only I knew.... If they find him he must come here--here to my
lord the Bishop."

"To Theophilus?" said Constantine in surprise. "Yes, yes--to him," she
said hastily. "Or--stay--to the gate-keeper at the Bishop's palace."

"Well, that is less aristocratic, but perhaps it is more to the
purpose," said the officer; and with a sign to his servant, he twisted
his hand in his horse's mane, leaped into the saddle, waved her a
farewell, and rejoined his men without paying any heed to her thanks.

CHAPTER XIV.

There was much bustle and stir in the hall of the Episcopal palace.
Priests and monks were crowding in and out; widows, who, as deaconesses,
were entrusted with the care of the sick, were waiting, bandages in
hand, and discussing their work and cases, while acolytes lifted the
wounded on to the litters to carry them to the hospitals.

The deacon Eusebius, whom we have met as the spiritual adviser of
Marcus, was superintending the good work, and he took particular care
that as much attention should be shown to the wounded heathen as to the
Christians.

In front of the building veterans of the twenty-first legion paced up
and down in the place of the ordinary gate-keepers, who were sufficient
protection in times of peace.

Agne looked in vain for any but soldiers, but at last she slipped in
unobserved among the men and women who were tending the wounded. She
was terribly thirsty, and seeing one of the widows mixing some wine and
water and offer it to one of the wounded men who pushed it away, she
took courage and begged the deaconess to give her a drink. The woman
handed her the cup at once, asking to whom she belonged that she was
here.

"I want to see my lord, the Bishop," replied Agne, but then correcting
herself, she added hastily: "If I could see the Bishop's gate-keeper, I
might speak to him."

"There he is," said the deaconess, pointing to an enormously tall man
standing in the darkest and remotest corner of the hall. The darkness
reminded her for the first time that it was now evening. Night was
drawing on, and then where could she take refuge and find shelter? She
shuddered and simply saying: "Thank you," she went to the man who had
been pointed out to her and begged that if her little brother should be
found and brought to him, he would take charge of him.

"To be sure," said the big man good-naturedly. "He can be taken to the
orphanage of the 'Good Samaritan' if they bring him here, and you can