le girl
run out from behind a seat where she had probably been secreting
herself, and gaze wildly at me. Blood-stained, dishevelled, haggard
though she was, I instantly recognised the pretty little face.

"Ivanka!" I exclaimed, holding out my arms.

With a scream of delight she rushed forward and sprang into them. Oh
how the dear child grasped me,--twined her thin little arms round me,
and strained as if she would crush herself into my bosom, while she
buried her face in my neck and gave way to restful moans accompanied by
an occasional convulsive sob!

Well did I understand the feelings of her poor heart. For hours past
she had been shocked by the incomprehensible deeds of blood and violence
around her; had seen, as she afterwards told me, her brother murdered,
and her mother chased into the woods and shot by a soldier; had sought
refuge in the church with those who were too much taken up with their
own terrible griefs to care for her, and, after hours of prolonged agony
and terror, coupled with hunger and thirst, had at last found refuge in
a kindly welcome embrace.

After a time I tried to disengage her arms, but found this to be
impossible without a degree of violence which I could not exert.
Overcome by the strain, and probably by long want of rest, the poor
child soon fell into a profound slumber.

While I meditated in some perplexity as to how I should act, my
attention was aroused by the sudden entrance of a number of men. Their
dress and badges at once told me that they formed a section of that
noble band of men and women, who, following close on the heels of the
"dogs of war," do all that is possible to alleviate the sufferings of
hapless victims.--God's work going on side by side with that of the
devil! In a few minutes surgeons were tenderly binding up wounds, and
ambulance-men were bearing them out of the church from which the dead
were also removed for burial.

"Come, Lancey," said I, "our services here are happily no longer
required. Let us go."

"Where to, sir?" said Lancey.

"To the nearest spot," I replied after a moment's thought, "where I can
lie down and sleep. I am dead beat, Lancey, for want of rest, and
really feel unable for anything. If only I can snatch an hour or two,
that will suffice. Meanwhile, you will go to the nearest station and
find out if the railway has been destroyed."

We hurried out of the dreadful slaughter-house, Ivanka still sound
asleep on my shoulder, a