on his head.

"Go among Christians," said he, with solemnity; "go to the houses of
prayer, and ask the brethren about Glaucus; and when they show him to
thee, slay him at once in Christ's name!"

"About Glaucus?" repeated the laborer, as if wishing to fix that name in
his memory.

"Dost thou know him?"

"No, I do not. There are thousands of Christians in Rome, and they are
not all known to one another. But to-morrow, in Ostrianum, brethren and
sisters will assemble in the night to the last soul, because a great
apostle of Christ has come, who will teach them, and the brethren will
point out to me Glaucus."

"In Ostrianum?" inquired Chilo. "But that is outside the city gates!
The brethren and all the sisters,--at night? Outside the city gates, in
Ostrianum?"

"Yes, father; that is our cemetery, between the Viae Salaria and
Nomentana. Is it not known to thee that the Great Apostle will teach
there?"

"I have been two days from home, hence I did not receive his epistle;
and I do not know where Ostrianum is, for I came here not long since
from Corinth, where I govern a Christian community. But it is as thou
sayest,--there thou wilt find Glaucus among the brethren, and thou wilt
slay him on the way home to the city. For this all thy sins will be
forgiven. And now peace be with thee--"

"Father--"

"I listen to thee, servant of the Lamb."

On the laborer's face perplexity was evident. Not long before he had
killed a man, and perhaps two, but the teaching of Christ forbids
killing. He had not killed them in his own defence, for even that is
not permitted. He had not killed them, Christ preserve! for profit. The
bishop himself had given him brethren to assist, but had not permitted
him to kill; he had killed inadvertently, for God had punished him with
too much strength. And now he was doing grievous penance. Others sing
when the millstones are grinding; but he, hapless man, is thinking of
his sin, of his offence against the Lamb. How much has he prayed already
and wept? How much has he implored the Lamb? And he feels that he has
not done penance enough yet! But now he has promised again to kill a
traitor,--and done well! He is permitted to pardon only offences against
himself; hence he will kill Glaucus, even before the eyes of all
the brethren and sisters, in Ostrianum to-morrow. But let Glaucus be
condemned previously by the elders among the brethren, by the bishop, or
by the Apostle. To kill is not a great th