The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-05-03

"Youpg centurion, no afectation or bypo-
crisy is required. Eleazar has-perish my
tongue! was going to say that know you
to be youth of precocious prudence. 1t is
best to speak out what we mean and what we
want. You are conveying n large treasure to
the army in Venetia; we must have every
sesterce of it,"
Pau!us looked, and saw that the wagon
laden with the iron chest had just departed in
well-acted terror at gallop.
Take it then" said he. We have been
careful and sparing of the horses, and it is
only now we have pushed them into gallop;
and entertain hope that we shall hold you
at bay SO long upon this read that the chest
will have reached Germanicus Cesar before
you'll am wrong; 1 mean to leave you here
upon the ground-before your followers, 1 say,
can accomplish two.thirds of the distance"
"Demented :" replied the other, "why
resist without the hope of success We are
ten to one. We can, besides, send men into the
copse each side of the read, and in a mo-
u,ent they will be in your rear"
You fifty men on the right" cried Paulus,
" and you fifty on the left, select three of your
best jAvelip throwers each side, and, after
have ridden back from the midst of yonder
gang, give them sample of what you can
do" d,
He made his horse bound as he faced the col
umn between Thellus, on the one hand, and
Ch~rias and Longinus on the other.
Now" said he, shaking his long rapier
aloft az have great mind to ride through the
whole of you and back again for tho mere
sport of it. Your horses are like cats compared
to mine; you are only fourteen deep, and the
beast that bears me, even if MORALLY wounded,
would trample down fifty of you in file before
he dropped"
The leader Of the pursuing band was a
shrewd man. After moments consultation
with the persons on either side of him, he
said:
1T is bold idea, young centurion. If it
deceived US, you could march away unattack-
ed. But we counted you leaving Rome we
know for certain that you were only fourteen
men all told; we have post of two men more
than forty miles ahead of you, who would
have returned and joined US if any reinforce
ment had met or was coming to meet you. We
seriously mean to have yonder treasure, there
fore listen to good sense You might kill and
wound a few of US, but not q man of your own
party would survive, and we should get the
chest afterward all the same. You will lose
your life, yet not save the treasure. That will
not be Observation-Disclosures, but madness"
" In answer to that" said Paulus, who had
no objection to prolong the parley, az must
remind you of your own singular disinterest-
edness. You will lose your own life in order
that those behind you may enjoy the money.
! You must love them moro than you love Your.
self; for swear to you that, if it comes to
| violence, not a sesterce in the chest will you
| at least, receive. The dead divide no booty.
If you have authority, then, over your follow
ers, order them back, and begone YOURSELF
At these words a cry from the crew of
desperate men behind:
I" No orders for us, we are all equals here y;
And one voice added at will be no bad thi in O
| if some of us do get killed those who sur
vive will each have more of the money" And
o loud laugh greeted this sally.
| Paulus hesitated A downright wish to fight
and strong repugnance to obey, even in APP
pearance, mandates such theirs, yielded
however, to prudence, and to the conviction
| that the proper moment for q struggle would
come only when the robbers should attempt
if they should attempt this at all, to take the
wagon containing the hay (wherein the trea
sure was concealed) as we'll as that which caS
|
they were welcome. Having therefore play &c
out this little comedy, he said
| Had not message of vital importance tc
give to Germanicus Caesar, which forbids m,
to throw away my life till have fulfilled th,
errand, would rather be slain where we stant
than comply But call upon you, IL ellus
and yon, Longinus and Chntias, to bear wit
ness that we Yield only to overwhelming ant
irresistible odds. Ten men cannot withstand
seventy. Be pleased to move aside, and lie
these riders come forward. l will gallop OF
with them aud overtake the chest. Bring will
you the legionatics in the copse after us, anG
follow at a fast run. We may need you ate
all, should these new friends prove too unrea
sonable."
We sha'n't prove unreasonable. You pay
us too well for that" retorted the leader o
| the robbers.
| Meanw lille. The1luS on5