The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-08-23
CHAPTER III.
In the jaws of Death.

Day and night Fulvius moved through
Carthage like a shadow, cleaning news
OF the army's strength and its plans, dig
ging out the enemy's most carefully
guarded secrets. At length his work was
done and he was ready to return to Sci
pio's camp with his report
But, his offlcial mission accomplished.
Fulvius had two things more TO do be-
fore he could leave the city where his
every step was one stride deeper into
the jaws Of death. He must make good
his pledge to Batto by seeking for news
Ten years earlier when he had escaped
from his pursuers by making that wild
three hundred foot dive into the sea Full
vius had been forced to leave behind him
his slave. the giant Ethiop, Maciste.
Fulvius loved Maciste as a man might
love a great dog that Is devoted to him.
And now he sought to learn what had
become of the giant BY cautious ques-
slaves fate. And by night he stole out
to the city's mills.
There (sunk in the brute slumber of
fatigue alongside the huge grindstones
to which he had for ten years been
chained lay Maciste.
Fulvius bent over the sleeping giant
and touched his shoulder. At the touch.
as a dog at the call OF a long-absent
master, Maciste bounded to his feet. His
lips parted in a cry OF ecstacy at sight
of Fulvius there in the shadows.
But Fulvius checked him with an i'm
perative gesture. At once the giant IN
derstood the need for silence. Dropping
on one knee he caught the Romans
hand to his lips and covered II with
kisses There was no time to waste IL
master and man were to escape alive be-
fore sunrise. Fulvius pointed to the
manacles that fettered Maciste.
Break your chainr' he ordered.
And at the command the giant tugged
with insane strength at the lengths Of
brought iron. Ten years Of rust had weak
ened them. The sight of his master had
redoubled Maciste's power. One long ire
mendous heave and the iron links parted.
Maciste, freed, sprang to his masters
side He could give Fulvius no news OF
Cabiria, nor did the Roman dare waste
further time in search of her, together
he and the Ethiop sped through the dark
streets and out through a postern gate
of the city. Dawn found them far on
their way to Carthage and headed for
Scipio's camp.
But when, day or so later, they came
to the spot among the desert sand dunes
where the camp had recently stood II
was no longer there. A few charred en-
bers Of camp fires, holes where tent pegs
had been, a stray scrap of. offal or OF
CASTOR clothing-these alone remained to
mock the site Of the Roman army's late
abiding place.
Scipio had broken camp and had march
ed away. A sand storm had blotted out
the direction of his course. Fulvius and
MAciste thus stood in the desert without
food or water without knowledge Of
their commanders whereabouts, without
means OF finding the lost camp. In a
hostile land they were alone and with
no alternative save to wander ainllessly
about in search of their fellow Romans.
The prospect was not cheering. Starva-
ton seemed very near.
Scipio had suddenly shifted his camp
in order TO aid his new ally, Massinissa,
In an attack on the City Of Cirta- Mas
sinissa, had fallen upon his foe and love
rival, Syphax, and had utterly routed him
and had taken him prisoner.
A retreating fragment OF Syphax's
army came upon Fulvius and Maciste in
the desert, seized the two half dead fusi-
ers Of war. Brought before Queen
Sophonisba, the captives were condemned
to death and were cast into a dungeon
to await execution
But IL Sophonisba was heartless her
handmade, Klissa, was not. And again
the motto Save and You Shall Be
Saved" proved its magic. For the girl
who had once been Cabiria crept by
stealth to the dungeon and brought food
and drink TO the two prisoners She
brought them words Of hope and of
cheer. too, vowing to do all in her power
for them.
Long and with drawing emotion did her
great dark eyes rest on the face Of Full
vius and as she looked love was born.
From Cabiria's eyes to his own the mes
sage flashed, and for the first time in
his life Fulvius loved.
Love opened the eyes Of his memory.
And In the gracefully beautiful hand
maid. ELISA. he recognized the lost
Cabiria-
When she was gone he told Madlste
what he had discovered. And In yearning
eagerness he waited for her next visit.
But Cabiria did not come again to the
dungeon. And q new peril was besstting
her. sophouisbas having dreamed strange