points."

"I do not know," answered the other man to the first part of the smith's
speech. "I am not so sure of that."

"You don't know what I mean," said Crispus, scornfully.

"Yes. I do--right well. But I am not so confident, as you are, in these new
leaders."

The smith looked at him keenly for a moment, and then said significantly,
"_do_ you know?"

"Aye! do I," said the other; and, a moment afterward, when the eyes of the
bystanders were not directly fixed on him, he drew his hand edgewise
across his throat, with the action of one severing the windpipe.

Caius Crispus nodded assent, but made a gesture of caution, glancing his
eye toward one or two of the company, and whispering a moment afterward,
"I am not sure of those fellows."

"I see, I see; but they shall learn nothing from what I say." Then raising
his voice, he added, "what I mean, Caius, is simply this, that I have no
so very great faith in the promises of this Sergius Catiline, even if he
should be elected. He was a sworn friend to Sylla, the people's worst
enemy; and never had one associate of the old Marian party. Believe me, he
only wants our aid to set himself up on the horse of state authority; and
when he is firm in the saddle, he will ride us down under the hoofs of
patrician tyranny, as hard as any Cato, or Pompey, of them all."

Six or seven of the foremost group, immediately about the anvil when this
discourse was going on, interchanged quick glances, as the man used the
word elected, on which he laid a strong and singular emphasis, and nodded
slightly, as indicating that they understood his more secret meaning. All,
however, except Crispus, the owner of the forge, seemed to be moved by
what he advanced; and the foreman of the anvil, after musing for a moment,
as he leaned on his heavy sledge, said, "I believe you are right; no one
but a Plebeian can truly mean well, or be truly fitted for a leader to
Plebeians."

"You are no wiser than Crispus," interposed the old man, who had spoken
first, in a low angry whisper. "Do you want to discourage these fellows
from rising to the cry, when it shall be set up? If this be all that you
can do, it were as well to close the forge at once."

"Which I shall do forthwith," said Caius Crispus; "for I have got through
my work and my lads are weary; but do not you go away, my gossips; nor you
either," he added, speaking to the man whom he had at first suspected,
"tarry you, under one pretext or other