him out into daylight once more, the burly old man exclaimed: "I feel as
light as a bird. If I had but wings I could fly across the lake to see
the boy. It is you, my brother, who have helped to make me so much
lighter." He laid his arm on the freedman's shoulder and kissed him on
the cheeks. It was for the first time; and never before had he called
him brother. But that his lips had obeyed the impulse of his heart might
be seen in the tearful glitter of his eyes, which met those of Andreas,
and they, too, were moist.

Polybius knew all that the Christian had done for his son and for
Melissa, for him and his, and his jest in saying that Andreas had helped
to make him lighter referred to his latest achievement. Julianus, the
new governor of the city, who now occupied the residence of the prefect
Titianus, had taken advantage of the oppressed people to extract money,
and Andreas, by the payment of a large sum, had succeeded in persuading
him to sign a document which exonerated Polybius and his son from all
criminality, and protected their person and property against soldiers and
town guards alike. This safe-conduct secured a peaceful future to the
genial old man, and filled the measure of what he owed to the freedman,
even to overflowing. Andreas, on his part, felt that his former owner's
kiss and brotherly greeting had sealed his acceptance as a free man. He
asked no greater reward than this he had just received; and there was
another thing which made his heart leap with gladness. He knew now that
the fullness of time had come in the best sense for the daughter of the
only woman he had ever loved, and that the Good Shepherd had called her
to be one of His flock. He could rejoice over this without a pang, for
he had learned that Diodoros, too, had entered on the path which hitherto
he had pointed out to him in vain.

A calm cheerfulness, which surprised all who knew him, brightened the