"Where is the message and from whom?" demanded the slave, suspiciously.
"It is for her ears only. Tell her this and she will know from whom it is."
The slave hesitated.
"Fetch her here," said the youth. "It will be better that no other member of the household sees me."
The slave shook his head. "I will tell her," he said, for he knew that Mallius Lepus and Erich von Harben had escaped from the Colosseum and he guessed that the message might be from one of these. As he hastened back to his mistress the son of Tabernarius smiled, for though he knew not enough of Favonia to know from whom she might reasonably expect a secret message, yet he knew there were few young women who might not, at least hopefully, expect a clandestine communication. He had not long to wait before the slave returned and with him came Favonia. Her excitement was evident as she hastened eagerly forward toward the youth.
"Tell me," she cried, "you have brought word from him."
The son of Tabernarius raised a forefinger to his lip to caution her to silence. "No one must know that I am here," he whispered, "and no ears but yours may hear my message. Send your slave away."
"You may go," said Favonia to the slave. "I will let the young man out when he goes," and the slave, glad to be dismissed, content to be relieved of responsibility, moved silently away into the shadows of a corridor and thence into that uncharted limbo into which pass slaves and other lesser people when one has done with them.
"Tell me," cried the girl, "what word do you bring? Where is he?"
"He is here," whispered the youth, pointing to the anteroom.
"Here?" exclaimed Favonia, incredulously.
"Yes, here," said the youth. "Come," and he led her to the door and as she approached it he seized her suddenly and, clapping a hand over her mouth, dragged her into the dark anteroom beyond.
Rough hands seized her quickly and she was gagged and bound. She heard them converse in low whispers.
"We will separate here," said one. "Two of us will take her to the place we have selected. One of you will have to leave the note for Fulvus Fupus so the palace guards will find it. The rest of you scatter and go by different routes to the deserted house across from the Colosseum. Do you know the place?"
"I know it well. Many is the night that I have slept there."
"Very well," said the first speaker, who seemed to be the leader, "now be off. We have no time to waste."
"Wait," said the son of Tabernarius, "the division of the ransom has not yet been decided. Without me you could have done nothing. I should have at least half."
"Shut up or you will be lucky if you get anything," growled the leader.
"A knife between his ribs would do him good," muttered another.
"You will not give me what I asked?" demanded the youth.
"Shut up," said the leader. "Come along now, men," and carrying Favonia, whom they wrapped in a soiled and ragged cloak, they left the home of Septimus Favonius unobserved; and as two men carried a heavy bundle through the dark shadows beneath the shadowy trees the son of Tabernarius started away in the opposite direction.
A youth in soiled and ragged tunic and rough sandals approached the gates of Caesar's palace. A legionary challenged him, holding him at a distance with the point of his pike.
"What do you loitering by the palace of Caesar by night?" demanded the legionary.
"I have a message for Caesar," replied the youth.
The legionary guffawed. "Will you come in or shall I send Caesar out to you?" he demanded, ironically.
"You may take the message to him yourself, soldier," replied the other, "and if you know what is good for you, you will not delay."
The seriousness of the youth's voice finally compelled the attention of the legionary. "Well," he demanded, "out with it. What message have you for Caesar?"
"Hasten to him and tell him that the daughter of Septimus Favonius has been abducted and that if he hastens he will find her in the deserted house that stands upon the corner opposite the chariot entrance to the Colosseum."
"Who are you?" demanded the legionary.
"Never mind," said the youth. "Tomorrow I shall come for my reward," and he turned and sped away before the legionary could detain him.
"At this rate midnight will never come," said von Harben.
Mallius Lepus laid a hand upon the shoulder of his friend. "You are impatient, but remember that it will be safer for Favonia, as well as for us, if we wait until after midnight, for the streets now must be full of searchers. All afternoon we have heard soldiers passing. It is a miracle that they have not searched this place."
"Ps-st!" cautioned von Harben. "What was that?"
"It sounded like the creaking of the gate in front of the house," said Mallius Lepus.
"They are coming," said von Harben.
The three men seized the swords with which they had armed themselves, after they had rushed the Colosseum guard, and following a plan they had already decided upon in the event that searchers approached their hiding-place, they scaled the ladder and crept out upon the roof. Leaving the trap-door pushed slightly to one side, they listened to the sounds that were now coming from below, ready to take instant' action should there be any indication that the searchers might mount the ladder to the roof.
Von Harben heard voices coming from below. "Well, we made it," said one, "and no one saw us. Here come the others now," and von Harben heard the gate creak again on its rusty hinges; then the door of the house opened and he heard several people enter.
"This is a good night's work," said one.
"Is she alive? I cannot hear her breathe."
"Take the gag from her mouth."
"And let her scream for help?"
"We can keep her quiet. She is worth nothing to us dead."
"All right, take it out."
"Listen, you, we will take the gag out of your mouth, but if you scream it will be the worse for you."
"I shall not scream," said a woman's voice in familiar tones that set von Harben's heart to palpitating, though he knew that it was nothing more than his imagination that suggested the seeming familiarity.
"We shall not hurt you," said a man's voice, "if you keep quiet and Caesar sends the ransom."
"And if he does not send it?" asked the girl.
"Then, perhaps, your father, Septimus Favonius, will pay the price we ask."
"Heavens!" muttered von Harben. "Did you hear that, Lepus?"
"I heard," replied the Roman.
"Then come," whispered von Harben. "Come, Gabula, Favonia is below."
Casting discretion to the wind, von Harben tore the trap from the opening in the roof and dropped into the darkness below, followed by Mallius Lepus and Gabula.
"Favonia!" he cried. "It is I. Where are you?"
"Here," cried the girl.
Rushing blindly in the direction of her voice, von Harben encountered one of the abductors. The fellow grappled with him, while, terrified by fear that the legionaries were upon them, the others bolted from the building. As they went they left the door open and the light of a full moon dissipated the darkness of the interior, revealing von Harben struggling with a burly fellow who had seized the other's throat and was now trying to draw his dagger from its sheath.
Instantly Mallius Lepus and Gabula were upon him, and a quick thrust of the former's sword put a definite period to the earthly rascality of the criminal. Free from his antagonist, von Harben leaped to his feet and ran to Favonia, where she lay upon a pile of dirty rags against the wall. Quickly he cut her bonds and soon they had her story.
"If you are no worse for the fright," said Mallius Lepus, "we may thank these scoundrels for simplifying our task, for here we are ready to try for our escape a full three hours earlier than we had hoped."
"Let us lose no time, then," said von Harben. "I shall not breathe freely until I am across the wall."
"I believe we have little to fear now," said Mallius Lepus. "The wall is poorly guarded. There are m
any places where we can scale it, and I know a dozen places where we can find boats that are used by the fishermen of the city. What lies beyond is upon the knees of the gods."
Gabula, who had been standing in the doorway, closed the door quickly and crossed to von Harben. "Lights are coming down the avenue, Bwana," he said. "I think many men are coming. Perhaps they are soldiers."
The four listened intently until they made out distinctly the measured tread of marching men.
"Some more searchers," said Mallius Lepus. "When they have passed on their way, it will be safe to depart."
The light from the torches of the legionaries approached until it shone through the cracks in the wooden blinds, but it did not pass on as they had expected. Mallius Lepus put an eye to an opening in one of the blinds.
"They have halted in front of the house," he said. "A part of them are turning the corner, but the rest are remaining."
They stood in silence for what seemed a long time, though it was only a few minutes, and then they heard sounds coming from the garden behind the house and the light of torches was visible through the open kitchen door.
"We are surrounded," said Lepus. "They are coming in the front way. They are going to search the house."
"What shall we do?" cried Favonia.
"The roof is our only hope," whispered von Harben, but even as he spoke the sound of sandaled feet was heard upon the roof and the light of torches shone through the open trap.
"We are lost," said Mallius Lepus. "We cannot defeat an entire century of legionaries."
"We can fight them, though," said von Harben.
"And risk Favonia's life uselessly?" said Lepus.
"You are right," said von Harben, sadly, and then, "Wait, I have a plan. Come, Favonia, quickly. Lie down here upon the floor and I will cover you with these rags. There is no reason why we should all be taken. Mallius Lepus, Gabula, and I may not escape, but they will never guess that you are here, and when they are gone you can easily make your way to the guard-house in the Colosseum, where the officer in charge will see that you are given protection and an escort to your home."
"Let them take me," said the girl. "If you are to be captured, let me be captured also."
"It will do no good," said von Harben. "They will only separate us, and if you are found here with us it may bring suspicion upon Septimus Favonius."
Without further argument she threw herself upon the floor, resigned in the face of von Harben's argument, and he covered her over with the rags that had been a beggar's bed.
CHAPTER 23
BY the time that Cassius Hasta had disposed his forces and placed his engines of war before the defenses of Castrum Mare, he discovered that it was too dark to open his assault that day, but he could carry out another plan that he had and so he advanced toward the gate, accompanied by Tarzan, Metellus, and Precarious and preceded by torch-hearers and a legionary bearing a flag of truce.
Within the fort great excitement had reigned from the moment that the advancing troops had been sighted. Word had been sent to Fulvus Fupus and reinforcements had been hurried to the fort. It was assumed by all that Sublatus had inaugurated a new raid upon a larger scale than usual, but they were ready to meet it, nor did they anticipate defeat. As the officer commanding the defenders saw the party approaching with a flag of truce, he demanded from a tower gate the nature of their mission.
"I have two demands to make upon Validus Augustus," said Cassius Hasta. "One is that he free Mallius Lepus and Erich von Harben and the other is that he permit me to return to Castrum Mare and enjoy the privileges of my station."
"Who are you?" demanded the officer.
"I am Cassius Hasta. You should know me well."
"The gods are good!" cried the officer.
"Long live Cassius Hasta! Down with Fulvus Fupus!" cried a hoarse chorus of rough voices.
Someone threw open the gates, and the officer, an old friend of Cassius Hasta, rushed out and embraced him.
"What is the meaning of all this?" demanded Cassius Hasta. "What has happened?"
"Validus Augustus is dead. He was assassinated at the Barnes today and Fulvus Fupus has assumed the title of Caesar. You are indeed come in time. All Castrum Mare will welcome you."
Along the Via Mare from the castle to the lakeshore and across the pontoon bridge to the island marched the army of the new Emperor of the East, while the news spread through the city and crowds gathered and shrieked their welcome to Cassius Hasta.
In a deserted house across the avenue from the Colosseum four fugitives awaited the coming of the legionaries of Fulvus Fupus. It was evident that the soldiers intended to take no chances. They entirely surrounded the building and they seemed to be in no hurry to enter.
Von Harben had had ample time to cover Favonia with the rags, so that she was entirely concealed before the legionaries entered simultaneously from the garden, the avenue, and the roof, torch- bearers lighting their way.
"It is useless to resist," said Mallius Lepus to the officer who accompanied the men in from the avenue. "We will return to the dungeons peaceably."
"Not so fast," said the officer. "Where is the girl?"
"What girl?" demanded Mallius Lepus.
"The daughter of Septimus Favonius, of course."
"How should we know?" demanded von Harben.
"You abducted her and brought her here," replied the officer. "Search the room," he commanded, and a moment later a legionary uncovered Favonia and raised her to her feet.
The officer laughed as he ordered the three men disarmed.
"Wait," said von Harben. "What are you going to do with the daughter of Septimus Favonius? Will you see that she has a safe escort to her father's house?"
"I am taking my orders from Caesar," replied the officer.
"What has Caesar to do with this?" demanded von Harben.
"He has ordered us to bring Favonia to the palace and to slay her abductors upon the spot."
"Then Caesar shall pay for us all with legionaries," cried von Harben, and with his sword he fell upon the officer in the doorway, while Gabula and Mallius Lepus, spurred by a similar determination to sell their lives as dearly as possible, rushed those who were descending the ladder and entering the kitchen door. Taken by surprise and momentarily disconcerted by the sudden and unexpected assault, the legionaries fell back. The officer, who managed to elude von Harben's thrust, escaped from the building and summoned a number of the legionaries who were armed with pikes.
"There are three men in that room," he said, "and a woman. Kill the men, but be sure that the woman is not harmed."
In the avenue the officer saw people running; heard them shouting. He saw them stop as they were questioned by some of his legionaries, whom he had left in the avenue. He had not given the final order for his pike-men to enter the building because his curiosity had momentarily distracted his attention. As he turned now, however, to order them in, his attention was again distracted by a tumult of voices that rose in great cheers and rolled up the avenue from the direction of the bridge that connects the city with the Via Mare and the fort. As he turned to look, he saw the flare of many torches and now he heard the blare of trumpets and the thud of marching feet.
What had happened? He had known, as had everyone in Castrum Mare, that the forces of Sublatus were camped before the fort, but he knew that there had been no battle and so this could not be the army of Sublatus entering Castrum Mare, but it was equally strange if the defenders of Castrum Mare should be marching away from the fort while it was menaced by an enemy army. He could not understand these things, nor could he understand why the people were cheering.
As he stood there watching the approach of the marching column, the shouts of the people took on form and he heard the name of Cassius Hasta distinctly.
"What has happened?" he demanded, shouting to the men in the street.
"Cassius Hasta has returned at the head of a big army, and Fulvus Fupus has already fled and is in hiding."
&n
bsp; The shouted question and the equally loud reply were heard by all within the room.
"We are saved," cried Mallius Lepus, "for Cassius Hasta will harm no friend of Septimus Favonius. Aside now, you fools, if you know when you are well off," and he advanced toward the doorway.
"Back, men," cried the officer. "Back to the avenue. Let no hand be raised against Mallius Lepus or these other friends of Cassius Hasta, Emperor of the East."
"I guess this fellow knows which side his bread is buttered on," commented von Harben, with a grin.
Together Favonia, von Harben, Lepus, and Gabula stepped from the deserted building into the avenue. Approaching them they saw the head of a column of marching men; flaming torches lighted the scene until it was almost as bright as day.
"There is Cassius Hasta," exclaimed Mallius Lepus. "It is indeed he, but who are those with him?"
"They must be Sanguinarians," said Favonia. "But look, one of them is garbed like a barbarian, and see the strange warriors with their white plumes that are marching behind them."
"I have never seen the like in all my life," exclaimed Mallius Lepus.
"Neither have I," said von Harben, "but I am sure that I recognize them, for their fame is great and they answer the description that I have heard a thousand times."
"Who are they?" asked Favonia,
"The white giant is Tarzan of the Apes, and the warriors are his Waziri fighting men."
At sight of the legionaries standing before the house, Cassius Hasta halted the column.
"Where is the centurion in command of these troops?" he demanded.
"It is I, glorious Caesar," replied the officer, who had come to arrest the abductors of Favonia.
"Does it happen that you are one of the detachments sent out by Fulvus Fupus to search for Mallius Lepus and the barbarian, von Harben?"
"We are here, Caesar," cried Mallius Lepus, while Favonia, von Harben, and Gabula followed behind him.
"May the gods be praised!" exclaimed Cassius Hasta, as he embraced his old friend. "But where is the barbarian chieftain from Germania, whose fame has reached even to Castra Sanguinarius?"
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