The Nemesis: A Tale Of The Days Of Trajan.

Adrian next arose . " Thou hast spoken well , 0 learned Paulus ; death Ave can give , life is beyond our power to bestoAV upon the dead . Our fraternity , although fenced against treachery by the stern unflinching hand of death , is yet bound

by the chains of love . The lilies of its purity must not be bedabbled with the blood of even the greatest criminal . Yet must the guilty be punished , else Avill his crime sAvell Avithin his breast ,, and render him tenfold more dangerous , and give a

precedent to unpunished crime that may hereafter spread ruin and desolation among the Craft . Hear then my proposal : and although given by one

young m years , yet by one whom the brethren in other lands have not thought unAvorthy of being intrusted Avith the greatest secrets of our Order . There is in Memphis a society of our mystics , presided over by Lemo , the High Priest of Isis .

Thither let the unfortunate one be conveyed silentl y and secretly . He must disappear from among us , but he must not die by our hands . In Memphis will he be tended by the noble and the great of our mystics . Whatever is base in his

nature will be purged out of him , Avhatever good strengthened and confirmed . In after years , fortified by Avisdom and philosophy , he may return to us pure and upright , and fit to receive those honours which at present Ave take from him . "

A murmur of applause fohWed these Avords , and Paulus asked : Who will answer for his safe conduct to Memphis ?" "That will I , " replied Adrian , " Avith three others , who will accompany me on the voyage ?" " I shall be one , " said Lycus .

" Metellus and Julius will also accompany thee , " said Paulus . " Take hence the erring one , and may the Great Spirit of Truth smile upon our prayers , and grant this unfortunate his forgivenness . "

The four then left the chamber leading Cossus Avith . them . " Lycus , Avhere shall Ave bestow him till morning , so as to prevent rescue or escape ?" "In my house . My slaves are faithful , and Avould die for me . You need not go home Avith

me , but make your arrangements for to-morrow . By dawn Ave Avill aboard a trireme . " Lycus guided them b y a subterraneous passage into the heart of the city . A staircase led them out by a ruined house , and here they separated ,

" At daAA'n , " said Lycus to his companions , as they quitted him . litter a single cry , Cossus , and thou art a dead man . "

The Nemesis: A Tale Of The Days Of Trajan.

Lycus hurried him through the streets to hia OAA-n abode , and at a signal , the door was opened by the Ostiarius . Pushing Cossus before him , Lycus asked : " Is Medorus within ? Send him hither . "

Medorus , a confidential slave appeared , to Avhom Lycus Avhisperecl a few directions . The slave boAved his head and left the house . Cossus Avas then led into an inner apartment , and refreshments placed before him , but he declined to

partake of them . The night passeel aAvay and at the first peep of dawn , Adrian and the others entered . Adrian had written a line to Caius , stating that he Avas about to leave Rome for a few Aveeks

on urgent business . His preparations Avere soon made . Medorus entered Avith them , and addressed Lycus . " Everything awaits you . " They then departed for the river ' s side . A fleet

trireme was awaiting them a little Avay down the river , and in two hours they had left the imperial city with their captive . Vehement was the Avrath of Cassiua at the disappearance of . Cossus , and he offered large rewards for his discovery . Years passed ere the

traitor re-entered Rome . "Under Lemo ' s teaching he learned noble lessons , and on that mystagogue ' s death he went to Carthage , where he became a Christian . The lurid light of love had died in the stern pursuit of knoAvledge , and when he again saAv his former lady

love , it Avas the indifference of a wise man , nor did he envy the Questor Deutatus his wife . The error of his youth was amply atoned for hy his his after * life , and Bossus ended his days right nobly among the lions of the Colosseum , a martyr in the Christian cause . ( To be continued . )

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

TUB AA'OPJ ) 017 EXCOMMUNICATION AMONGST THE MAP . ONITES . There is a passage in " The Thistle and Cedar of Lebanon , " a book interesting just now as the Avork of Risk Allah Bey , which attracted my attention when reading it a couple of months ago .

" The Avord of excommunication or anathema amongst the Maronites is ' Fra-Massooii . ' . . . All houses are closeel against a ' Fra-Mr-ssoon , ' and he may starve of cold , " & c , p . 273—JNT . M . IVIAC . UNION 01 ? "FREEMASONEX AND CIIRISTIANIIV . Bro * ' * " * thanks for remarks

. your upon my communication the " "Union of Preemasonry and Christianity , " page 348 of the present volume ; you correctly express my meaning . I rejoice Avhen tbe Freemason is a Christian also ; and again I rejoice