Not daring to kneel, they turned their faces toward Heaven while
Octavia breathed forth a fervent prayer.
"We must hurry," said Lycias, leading the way to the Forum, to-day
deserted for the greater amusements of the games, in which the
Christians were the chief attraction.
It was a long, hard walk to the marble wharf where the ship lay on
which Alyrus and his daughter were soon to set sail, as Lycias well
knew. His great fear was lest the Moor might have decided to go
earlier and not wait for the conclusion of the games. Suppose they
arrived at the wharf and found the ship gone? What should they do?
Lycias' brain studied this problem. All these people were homeless,
except the shepherd. Ah! that was it! If the ship had sailed, he would
take these delicately nurtured women to the cave on the Campagna.
It grew necessary for the men to help the women, who were very weary
and weak from excitement; although Lycias did not wish to call any
more attention to them than was necessary, for fear that the ladies,
especially Octavia, who was well known, might be recognized.
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