Chilo did not know that.

He had seen, it is true, the Lygian stealing with Croton's body to the river, but nothing more.
Vinicius might be killed; but he might be wounded or detained.

Now it occurred to Chilo for the first time, that surely the Christians would not dare to kill a man so powerful,--a friend of Caesar, and a high military official,--for that kind of act might draw on them a general persecution.

It was more likely that they had detained him by superior force, to give Lygia means to hide herself a second time.
This thought filled Chilo with hope.
"If that Lygian dragon has not torn him to pieces at the first attack, he is alive, and if he is alive he himself will testify that I have not betrayed him; and then not only does nothing threaten me, but--O Hermes, count again on two heifers--a fresh field is opening.

I can inform one of the freedmen where to seek his lord; and whether he goes to the prefect or not is his affair, the only point being that I should not go.
Also, I can go to Petronius, and count on a reward.