one sees in the
Catholic countries of the Old World. A small stream of clear, green
water ran almost at the feet of the image, and he knelt and drank. Then
he sat down to eat a little bread and sausage from his knapsack, and,
while he was there, a middle-aged woman with two young boys also came to
the shrine, before which they knelt and prayed. When they rose John
politely offered them a portion of his bread and sausage, but they
declined it, thanking him, and bringing forth food of their own, ate it.

John saw that the woman's face was very sorrowful, and the boys were
grave and thoughtful beyond their years. He knew that they were under
the shadow of the war, and his sympathy drew him to them.

"You have other sons, perhaps," he said gently, "and they are with the
armies?"

"Alas, yes," she replied. "I have two others. One went to the east to
fight the Russians and the other was sent to the west to meet the
French. I have not heard from either in three months. I do not know
whether they are alive or dead. We go into Salzburg tomorrow to get news
of them, if we can."

"I hope they may come back to you," said John simply.

"And you? You are not of Austria."

"No, I came from a land that was French before I was born but which is
now German, and under the beneficent rule of the great Kaiser--Lorraine."

"You have indeed made a great journey."

"But it's to help one who needs help. I'd go if it took me to the other
side of the world. The errand is sacred."

"Then I wish you Godspeed upon it. You are young, and you have a good
face. What you say must be true. I shall pray for you and the happy end
of your search."

She uttered words rapidly under her breath. She was a middle-aged and
uneducated Austrian woman, but as she prayed and the shadows deepened on
the mountains he received an extraordinary impression. A priest had
prayed, too, for his success, and the second prayer could not be a mere
coincidence. It was one of a chain. His will to succeed was so powerful,
and so many others were helping him with the same wish that he could not
fail.

CHAPTER X

THE FAIR CAPTIVE

The woman gathered up the remains of the food, crossed herself again
before the shrine, and she and her sons prepared to resume the descent
of the mountain.

"I thank you for your good wishes," said John. "They may go far."

"And so may yours," she said. "Farewell!"

"Farewell!"

He watched them, walking down the slope, until