The Nemesis: A Tale Of The Days Of Trajan.

an empress would Lais make , and his brow flushed with a passionate fire , as he thought of her . He laid his hand upon his heart to still its beatings , for the simple thought of that woman shook his soul to its depths . Strange power of love , for it

was love , degraded , earthy still love , that he felt for her—a love that would have made him fling his wealth into the sea at her bidding , and kill himself to Avin a smile . A bad man ' s passion leads him to lengths that a good man would

shudder at . His very wickedness makes his passion the stronger , and renders him a dupe , where he would have duped . "Balbus , " said Lais , as they sat together on the day in question , " hast thou no weeping maiden to

settle with , no lady love to say farewell to before thou enterest on the Avedded life ?" " Everything is clear . I had only one bar to my happiness , it was removed to-day . " "Some fair one of the Suburra . "

' No , " replied Balbus , seriously , "it is a deadly matter if knoAvn in Rome . Better to let it rest in silence . " " Tell me , although thy destined bride , I will not scold thee . Come , let me know the length

and breadth of thy wickedness . " "I tell thee it is deadly / ' replied Balbus , with a sigh . " I must know it . Come , I must . " Balbus looked at her , ancl then said : " Thou

hast heard of the Vestal Virgin , Sempronia ?" " She Avho disappeared so suddenly from Rome ?"

" The same . She fled with me . " "With you ? " cried Lais , staring at him with astonishment , " by the gods , Balbus , thou art a brave man , " " That may be so , she has been ever since

housed with me . Her present life has not brought her consolation for her past , so she leaves this for another land . "

" A Vestal Virgin , a daughter of one of the proudest houses in Rome , " murmured Lais to herself . " By the gods he is the man for me . Courage , audacity , Avealth , perhaps he may do . Let us see . Well , Balbus , and she leaves Rome .

You are foolish to permit her . " " 1—hoAv . She cannot remain in our house , and in a foreign land , AA'ho is to knoAV that she is the lost Vestal , the runaway priestess . " " Err on the safe side , Balbus . Send her to a distant land from Avhence there is no return , and

The Nemesis: A Tale Of The Days Of Trajan.

Avhere recognition cannot injure you . A feAv liquid drops Avill send her to charm's bark . No danger to you Avhen she has crossed the Styx . " " Would you haA ' e me poison her ?" . " I would have you make her safe , beyond a

chance of ch ' scoA ery , " said Lais coldly . "I will think of it , " "You Avill do it , " muttered Lais . ( To be continued . )

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

THE POEMATIOa' 01 ? TIIE GEASD LODGE IS 1717 . I beg to submit the following quotations from my Masonic Mems . as they seem to bear upon the subject of the formation of the Grand Lodge in 1717 , referred to by our esteemed Bro . W . J . Hughan in last week's issue . —JASIES EEEDEBICK SPTJEE .

" . II . 1666 . -Thomas Savage , Earl Rivers succeeded the Earl of St . Albans as Grand Master , and in this year the greatest part of the City of London was consumed hy fire , so that the Ereemasons were encouraged to rebuild it again , and the Deputy Grand Master , Sir Christopher "Wren , formed a

noble design in order to render it the most regular and splendid city of the world ; hut his design in general proved abortive by the obstinacy of some private persons who would not he persuaded to part with their properties , though he gave us an elegant specimen of his workmanship in the rebuilding of St . Paul's . " . D . 1674 . George Rivers , Duke of Buckingham , became Grand Master , and Avas succeeded in 1679

hy Henry Bennett , Earl of Arlington , who being much engaged in state affairs could not attend to the welfare of the Craft , though during his Grand Mastership many persons of the first distinction were admitted . " . D . 1685 . Upon the death of the Earl of Arlington the lod met and chose Sir Christopher Wren

ges Grand Master ; but at this time particular lodges were chiefly occasional . Sir Robert Clayton had an occasionol lodge of Masters AVIIO met at St . Thomas ' s Hospital in 1678 . "Xing William being privately made a Mason , approved of the choice of Sir Christopher Wren and

greatly promoted the interests of the Craft ; he likewise appointed the Palace of Greenwich to be a hospital for old ancl disabled seamen and ordered it to be finished after Inigo Jones ' s old design A . D . 1695 . "The same year , Charles , Duke of Richmond and Lenox , Avas chosen Grand Master at the annual assembly in London , and approved of by King William ; and Sir Christopher Wren acted as his deputy and Avas again made Grand Master in 169 S .

" In the beginning of Queen Ann ' s reign Masonry was rather neglected , which Avas occasioned through the carelessness of several Masters and Wardens in not chusing a Grand Master for some years , Sir Christopher being by age and bodily infirmities rendered incapable of presiding over them . But alter the rebellion in the year 1715 , the Masters and Wardens