free, and claim that you have the power to do so--to-night for
Ostia; and then, then away forever from this ruthless land! But stay!
What of our mistress? I will not go hence until I know that she is safe
and well.'

'She is well,' responded Leta, fearful lest the truth might throw a new
obstacle before her plans. 'And all is again right between her lord and
herself, for I have assured him of her innocence.'

'Then, since this is so, there is no motive for me to tarry,' he said.
He believed her, and was satisfied; not that he esteemed her worthy of
belief, but because it did not seem to him possible that such a matter
as a grateful kiss upon a protecting hand could require much
explanation. 'I would like well once more to see her and bid her
farewell, and utter my thanks for all her kindness; but to what purpose?
I have done that already, and could do and say no more than I have
already done and said. There remains, therefore, nothing more than to
fulfil her commands, and return to my native home. But tell her, Leta,
that my last thought was for her, and that her memory will ever live in
my heart.'

'I cannot tell her this,' slowly murmured Leta, 'for I shall not see her
again. I--I go with you.'

Cleotos listened for a moment in perplexed wonderment, and then, for his
sole answer, dropped her hand and turned away. She understood him as
well as though he had spoken the words of refusal.

'You will not take me with you, then; is it not so?' she said. 'Some
nice point of pride, or some feeling of fancied wrong, or craving for
revenge, or, perhaps, love for another person, tells you now to separate
yourself from me! And yet you loved me once. This, then, is man's
promised faith!'

'You dare to talk to me of faith and broken vows!' he exclaimed, after a
moment of speechless amazement at her hardiness in advancing such a
plea. 'You, who for weeks have treated me with scorn and
indifference--who have plotted against me, until my life itself has been
brought into danger--who, apart from all that, cast me off when first we
met in Rome, telling me then that I was and could be nothing to you,
yes, even that our association from the first had been a mistake and a
wrong! Yes, Leta, there was a time when I truly loved you, as man had
never then done, or since, or ever will again; but impute not to me the
blame that I cannot do so now.'

'I was to blame,' she said; and it seemed that this night must be a
night of confession