When her eye
caught her husband, she burst into tears; and as Hugh raised the
baby and placed it in her arms she clasped it tightly, and rocked
to and fro, sobbing convulsively.
"Look, Hugh, see if you can find something like a spade in that
little garden. Let us bury this poor little child."
Hugh soon found a spade, and dug a little grave in the corner of a
garden under the shade of an old tree.
Then the lads returned to the spot where the husband and wife,
quiet now, were sitting hand in hand crying together. Rupert made a
sign to him to lift the body of his little girl, and then led the
way to the little grave. The father laid her in, and then fell on
his knees by it with his wife, and prayed in a loud voice, broken
with sobs. Rupert and Hugh stood by uncovered, until the peasant
had finished. Then the little grave was filled in; and Rupert,
pointing to the ruined house, placed five gold pieces in the
woman's hand. Then they mounted their horses again and rode on, the
man and his wife both kneeling by the roadside praying for
blessings on their heads.
A week later, Rupert again had occasion to pass through the
village, and dismounted and walked to the little grave. A rough
cross had been placed at one end, and some flowers lay strewn upon
it. Rupert picked a few of the roses which were blooming neglected
near, and laid them on the grave, and then rode on, sighing at the
horrors which war inflicts on an innocent population.
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