cypresses, some myrtle bushes, and a small house fixed to the windowless
stone wall of another stone building.

Both understood at once that this was for them a favoring circumstance.
In the courtyard all the tenants might assemble; the seclusion of the
little house facilitated the enterprise. They would set aside
defenders, or rather Ursus, quickly, and would reach the street just as
quickly with the captured Lygia; and there they would help themselves.
It was likely that no one would attack them; if attacked, they would say
that a hostage was fleeing from Cæsar. Vinicius would declare himself
then to the guards, and summon their assistance.

Ursus was almost entering the little house, when the sound of steps
attracted his attention; he halted, and, seeing two persons, put his
sieve on the balustrade and turned to them.

"What do ye want here?" asked he.

"Thee!" said Vinicius.

Then, turning to Croton, he said in a low, hurried voice:

"Kill!"

Croton rushed at him like a tiger, and in one moment, before the Lygian
was able to think or to recognize his enemies, Croton had caught him in
his arms of steel.

Vinicius was too confident in the man's preternatural strength to wait
for the end of the struggle. He passed the two, sprang to the door of