hed by thousands. At Artemisium, Themistocles and the allied Greek
admirals were making head against the Persian armadas. But still nothing
was decided. Still the Spartan host lingered at the Isthmus, and Leonidas
must fight his battle alone. The sun sank that night with tens of
thousands wishing his car might stand fast. At gray dawn Athens was awake
and watching. Men forgot to eat, forgot to drink. One food would have
contented--news!

* * * * * * *

It was about noon--"the end of market time," had there been any market then
at Athens--when Hermione knew by instinct that news had come from the
battle and that it was evil. She and her mother had sat since dawn by the
upper window, craning forth their heads up the street toward the Agora,
where they knew all couriers must hasten. Along the street in all the
houses other women were peering forth also. When little Phoenix cried in
his cradle, his mother for the first time in his life almost angrily bade
him be silent. Cleopis, the only one of the fluttering servants who went
placidly about the wonted tasks, vainly coaxed her young mistress with
figs and a little wine. Hermippus was at the council. The street, save for
the leaning heads of the women, was deserted. Then suddenly came a change.

First a man ran toward the Agora, panting,--his himation blew from his
shoulders, he never stopped to recover it. Next shouts, scattered in the
beginning, then louder, and coming not as a roar but as a wailing, rising,
falling like the billows of the howling sea,--as if the thousands in the
market-place groaned in sore agony. Shrill and hideous they rose, and a
hand of ice fell on the hearts of the listening women. Then more runners,
until the street seemed alive by magic, slaves and old men all crowding to
the Agora. And still the shout and ever more dreadful. The women leaned
from the windows and cried vainly to the trampling crowd below.

"Tell us! In the name of Athena, tell us!" No answer for long, till at
last a runner came not toward the Agora but from it. They had hardly need
to hear what he was calling.

"Leonidas is slain. Thermopylae is turned! Xerxes is advancing!"

Hermione staggered back from the lattice. In the cradle Phoenix awoke;
seeing his mother bending over him, he crowed cheerily and flung his
chubby fists in her face. She caught him up and again could not fight the
tears away.

"Glaucon! Glaucon!" she prayed,--for her husband