be."

Maximus frowned. "You'll never be an Emperor," he said. "Not even a General will you 'I was silent, but my Father seemed pleased. "I came here to see the last of you,” he said. ""You have seen it," said Maximus. "I shall never need your son any more. He will live and he will die an officer of a Legion-and he might have been Prefect of one of my Provinces. Now eat and drink with us," he said. "Your men will

'My miserable thirty stood like wine-skins glistening in the hot sun, and Maximus led us to where his people had set a meal. Himself he mixed the wine.

"“A year from now," he said, "you will remember that you have sat with the Emperor of Britain— and Gaul."

6.66

'Yes," said the Pater, "you can drive two mules-Gaul and Britain."

you

"Five years hence will remember that you have drunk "—he passed me the cup and there was blue borage in it-" with the Emperor of Rome!"

"No; you can't drive three mules; they will tear you in pieces," said my Father.

666

""And you on the Wall, among the heather, will weep because your notion of justice was more to you than the favour of the Emperor of Rome." 'I sat quite still. One does not answer a General who wears Purple.

夔

i am not angry with you." he went on; "I

sach to your Father--"

You owe me nothing but advice that you

T

ok," said the Pater.

In

- to be unjust to any of your family.
ay you
will make a good officer, but, so
In concerned, on the Wall you will live,
dea the Wall you will die," said Maximus.

Verv ke," said my Father. "But we shal have the Picts and their friends breaking through before long. You cannot move all troops out of Britain to make you Emperor, and expect the North to sit quiet."

6.66

"I follow my destiny," said Maximus.

Follow it, then," said my Father, pulling up a fern root; "and die as Theodosius died."

"Ah!" said Maximus. "My old General was killed because he served the Empire too well. I may be killed, but not for that reason," and he smiled a pale grey smile that made my blood run cold.

Then I had better follow my destiny," I said, and take my men to the Wall."

He looked at me a long time, and bowed his head song like a Spaniard. "Follow it, boy," he That was all. I was only too glad to get aay, though I had many messages for home. I t a my men standing as they had been put-they had not even shifted their feet in the dust,

46

I am not angry with you," he went on; "I owe too much to your Father———”

“You owe me nothing but advice that you never took," said the Pater.

to be unjust to any of your family. Indeed, I say you will make a good officer, but, so far as I am concerned, on the Wall you will live, and on the Wall you will die," said Maximus.

"Very like," said my Father. "But we shall have the Picts and their friends breaking through before long. You cannot move all troops out of Britain to make you Emperor, and expect the North to sit quiet."

"I follow my destiny," said Maximus.

Follow it, then," said my Father, pulling up a fem root; "and die as Theodosius died."

**Ah!" said Maximus. "My old General was killed because he served the Empire too well. I may be killed, but not for that reason," and he smiled a pale grey smile that made my blood run cold.

**Then I had better follow my destiny," I said, "and take my men to the Wall."

He looked at me a long time, and bowed his head slanting like a Spaniard. "Follow it, boy," he said. That was all. I was only too glad to get away, though I had many messages for home. I found my men standing as they had been putthey had not even shifted their feet in the dust,