keeping of thy word."

"It is kept," replied the princess. "Helena of Britain is the
cause and motive of this revolt against Rome. If it be rebellion
for a free prince to claim his own, if it be rebellion for a
prince to withstand for the sake of his people the unjust demands
of the conqueror, if it be rebellion for one who loveth her
father to urge that father to valiant deeds in defence of the
liberties of the land over which he ruleth as king, then am I a
rebel, for I have done all these, and only because of my words
did the king, my father, take up arms against the might and power
of Rome. I am the chief rebel. Do with me as thou wilt."

And now the prefect saw that the girl spoke the truth, and that
she had indeed kept her pledge.

"Thy father and his city are pardoned," he announced after a few
moments of deliberation. "Remain thou here, thou and thy
companions, as hostages for Britain, until such time as I shall
determine upon the punishment due to one who is so fierce a rebel
against the power of Rome."

So the siege of Camalodunum was raised, and the bloodless
rebellion ended. Constantius the prefect took up his residence
for a while within King Coel's city, and at last returned to his
command in Gaul and Spain, well pleased with the spirit of the
little maiden whom, so he claimed, he still held in his power as
the prisoner of Rome.

Constantius the prefect came again to Britain, and with a greater