the
treasury--to aid and abet thee in this fraud."

Menecreta's grasp round the praefect's knees did not relax and he made
no movement to free himself, but her head fell sideways against her
shoulder whilst her lips murmured in tones of utter despair:

"I wanted my child."

"For thy delinquencies," resumed the praefect, seemingly not heeding the
pathetic appeal, "thou shalt appear before my tribunal on the morrow
like unto Hun Rhavas thine accomplice, and thou shalt then be punished
no less than thou deservest. But this is no place for the delivery of my
judgment upon thee, and the sale must proceed as the law directs; thy
daughter must stand upon the catasta, thou canst renew thy bid of
twenty aurei for her, and," he added with unmistakable significance, as
throwing his head back his imperious glance swept over the assembled
crowd, "as there will be no higher bid for Nola, daughter of Menecreta,
she will become thy property as by law decreed."

The true meaning of this last sentence was quite unmistakable. The crowd
who had gathered round the rostrum to watch, gaping, the moving
incident, looked on the praefect and understood no one was to bid for
Nola, the daughter of Menecreta. Taurus Antinor, surnamed Anglicanus,
had spoken and it would not be to anyone's advantage to quarrel with his
arbitrary pronouncement for the sake of any slave girl, however
desirable she might be. It was not pleasant to encounter the wrath of
the praefect of Rome nor safe to rouse his enmity.

So the crowd acquiesced silently, not only because it feared the
praefect, but also because Menecreta's sorrow, the call of the
despairing mother, the sad tragedy of this little domestic episode had
not left untouched the hearts of these Roman citizens. In matters of
sentiment they were not cruel and they held family ties in great esteem;
both these factors went far towards causing any would-be purchaser to
obey Taurus Antinor's commands and to retire at once from the bidding.

As for Menecreta, it seemed to her as if the heavens had opened before
her delighted gaze. From the depths of despair she had suddenly been
dragged forth into the blinding daylight of hope. She could scarcely
believe that her ears had heard rightly the words of the praefect.

Still clinging to his knees she raised her head to him; her eyes still
dimmed with tears looked strangely wondering up at his face whilst her
lips murmured faintly:

"Art thou a god, that thou shoul