112 THE WONDER-BOOK OF HORSES 



many places with mud and red gore. With 

 shrieks of fright the children fled across the fields, 

 and the news of what they had seen was soon 

 carried to the watchers above the gate. Scarcely 

 believing their story, Sempronius, followed by a 

 wondering company of women and boys, hastened 

 down to see for himself. There, indeed,' were the 

 snow-white steeds standing by the spring, and 

 there were the two riders who, having dis- 

 mounted, were washing them in the clear water. 

 So like were the two horses that no man living 

 could tell one from the other. So like were the 

 two warriors in face and form and movement 

 that no point of difference between them could 

 ever be discovered. 



" What news bring you from the battle?" cried 

 Sempronius, awed and afraid to ask them their 

 names. 



" Long live the City of the Seven Hills ! " they 

 answered. " To-morrow the spoils of thirty cities 

 will enrich her shrines ! " 



Then they slowly mounted their steeds and rode 

 a little way onward until they came to the door 

 of Vesta's temple. There a whirlwind seemed 

 suddenly to arise, a cloud of dust filled the air, 

 and the white horses and their white riders were 



