rms?" Orestes asked eagerly.

"Oh, I thought thou hadst resolved to go to the woman's aid," replied
the man, disappointed.

"Give me the dagger," said the shepherd, a red flush rushing into his
cheek. He had now grasped the situation at a glance, and seizing the
weapon without ceremony or further word, he sprang up three or four
steps and passed through the vomitory of the wall to the stairs leading
down to the lower part of the building.

Coryna heard and saw with joy, but with the racking pain of suspense,
for the shepherd might be--(she dared not think it) would likely
be--too late!

There was a brief, awful lull.

The lion would not leap while those calm heavenly eyes shone full upon
him, and he would not as long as they retained strength. But if
Pathema's head would bow down or turn aside, or if her vital force
would go, and it could not last long, there would then be the sure and
fatal spring.

During this critical pause, Carnion returned. He gave a
half-expectant, eager glance down into the arena. Had there been a
mere wild-beast battle--had the lion been face to face with an Indian
tiger, the sight to the boy would naturally have been grand; but now it
was perplexing and sore. He saw his thread-like hope of rescue
broken--the monster glared upon a frail beautiful woman, and, as yet,
there was no man. Turning aside, he bent his head on the back of the
young officer's empty chair, and hid his tearful eyes, saying to
himself despairingly--

"Will no brave man come, before it is too late?"

CHAPTER XI.

THE MAN WITH THE DAGGER.

Another door opened up with a sudden bang, and behold! a fair-haired
youth, almost naked, and armed with a simple dagger, stepped boldly
into the arena. A great shout went up from the spectators, as, without
the least delay, he ran forward and stood between the lion and its
intended victim.

Coryna gave the would-be deliverer one bewildered, piercing glance,
then instantly lowering her head she hid a face of death-like whiteness
in hands clammy with a cold perspiration.

"Father, father, dost thou not know him?" cried Carnion, startled up
with the bang and the shout, and quivering with mingled grief and joy.

Titanus, never without a feeble ray of hope, was yet thunderstruck when
the combatant's identity dawned upon him; and though filled with
admiration, he was visibly troubled.

The brave youth below stood erect and resolute, while the beast,
disconcerted w