The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-06-07
NUMBER LIB.
pounding mentally: who comes yondor, !
should like TO know

|
should like TO known
Yonder came one whom Roman soldier had
not seen for forty years. but who, in the gener-
alton preceding that of the legionaries ct THE
moment listiessly Watching his vehicle, had
been the master Of armies, and sovereign
among the sovereigns of the world. Arriving
whore Thellus and a group of the escort were
waiting for the party in the grove the vehicle
stopped, and an old man of stately presence
descended from it and said:
"Decusion, have learnt in Rome that the
new military tribune, Paulus Amilias, had not
yet returned from the north, bus was on his
way; doubtless you can tell mo where shall
find him.
p Sir" said Thellus, " Lam more than n do
curion, though still wearing the dress. Yonder
stands the young tribune Paulus, under the
sycamore tree.n
Meanwhile, the party in the grove had re-
cognized Marcus. Lepidns, tho ex um vir and
his nephew, hearing Aglais and Dionysius
pronounce the name (for, as the reader will
remember, Paulus himself had never seen him),
ran to meet and salute his ancle, and led him
to the place where Aglais and the Greek were.
In answer to immediate inquiries abont Agatha,
Lepidus told, at great length, aud in all it's de-
tails. catastrophe which we Will recount
merely in outline and in it's issue.
Under o cliff, about q mile north Of Lepidus's
castle, little creek ran into the shore out of
the Tyrrhenian Sea. The beach here was rich
in shells, which Agatha took delight in gather
ing. One day, at noon, he had accompanied
her to this favorite resort, and vhile she
amused herself in picking and sorting her
treasures, he sat down in the shade with his
back to the rock, and awaited her fsSiRus,
while he took out Livy's Ristory, Of which he
was in the habit of perusing chapter every
day, and began to read. Tins seated and
moving respectfully, sheltered from the whole
world, the cliff behind and the sea before, they
were SO placed that his niece, as she explored
the shingles hither and thither, was some
times In view, sometimes not. He had no sna-
picion Of danger, aud least of all of the par
teular danger which was impending. Once
or twice, o considerable interval-say ton
passed without seeing her,
ne had turned his head, not from uuessiness,
but curiosity, and had each time found that
she was busy at her innocent work, only she
had shifted the ground of her explorations q
Iittls. At lust, when quarter of an hour had
interviewed since be had seen her, he looked
round and discovered her nowhere.
He called, and she answered. not.
Ascending the smell cliff, he failed to sec
her anywhere on land, but he beheld q beat Of
six oars at some distance up the coast, pulling
swiftly north along shore, and in the boat he
thought he could discern a female figure.
Agatha aud he had stayed so long ut the little
creek, that the short winter daylgbe " as now
waning. There was NO shore, road by which.
even were he young and vigorous, he could
have run; the ground, on the CONTRARY, was
rough, the sea line was curved, several Little
iulets indeDtiDg the shore; and, finally, could
he even have overtRksn the boat, he was alone.
He was obliged to return to the castle, and, by
means Of his slaves, to cause inqaiTieS along
the roads and crossroads to be made, going
forth himself that evening and all night in =
carriage. He spent the next day slzilaEly.
All bis efforts were fTsitless. No Grace, no
nsws of his niece coald. be obtained. He,
knew nothing better, and Rothing
Else to do, than to hasten Nth his msIancholy
tidinga to Aglais and PHnlus.
As the four persons present agreed, after .
short discussion, in . eoRpsets certainty that
his was the work of Tiberius, Dionysins vas
'sked whethRE be could not lay tho faots BE-
ore Augustus, and secure bis intervention.
de replied Ut once that, while there Was no
proof which he WOnld not give them q his
Esal in such a cause, all hope frOn the plan
ing sStsd must be thrown aside. First what
aver their own moral certainty might be, to
advance zach . charge sEaiDst Tberius Caesar,
without having the smallest chance Of making
i good, would not emily fail to work Agsthas
bat wO0ld ensure the death Of
every one taking part In the accusation; soe-
ODdIy, Augustus was now sick, and not to Be
approached.
"well 0ermanioua, then =" said PSulus,