on ought to make him aim at this leadership; and
instead of offering such a rebuff to the patriarch, it was his part to
work with him--whose power he greatly underrated--so as to make life
tolerable to their fellow-Christians in a land ruled by Moslems.

Paula's name was not once mentioned; but Orion thought of her and
remained firm, though not without an inward struggle.

At the same time, to prove to his friends how sincerely he desired to
please them, he proposed that he and Justinus should immediately cross
the Nile to lay his application before the Khaliff's vicar. A glance at
the sky showed him that it wanted still an hour and a half of sunset. His
swift horses would not need more than that time for the journey, and
during their absence the rest of the party could move from the inn. Carts
for the baggage were already in waiting below, and chariots had been
ordered to follow and convey his beloved guests to their new quarters.

The senator agreed to this proposal, and as the two men went off Martina
called after Orion.

"My senator must talk to you on the road, and if you can be brought to
reason you will find your reward waiting for you! Do not be saving of
your talents of gold, old man, till the general has promised to procure
the lad's release.--And listen to me, Orion; give up your mad scheme."

The sun had not wholly disappeared behind the Libyan range when the
snorting Pannonians, all flecked with foam, drove back into the
court-yard of the governor's residence. The two men had unfortunately
gained nothing; for Amru was absent, reviewing the troops between
Heliopolis and Onix, and was not expected home till night or even next
morning. The party had removed from the inn and the senator's white
slaves were already mixing with the black and brown ones of the
establishment.

Martina was delighted with her new quarters, and with the beautiful
flowers--most of them new to her--with which the invalid mistress of the
house had had the two great reception-rooms garnished in token of
welcome; but the failure of Justinus' visit to Fostat fell like
hoar-frost on her happy mood.

Orion, she asserted, ought to regard this stroke of ill-luck as a
judgment from God. It was the will of Heaven that he should give up his
enterprise and be content to make due preparations for a noble work which
could be carried through without him, in order to accomplish another, out
of friendship, which urgently needed his help. However,