dvice, and alas! have suffered death for so doing.
But their zeal was superfluous; for the hand of the Lord suddenly
bereft the slave of life before further revelations, and the secret
writings of Albinus had been successfully destroyed before his arrest.

"But do you believe that Albinus would have been silent under torture,
under the threat of death, if naming his co-conspirators could have
saved him? You do not believe it, Albinus himself did not believe it.
Therefore it was necessary, before all else, to gain time and to
prevent the use of torture. This was accomplished by his oath.
Meanwhile, it is true, Boethius and Symmachus suffered; they could not
be saved; but of their silence, even under torture, we were sure.

"Albinus was freed from his prison by a miracle, like St. Paul at
Philippi. It was said that he had escaped to Athens, and the tyrant was
contented with prohibiting his return. But the triune God has prepared
a refuge for him here in His temple until the hour of freedom
approaches. In the solitude of His sacred asylum the Lord has touched
his heart in a wonderful manner, and, undismayed by the danger of
death, which once before had so nearly overtaken him, he again enters
into our circle, and offers to the service of God and the fatherland
his whole immense fortune. Listen: he has made over all his property to
the church of St. Maria Majoris for the uses of our league. Would you
despise him and his millions?"

A pause of astonishment ensued; at last Licinius cried:

"Priest, you are as wise as----as a priest. But such wisdom pleases me
not."

"Silverius," said the jurist, "you may take the millions. It is fitting
that you should do so. But I was the friend of Boethius; it is not
fitting that I should have anything in common with that coward. I
cannot forgive him. Away with him!"

"Away with him!" sounded from all sides. Scaevola had given utterance to
the sentiment of all present. Albinus grew pale; even Silverius quailed
under this general indignation. "Cethegus!" whispered he, claiming
assistance.

This man, who, until now, had remained silent and had only regarded the
speakers with cool superiority, now stepped into the middle of the
assembly.

He was tall and lean, but powerful, with a broad breast and muscles of
pure steel.

A purple hem on his toga and delicate sandals betrayed riches, rank and
taste, but a long brown soldier's mantle hid the remainder of his
underclothing. His head w