recouped energies enabled him to apply, he arrived
at Ira by break of day, to the colossal euphoria and stun
ment of his surviving kinsmen, who had grieved
over his gathered passing with a distress to which
no words could do equity. The Spartans, who
knew they had each motivation to figure Aristomenes
among the dead, treated the report of his being once more
in Ira with scorn, till he adequately demonstrated his
character, by falling upon the posts of the Corinthians,
who, as partners of Sparta, were helping at the attack
of Ira ; and, having killed every one of their officers, and a con-
siderable number of their men, he plundered and
consumed their camp; and, on the Spartans themselves,
so profoundly retaliated for the treatment he had as of late
gotten at their hands, that they were fain to sue
for a forty days' ceasefire, that they may have sufficient energy to
cover their dead."
Ismena, who had tuned in with winded between
est to her mom's story, now broke in upon her
with a kind of smothered cry, shouting, " May the
God$ secure us ! I hear the means of equipped men
moving toward the house."
22
THE VIOLET.
" It is just the surge of the impact, and the removed
thunder of the thunder," said Rhodope, taking up the
light, and moving toward the entryway, as though with the in-
tention of persuading her hesitant youngster that their
isolation was not prone to be broken in upon ; but rather
the following moment the delicate gateway was pounced upon by so
overwhelming a blow from the butt-end of a spear, that its
uncertain attaching gave way, and permitted free en-
daze to an organization of Spartan toxophilite, who inconsiderately
instigated forward a hostage Messenian of lofty
port and dismal, yet brave, face, whose
hands were bound behind him with leathern thongs.
"The lion, the hostage lion of my fantasy !" ex-
guaranteed Ismena, losing all fear for herself in the
retaining interest which the respectable detainee energized
in her young liberal heart.
" It is the valiant Aristomenes, my tyke !" mur-
mured her mom in a low protected tone, anxiously
squeezing her arm to urge alert. At that point venturing
prior to her young and blossoming little girl, as though to
shield her from the intense looks of the inconsiderate soldiery,
she requested what was their business at that un-
opportune hour, at the place of a solitary dowager.
ISMENA.
23
"We require nourishment and safe house from the tempest,
mother," answered the pioneer of the gathering ; " and, un-
less you deliver all that your home contains
serenely, we will take it by compel."
" The family unit Gods judge amongst ye and me,"
answered the dowager, indicating the pictures of the
Lares and Penates, that were put close to the hearth,
as per the custom of these occasions : " I am in
no condition to oppose your burglaries. Ismena, master
duce our little store of bread, of nectar, cheddar, and
mead."
The energetic promptness with which Ismena complied with her
mother, seemed to have an extraordinary impact in reestablishing
their unwelcome guests, who had taken some um-
brage at her mom's words, to affableness ; and,
when she continued to introduce a skin of phenomenal
mead, with which, and different fixings, she pre-
pared for them a drink of intense quality and sweet-
ness, they offered to her the most astounding commen-
dations, contrasted her with Hebe, and challenged that
she was deserving of the respect of turning into the spouse
of a Spartan.
Ismena tuned in to these compliments with ap-
24
THE VIOLET.
parent fulfillment, and kept on employing them with
the exceptionally lauded refreshment, notwithstanding similar of her
mother's looks of ponder, and the dreadful looks of
impugning with which the stern and quiet Aristomenes
watched her procedures. She had, in any case, in-
melded the opiate gum of poppies into the drink, of
which the Spartans gulped such profound drafts,
that, before long overwhelmed by its negligent impact,
they progressively sunk into an intoxicate sleep,
till all were in a condition of stupefaction. Ismenathen
delicately emerged from her seat; and, drawing a poignard
from the belt of their pioneer, she cut the thongs that
restricted the wrists of the respectable Aristomenes, and,
putting it in his grasp, she whispered, " Lo ! I have
separated the obligations of the hostage lion, and outfitted
him with hooks, and it currently rests with him to devastate
the wolves, as per my fantasy."
The unconquered soul of the compelling Messenian
was stirred by this unhoped-for prospect of shop
verance. " I never slew a dozing enemy," he
shouted : " yet the destiny of my nation is bound
up in mine ; and these men deceptively made me
