No matter," replied the dying man, "Christ, the Saviour, girl, will
reward you for this drink!"

Bissula rose slowly, her glance rested upon the nearest street of tents
to the left and, with a sharp cry of terror, she dropped the helmet and
ran as swiftly as she could, toward the gate. For, down that street,
brightly illumined by the blaze of the burning tents, she saw, stealing
toward her, crouching like a beast of prey, with a dagger in his
hand,--Herculanus.

CHAPTER LIV.

Hitherto Herculanus had remained concealed from both Romans and Germans
in the tent on the cross street where he had sought refuge. Now
everything around had become so still that he might have supposed the
camp to be deserted, but the cautious fugitive probably would not have
left the tent yet if the fire, and still more the smoke, of the
consuming leather had not driven him away. Peering timidly between the
folds, he glided out, and his first glance fell upon the hated girl to
whom he believed he owed his downfall. With a short, half stifled cry
of savage delight in vengeance, he sprang toward her, the quivering
dagger uplifted, when he saw that he was discovered. But Bissula had a
good start; he was obliged to pass the fifty paces of the cross street
before reaching the corner tent where she had just been kneeling, and
his aching feet would not permit him to follow as fast as his hate
desired.

Meanwhile Bissula fled like a hunted deer down the central street to
the gate; there she glanced back. Alas, he must have guessed the
direction of her flight, for he also ran toward the gate and saw her
pass out into the open country. He followed.

At first hate and revenge urged him recklessly on. But now, after
obeying these impulses, he said to himself while running:

"Ausonius is dead; I am his heir. And perhaps the few others who knew
of the incident died, too, in this hour, like Davus; only the Barbarian
girl lives. Has he, meantime, made her his heiress? Hardly! And even if
it were so, the will has probably burned with the other things in the
camp; and even if it should be saved, what harm can it do, if the
person named as heiress also perishes during this night of universal
slaughter? However that may be, she shall not--must not live."

He too had reached the gate. The gray dawn of day was already diffusing
sufficient pale light for him speedily to discover the flying figure on
the opposite side of the ditc