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.

This time their route lay through a thickly wooded mountain, to a
town beyond, where one of the cavalry regiments had its
headquarters. Rupert was the bearer of orders for it to return to
headquarters, as a general movement of the army was to take place.
The road was a mere track, hilly and wild, and the lads rode with
pistols cocked, in case of any sudden attack by deserters or
stragglers from the Bavarian army. The journey was, however,
performed without adventure; and having delivered their orders,
they at once started on their homeward way.

Chapter 13: Blenheim.

Although the sun had not set when Rupert and Hugh rode into the
forest on their return journey, they had not been long among the
trees when the light began to fade. The foliage met overhead, and
although above the sky seemed still bright, the change was
distinctly felt in the gloom of the forest. The ride had been a
long one, and Rupert feared to press his horse, consequently they
wound but slowly up the hill, and by the time they reached its
crest, it was nigh