agitatores, or drivers, attracted even more interest
than the horses. Marcus, though he knew how to handle the reins--he
had already been seen in experimental races--could hardly hold his
own against Hippias, the handsome young heathen, who, like most of the
drivers in the arena, was an agitator by profession. A story was told
of his having driven over a bridge which was not quite as wide as the
outside edges of his chariot-wheels; and there were many witnesses
to the feat he had performed of writing his mistress' name with his
chariot-tracks in the sand of the Hippodrome.

The betting was freest and the wagers highest on Hippias and the team
belonging to Iphicrates. Some few backed Marcus and his Arabs, but for
smaller sums; and when they compared the tall but narrow-shouldered
figure of the young Christian with the heroic breadth of Hippias' frame,
and his delicate features, dreamy blue eyes and downy black moustache
with the powerful Hermes-head of his rival, they were anxious about
their money. If his brother now, the farmer Demetrius--who was standing
by the horses' heads--or some well-known agitator had held the reins, it
would have been a pleasure and a profit to back such horses. Marcus had
been abroad, too, and men shrugged their shoulders over that, for it was
not till the last few days that he had been seen exercising his horses
in the Hippodrome.

Time was going on, and the Imperial envoy, who had been elected to
preside as judge, at length took his place; Demetrius whispered a few
last words of advice to his brother and went back into the arena. He had
secured a good place on the stone podium and on the shady side, though
there were several seats vacant among those belonging to his family; but
he did not care to occupy one of these, preferring to keep out of the
way of his step-mother, who had made her appearance with a senator and
his wife to whom she was related. He had not seen her for two days; his
promise to Karnis that he would try to find Dada, had kept him fully
occupied, and he had done his best in all earnest to discover the girl.

The honest indignation with which this young creature had refused his
splendid offers, in spite of the modest circumstances of her life, had
roused his respect, and he had felt it an insult to himself and to his
brother when Gorgo had spoken of her with contempt. For his part, he had
never met with any one more fascinating; he could not cease dreaming of
her, and the