“A!  A!” he was ejaculating.  “Up, speed, don’t delay!  There’s murder afoot!”

Agias let the bird slip from his hands, and never noticed that it fluttered on its clipped wings around the room, to Artemisia’s infinite dismay.

“What?  Is the plot hatched?”

“Yes, yes,” puffed Sesostris, great beads of perspiration on his honest face.  “I was attending Pratinas when he met Lucius Ahenobarbus in the Forum.  They veiled their talk, but I readily caught its drift.  Dumnorix went yesterday with the pick of his band to Anagnia for some games.  To-morrow he will return through Praeneste, and the deed will be done.  Phaon, Ahenobarbus’s freedman, has started already for Praeneste to spy out the ground and be ready to direct Dumnorix where, when, and how to find Drusus.  Phaon has been spying at Praeneste, and is the dangerous man!”

“He has gone?” demanded Agias.

“Gone, early this morning!”

“Then,—­the gods reward you for your news,—­I am gone too!”

And without another word to Artemisia or the old slave, Agias had rushed out into the street.  He had a double game to play—­to prevent Phaon from ever reaching Praeneste, and then get such help to Drusus as would enable him to beat off Dumnorix and his gang.  For Agias felt certain that the hard-hitting Gaul would execute his part of the bargain, whether he met Phaon or not, and afterward look into the consequences of what—­unmitigated by the freedman’s finesse—­would take the form of an open clumsy murder.  But Phaon had started that morning; and it was now well into the afternoon.  Time was dangerously scanty.  Cornelia he felt he should inform; but she could do nothing really to help him.  He turned his steps toward the Forum and the Atrium Vestae.  He had some difficulty in inducing the porter to summon Fabia, to meet in personal interview a mere slave, but a gratuity won the point; and a minute later he was relating the whole story and the present situation of Drusus to Fabia, with a sincere directness that carried conviction with it.  She had known that Drusus had enemies; but now her whole strong nature was stirred at the sense of her nephew’s imminent peril.

“If you were a freeman, Agias,” were her words, “and could give witness as such, Pratinas and Ahenobarbus—­high as the latter is—­should know that my influence at the law outweighs theirs.  But they shall be thwarted.  I will go to Marcellus the consul, and demand that troops be started to Praeneste to-night.  But you must go after Phaon.”

“You will send word to Cornelia?” requested Agias.

“Yes,” said Fabia, “but not now; it is useless.  Here is an order on Gallus, who keeps a livery-stable[102] by the Porta Esquilina.  He will give you my new white Numidian, that I keep with him.  Ride as you have never ridden before.  And here is money.  Twenty gold philippi in this bag.  Bribe, do anything.  Only save Drusus!  Now go!”