room somewhere in the rear. As they walked, huge black shadows cast by
the torch of Lampon danced grotesquely before them. At the closet the two
priests stopped to unlock the door.

"Here is a safe harbor for you for the night," said Lampon, as he pushed
the children into the closet. "To-morrow we may find a yet safer place
for you," and with these words he locked them in.

The children were so exhausted by hunger and fright that, even though
they were Spartans, they sat down on the cold stone floor and wept in
each other's arms.

"Oh, Mother, Mother," sobbed Daphne, "why did we ever leave you?"

"Don't you remember," said Dion, struggling with his tears, "that the
signs were favorable? It must be all right somehow, for the word Mother
heard was 'Go.'"

"If I only hadn't sneezed!" sobbed Daphne.

"But a sneeze is always a good sign," said Dion.

"Well, anyway," said Daphne bravely, though her voice shook and her teeth
chattered, "crying won't do any good. Let's feel around and see if there
is anything in this room."

It was dark, except for a gray patch of dim light from a window high up
in the wall. Dion and Daphne kept close together and went carefully round
the room, feeling the wall with their hands. Dion stumbled against
something. It was a chest where the priests' robes were kept.