The rider asked, very decently, whose was the party.

I treated them as I had the others.
"'My master is asleep,' I said again.

(It was not such an improbable lie that time, for the road by Vediamnum is pretty good.) 'I have the honor to escort Mamercus Satronius Sabinus.' "I had guessed that they were Vedians and I was sure of it when I said that.

The slaves scowled and the bailiff saluted very stiffly.
"Just after we turned into your road, I stopped the escort and told Dromanus to take his horse.

He had relieved me of his hat and poncho and I had one hand on the litter, ready to climb in, when I heard hoofs behind us on the road.