already. They are looking at me as well as at him. I hope he'll
be killed this next bout." The lanista, in fact, at once matched
Almo with another full-armed giant. Again Almo gave an
exhibition of perfect swordsmanship. The Romans were as
quick to appreciate form in fighting as we moderns are to
applaud our best bail players; they recognized pre-eminence
in the swordman's art, as we acclaim the skill of a crack
baseball pitcher or cricket bowler.

Almo caught the eye of spectator after spectator, till most
of the audience on that side of the arena were watching the
fight in which he took part to the exclusion of everything else
that was going on. He displayed that perfect balance of all the
mental and physical faculties, that instantaneous co-ordination
of eye, brain and muscle, which only an occasional phenomenon
can attain to. He made no mistakes, bore himself like a dancer
on a tight-rope, circled about his adversary, warded off all his
thrusts, lunges and rushes, turned aside his long sword with
his small round shield without a trace of effort, and at his
leisure found a joint in his body armor and pierced his heart
with an ostentatiously difficult lunge delivered with the acme
of apparent ease.

"There," sighed Manlia, "I prayed hard."

"So did I," Brinnaria murmured, "but I prayed the other way.
He ought to have been killed already. Numisia has recognized
him and he has been recognized by three or four nobles along
the coping. The rumor is spreading from each of them and
running through the audience." Manlia, in fact, looking about