain with marked deference, and I was greatly interested in the
fate of the six men who proved so loyal to their leader. So I waited
three days, and when their tongues and ears had been cut off and their
heads were finally threatened, I offered to buy them for a sum
sufficiently large to tempt the cupidity of Hazim Rhan. And thus I had
in my possession six men whose sense of loyalty had been splendidly
proved and whose discretion henceforth would necessarily be absolute."

This time a chorus of praise greeted the conclusion of the tale. The
cynical calm with which it had been told and the ferocious selfishness
which it revealed seemed in no way repellent to Caius Nepos' guests. A
few pairs of indifferent eyes were levelled at the slaves and that was
all. And then Philippus Decius remarked coolly:

"So much for thy carvers and henchmen, O Caius Nepos, but thy
waiting-maids?--are they deaf and dumb too?"

"No," replied the host, "but they come from foreign lands and do not
understand our tongue."

"Then you all think that the next few days will be propitious for our
schemes?" here broke in young Escanes who seemed the most eager amongst
them all.

"Aye!" said Caius Nepos, "with a little good luck even to-morrow might
prove the best day. The Caesar is half frenzied now, gorged with his
triumph, the mockery of which he does not seem to understand. He is more
like a raving madman than ever, much more feeble in mind and body than
before this insensate expedition to Germany."

"I suppose that there is no doubt as to the truth of the tales which are
current about the expedition," quoth Marcus Ancyrus, whose years
rendered him more cautious than the others.

"No doubt whatever," rejoined the host, "and some of the tales fall far
short of the truth. There never was a real blow struck during the whole
time that madman was away. He travelled from place to place in his
litter borne by eight men, and sent his soldiers ahead of him with
sprays and buckets of