rule.

An elderly man of dignified aspect was standing close by, who, as Dada
had already discovered, was the head of the ship-yard, and the warrior
hastened towards him. She heard him say: "Father," and in the next
instant she saw the old man open his arms and the officer rush to
embrace him.

Dada never took her eyes off the couple who walked on, arm in arm and
talking eagerly, till they disappeared into a large house on the further
side of the dockyard.

"What a handsome man!" Dada repeated to herself, but while she waited to
see him return she gazed across the lake by which Marcus might find
his way to her. And as she lingered, idly dreaming, she involuntarily
compared the two men. There were fine soldiers in plenty in Rome,
and the ship-builder's son was in no particular superior to a hundred
others; but such a man as Marcus she had never before seen--there could
hardly be such another in the world. The young guard was one fine
tree among a grove of fine trees; but Marcus had something peculiar
to himself, that distinguished him from the crowd, and which made him
exceptionally attractive and lovable. His image at length so completely
filled her mind that she forgot the handsome officer, and the shipmaster
and every one else.

CHAPTER V.

Karnis and his two companions were a long time away. Dada had almost
forgotten her wish to see the young soldier once more, and after playing
with little Papias for some time, as she might have played with a dog,
she began to feel dull and to think the quiet of the boat intolerable.
The sun was sinking when the absentees returned, but she at once
reminded Karnis that he had promised to take her for a walk and show her
Alexandria. Herse, however, forbid her going on such an expedition
till the following day. Dada, who was more irritable and fractious than
usual, burst into tears, flung the distaff that her foster-mother put
into her hand over the side of the ship, and declared between her sobs
that she was not a slave, that she would run away and find happiness
wherever it offered. In short she was so insubordinate that Herse
lost patience and scolded her severely. The girl sprang up, flung on a
handkerchief and in a moment would have crossed the plank to the shore;
Karnis, however, held her back.

"Why, child," he said, "do you not see how tired I am?" The appeal had
its effect; Dada recovered her reason and tried to look up brightly, but
her eyes were still tearful a