s sitting on the chest herself, tired as she was."

"She would do anything for that boy," said Karnis. "But it is past
midnight. Come, Orpheus, let us make the bed!"

Three long hen-coops which stood piled against the wall were laid on
the ground and covered with mats; on these the tired men stretched their
limbs, but they could not sleep.

The little lamp was extinguished, and for an hour all was still in the
dark room. Then, suddenly, there was a loud commotion; some elastic
object flew against the wall with a loud flap, and Karnis, starting up,
called out: "Get out--monster!"

"What is it?" cried Herse who had also been startled, and the old man
replied angrily:

"Some daemon, some dog of a daemon is attacking me and giving me no
peace. Wait, you villain--there, perhaps that will settle you," and he
flung his second sandal. Then, without heeding the rustling fall of some
object that he had hit by accident, he gasped out:

"The impudent fiend will not let me be. It knows that we need Agne's
voice, and it keeps whispering, first in one ear and then in the other,
that I should threaten to sell her little brother if she refuses; but
I--I--strike a light, Orpheus!--She is a good girl and rather than do
such a thing..."

"The daemon has been close to me too," said the son as he blew on the
spark he had struck.

"And to me too," added Herse nervously. "It is only natural. There are
no images of the gods in this Christian hovel. Away, hateful serpent!
We are honest folks and will not agree to any vile baseness. Here is my
amulet, Karnis; if the daemon comes again you must turn it round--you
know how."

CHAPTER II.

Early next morning the singers set out for the house of Porphyrius. The
party was not complete, however, for Dada had been forced to remain at
home. The shoes that the old man had flung to scare away the daemon had
caught in the girl's dress which she had just washed, and had dragged
it down on to the earth; she had found it in the morning full of holes
burnt by the ashes into the damp material. Dada had no other presentable
garment, so, in spite of her indignant refusal and many tears, she had
to remain indoors with Papias. Agne's anxious offers to stay in her
place with the little boy and to lend Dada her dress, both Karnis and
his wife had positively refused; and Dada had lent her aid--at first
silently though willingly and then with her usual merriment--in twining
garlands for the others and