morable journey to Syria, and who, since the death of
Apelles, had totally disappeared, the countryman had instantly followed
him, seized him--not without a struggle and some little danger--and then
had him led off by the city-guard to the prison by the Prefect's house.
Once secured he had been induced to speak, and his narrative proved
beyond a doubt that Apelles had perished in a skirmish with the
Saracens; the Egyptian slave had only taken advantage of his master's
death to make off with the money he had with him. He had found his way
to Crete, where he had purchased a plot of ground with his plunder; but
then, craving to see his wife and children once more, he had come back
to fetch them away to his new home. Finally, to confirm the truth of his
story, which--clearing him apparently of the murder of his master--did
not invite implicit belief, he told Demetrius that he had seen in
Alexandria, only the day before, a recluse who had been present when
Apelles fell, and Demetrius had at once set out to find this monk,
enquiring among those who had swarmed into the city. He had very soon
been successful; Kosnias, who since then had been elected abbot of the
monastery to which he belonged, now again told Marcus the story of his
father's heroic courage in the struggle with the freebooters who had
attacked his caravan. Apelles, he said, had saved his life and that of
two other anchorites, one of whom was in Alexandria at this very time.
They were travelling from Hebron to Aila, a party of seven, and had
placed themselves under the protection of the Alexandrian merchant's
escort; everything had gone well till the infidel Saracens had fallen
upon them in the high land south of Petra. Four of the monks had been
butchered out of hand; but Apelles, with a few of the more resolute
spirits in the company, had fought the heathen with the valor of a lion.
He, Kosmas, and his two surviving comrades had effected their escape,
while Apelles engaged the foe; but from a rocky height which they
climbed in their flight they saw him fall, and from that hour they
had always mentioned him in their prayers. It would be an unspeakable
satisfaction to him to do his utmost to procure for such a man as
Apelles the rank he deserved in the list of martyrs for the Faith.

Marcus, only too happy, wanted to hurry away at once to his mother and
tell her what he had heard, but Demetrius detained him. The
Bishop-he told his brother--had desired his immediat