nst thou not trust thy slaves?" he snarled.

"Couldst thou trust thine?" she retorted.

"I can change robes with one of my guard," he urged, "and he could then
pretend to be the Caesar escaping through the crypta to the House of
Augustus."

"'Twere safest not to make pretence," she rejoined coolly; "rather let
the Caesar do what he suggests."

"What is that?"

"The Palace of Augustus would be the safest stronghold for the Caesar
until the arrival of the legions. It would be safer than the house of
his servant, for prying eyes may have seen him enter it, and
ears--sharpened by hate--may have heard his cries."

"Then am I lost!" he exclaimed.

"Not if my gracious lord will take counsel of his servant. The
underground way is clear and safe. The Palace of Augustus would afford
ample shelter. Twenty men well armed will watch over the Caesar and the
house of Dea Flavia will furnish the necessary food."

Caligula hesitated a moment, his shifty eyes wandered restlessly over
the face of the young girl.

"Thou'lt not betray me?" he murmured.

"I could betray thee now an I would," she said simply. "The mob is at my
gate. One call from me and the Caesar is in the hands of those who desire
his death."

"Hush! hush!" he said, once more clutching her wrist and gazing
fearfully around him, "speak not of this, Dea! The very words might call
down the decree of the gods.... I'll trust thee," he added, bringing his
livid face close to her own and speaking with a fever of maddened fury,
"but if thou shouldst fail me...."

"No need of threats, great Caesar," she said, calmly disengaging her
wrist from his grasp and stepping back from him, "if I failed thee
to-day neither I nor thou would be alive on the morrow."

The truth of what she said must have struck his dulled mind, for the
look of savage ferocity quickly died from his face, leaving it once more
pale with abject fear. He must have realised that his own unreasoning
cowardice had placed him entirely in this girl's hands, and that having
feared to meet his people a few hours ago, he had cut off from beneath
his own feet the bulwark of dignity and of unapproachable sanctity on
which he should have stood.

"I'll to the House of Augustus," he said more quietly, "while the rabble
vent their rage upon my palace and search for their Caesar that they
might murder him, I'll remain there in peace. Do thou send thy most
trusted slave into the streets, and let him endeavour to rea