and quick as the paw of a
leopard, Vergilius whirled it away and caught the wrist of the Jew and
flung him down. While Antipater struggled in his great robe the
tribune had disarmed him. Every man of the cohort was now cheering.
Antipater rose in terrible wrath and flung off his robe of gold and
purple.

"Put him in irons!" he shouted. "I, who shall soon be king of the
Jews, command you!"

The cohort began to jeer at him; Vergilius commanded silence.

"You lapdog!" Antipater hissed, turning upon the Roman. "Am I met with
treason?"

"You give yourself a poor compliment," said Vergilius. "Better call me
a lion than a lapdog." He turned to an officer who stood near and
added: "You will now obey the orders of the king."

Forthwith, Vergilius went aboard the new-come vessel and seized the
goods of Antipater and put them on their way to the king. Meanwhile,
the soldiers, many of whom had borne with the cruelty and insolence of
their prisoner, were little inclined to mercy. He struggled, cursing,
but they bore him down, binding him hand and knee to an open litter, so
he stood, like a beast, upon all fours, for such, indeed, was the order
of the king. Then they put on him the skin of a wild ass and carried
him up and down, jeering as the long ears flapped. Vergilius,
returning, removed the skin of the ass and loosed the fetters a little,
and forbade the soldiers any further revenge.

"The skin of a leopard would become you better," said Vergilius to
Antipater, as he unlashed the coat of shame.

The wrathful Jew, still cursing, tried to bite the friendly hand of his
keeper. "My noble prince," said Vergilius, "you flatter me; I am not
good to eat."

Those crowding near laughed loudly, but Vergilius hushed them and
signalled to the trumpeter. Then a call and a rush of horses into
line. The litter was lifted quickly and lashed upon the backs of two
chargers. In a little time the cohort was on its way to Jerusalem.

Arriving, it massed in front of the royal palace. Vergilius repaired
to the king's chamber. The body of Herod was now become as an old
house, its timbers sagging to their fall, its tenant trembling at dim
windows while the storm beat upon it. Shame and sorrow and remorse
were racking him down. King and kingdom were now swiftly changing.

"At last!" he piped, with quivering hands uplifted. "Slow-footed
justice! come--come close to me."

Eagerly he grasped the hands of the young Roman and