m that the little congregation had
risen from its knees and was passing out of the church. They waited
until every one had disappeared through the great door, and then made a
swift flight down the echoing aisle and out into the sunlight. For a
moment they stood hand in hand upon the cathedral steps, clasping their
bundle and waiting for the next turn of fortune's wheel.

The bright sunlight of the summer day, shining on the open square,
almost blinded them, and what they saw in the square, when their eyes
had become used to it, did not comfort them. Everywhere there were
German soldiers with their terrible bayonets and pointed helmets and
their terrible songs. Everywhere there were pale and desperate Belgians
fleeing before the arrogant German invader.

"Oh, Jan," whispered Marie clinging to him, "there are so many people!
How shall we ever find Mother? I didn't know there were so many people
in the whole world."

"It isn't likely that we'll find her by just standing here, anyway,"
answered Jan. "We've got to keep going till we get somewhere."

He slung the bundle on his shoulder and whistled to Fidel, who had gone
down the steps to bark at a homeless cat.

"Come along," he said to Marie. And once more the little pilgrims took
up their journey. At the first corner they paused, not knowing whether
to go to the right or to the left.

"Which way?" said Marie.

Jan stood still and looked first in one direction and then in the other.

"Here, gutter-snipes, what are you standing here for? Make way for your
betters!" said a gruff voice behind them, and, turning, the children
found themselves face to face with a German officer dressed in a
resplendent uniform and accompanied by a group of swaggering young
soldiers. Too frightened to move, the children only looked up at him
and did not stir.

"Get out of the way, I tell you!" roared the officer, turning purple
with rage; "Orderly!" One of the young men sprang forward. He seized
Jan by the arm and deftly kicked him into the gutter. Another at the
same moment laid his hands on Marie. But he reckoned without Fidel,
faithful Fidel, who knew no difference between German and Belgian, but
knew only that no cruel hand should touch his beloved Marie, while he
was there to defend her. With a fierce growl he sprang at the young
orderly and buried his teeth in his leg. Howling with pain, the orderly
dropped Marie, while another soldier drew his sword with an oath and
made a thrus