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face。
〃What troubles you； my Odhainat？〃 she asked。
〃There； there； look there； Bath Zabbai！〃 replied the boy
excitedly； 〃coming through the Damascus arch； and we thought him
to be in Emesa。〃
The girl's glance followed his guiding finger； but even as she
looked a clear trumpet peal rose above the din of the city； while
from beneath a sculptured archway that spanned a colonnaded
cross…street the bright April sun gleamed down upon the standard
of Rome with its eagle crest and its S。 P。 Q。 R。 design beneath。
There is a second trumpet peal； and swinging into the great
Street of the Thousand Columns； at the head of his light…armed
legionaries； rides the centurion Rufinus； lately advanced to the
rank of tribune of one of the chief Roman cohorts in Syria。 His
coming； as Odhainat and even the young Bath Zabbai knew； meant a
stricter supervision of the city； a re…enforcement of its
garrison； and the assertion of the mastership of Rome over this
far eastern province on the Persian frontier。
〃But why should the coming of the Roman so trouble you； my
Odhainat？〃 she asked。 〃We are neither Jew nor Christian that we
should fear his wrath； but free Palmyreans who bend the knee
neither to Roman nor Persian masters。〃
〃Who WILL bend the knee no longer； be it never so little； my
cousin；〃 exclaimed the lad hotly； 〃as this very day would have
shown had not this crafty Rufinusmay great Solomon's genii dash
him in the sea！come with his cohort to mar our measures！ Yet
seewho cometh now？〃 he cried； and at once the attention of the
young people was turned in the opposite direction as they saw；
streaming out of the great fortress…like court…yard of the Temple
of the Sun； another hurrying throng。
Then young Odhainat gave a cry of joy。
〃See； Bath Zabbai； they come； they come〃！ he cried。 〃It is my
father； Odhainat the esarkos；＇1＇ with all the leaders and all the
bowmen and spearmen of our fahdh armed and in readiness。 This day
will we fling off the Roman yoke and become the true and
unconquered lords of Palmyra。 And I； too； Must join them；〃 he
added。
＇1＇ The 〃head man；〃 or chief of the 〃fahdh；〃 or family。
But the young girl detained him。 〃Wait； cousin；〃 she said； 〃watch
and wait。 Our fahdh will scarce attempt so brave a deed to…day；
with these new Roman soldiers in our gates。 That were scarcely
wise。
But the boy broke out again。 〃So； they have seen each other；〃 he
said； 〃both sides are pressing on！〃
〃True； and they will meet under this very portico；〃 said Bath
Zabbai； and moved both by interest and desire this dark…eyed
Syrian girl； to whom fear was never known； standing by her
cousin's side； looked down upon the tossing sea of spears and
lances and glittering shields and helmets that swayed and surged
in the street below。
〃So； Odaenathus！〃 said Rufinus； the tribune； reining in his horse
and speaking in harsh and commanding tones； 〃what meaneth this
array of armed followers？〃
〃Are the movements of Septimus Odaenathus； the head…man； of such
importance to the noble tribune that he must needs question a
free merchant of Palmyra as to the number and manner of his
servants？〃 asked Odaemathus haughtily。
〃Dog of a Palmyrean； slave of a camel…driver；〃 said the Roman
angrily； 〃trifle not with me。 Were you ten times the free
merchant you claim； you should not thus reply。 Free； forsooth！
None are free but Romans。〃
〃Have a care； O Rufinus；〃 said the Palmyrean boldly； 〃choose
wiser words if you would have peaceful ways。 Palmyra brooks no
such slander of her foremost men。〃
〃And Rome brooks no such men as you； traitor；〃 said Rufinus。 〃Ay；
traitor； I say；〃 he repeated； as Odaenathus started at the word。
〃Think not to hide your plots to overthrow the Roman power in
your city and hand the rule to the base Sapor of Persia。 Every
thing is known to our great father the Emperor； and thus doth he
reckon with traitors。 Macrinus； strike！〃 and at his word the
short Gallic sword in the ready hand of the big German
foot…soldier went straight to its mark and Odaenathus； the
〃head…man〃 of Palmyra； lay dead in the Street of the Thousand
Columns。
So sudden and so unexpected was the blow that the Palmyreans
stood as if stunned； unable to comprehend what had happened。 But
the Roman was swift to act。
〃Sound； trumpets！ Down； pikes！〃 he cried； and as the trumpet peal
rose loud and clear； fresh legionaries came hurrying through the
Damascus arch； and the pilum＇1＇ and spatha of Rome bore back the
shields and lances of Palmyra。
＇1＇ The pilum was the Roman pike； and the spatha the short
single…edged Roman sword。
But； before the lowered pikes could fully disperse the crowd； the
throng parted and through the swaying mob there burst a lithe and
flying figurea brown…skinned maid of twelve with streaming
hair； loose robe； and angry； flashing eyes。 Right under the
lowered pikes she darted and； all flushed and panting； defiantly
faced the astonished Rufinus。 Close behind her came an equally
excited lad who； when he saw the stricken body of his father on
the marble street； flung himself weeping upon it。 But Bath
Zabbai's eyes flashed still more angrily：
〃Assassin； murderer！〃 she cried； 〃you have slain my kinsman and
Odhainat's father。 How dare you； how dare you！〃 she repeated
vehemently； and then； flushing with deeper scorn； she added：
〃Roman； I hate you！ Would that I were a man。 Then should all
Palmyra know how〃
〃Scourge these children home；〃 broke in the stern Rufinus； 〃or
fetch them by the ears to their nurses and their toys。 Let the
boys and girls of Palmyra beware how they mingle in the matters
of their elders； or in the plots of their fathers。 Men of
Palmyra； you who to…day have dared to think of rebellion； look on
your leader here and know how Rome deals with traitors。 But；
because the merchant Odaenathus bore a Roman name； and was of
Roman rankho； soldiers！ bear him to his house； and let Palmyra
pay such honor as befits his name and station。〃
The struggling children were half led； half carried into the
sculptured atrium＇1＇ of the palace of Odaenathus which； embowered
in palms and vines and wonderful Eastern plants； stood back from
the marble colonnade on the Street of the Thousand Columns。 And
when in that same atrium the body of the dead merchant lay
embalmed and draped for its 〃long home；〃＇2＇ there； kneeling by
the stricken form of the murdered father and kinsman； and with
uplifted hand； after the vindictive manner of these fierce old
days of blood； Odaemathus and Zenobia swore eternal hatred to
Rome。
＇1＇ The large central 〃living…room〃 of a Roman palace。
＇2＇ The Palmyreans built great tower…tombs； beautiful in
architecture and adornment； the ruins of which still stand on the
hill slopes overlooking the old city。 These they called their
〃long homes；〃 and you will find the word used in the same sense
in Ecclesiastes xii。； 5。
Ha