y gave her strength to overcome her natural timidity.

"Twenty aurei! twenty aurei! will no one bid more for Nola, the daughter
of Menecreta," shouted the auctioneer, hammer in hand, ready to bring it
down since no more bidding would be allowed for this piece of goods.
"Twenty aurei! no one bids more--no one--no----"

"I'll give thirty aurei!"

It was a pure, young voice that spoke, the voice of a young girl, mellow
and soft-toned as those of a pigeon when it cooes to its mate; but firm
withal, direct and clear, the voice of one accustomed to command and
even more accustomed to be obeyed.

The sound rang from temple to temple right across the Forum, and was
followed by silence--the dead silence which falls upon a multitude when
every heart stops beating and every breath is indrawn.

Cheiron paused, hammer in hand, his lips parted for the very words which
he was about to utter, his round open eyes wandering irresolutely from
the praefect's face to that of the speaker with the melodious voice.

And on the hot noonday air there trembled a long sigh of pain, like the
breaking of a human heart.

But the same voice, soft and low, was heard again:

"The girl pleases me! What say you, my lord Escanes, is not that hair
worthy to be immortalised by a painter's hand?"

And preceded by her lictors, who made a way for her through the crowd,
Dea Flavia advanced even to the foot of the catasta. And as she
advanced, those who were near retreated to a respectful distance, making
a circle round her and leaving her isolated, with her tall Ethiopian
slaves behind her holding broad leaves of palm above her head to shield
her from the sun. Thus was the gold of her hair left in shadow, and the
white skin of her face appeared soft and cool, but the sun played with
the shimmering folds of her white silk tunic and glinted against the
gems on her fingers.

Tall, imperious and majestic, Dea Flavia--unconscious alike of the
deference of the crowd and the timorous astonishment of the
slaves--looked up at Cheiron, the auctioneer, and resumed with a touch
of impatience in her rich young voice:

"I said that I would bid thirty aurei for this girl!"

Less than a minute had elapsed since Dea Flavia's sudden appearance on
the scene. Taurus Antinor had as yet made no movement or given any sign
to Cheiron as to what he should do; but those who watched him with
anxious interest could see the dark frown on his brow grow darker still
and darker,