Soldiers of the Cross

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. SELF-HELP. was late in the afternoon before the four children were able to talk calmly over their position. Henri had not forgotten the packet, or book, committed to his care; but for the rest, they had thought of nothing. Clearly the first thing was to get something to eat; but how ? We must...
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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. SELF-HELP. was late in the afternoon before the four children were able to talk calmly over their position. Henri had not forgotten the packet, or book, committed to his care; but for the rest, they had thought of nothing. Clearly the first thing was to get something to eat; but how ? We must go to the village, said Henri, after a pause. They may have food there to give us, and shelter, for it is too late now to do anything till tomorrow. Oh yes; let us go to the village, said Marie, almost eagerly. I had forgotten the people there; this place is all so strange. So they went downstairs into the kitchen, and out by the side door, fearful of again passing by that other way. This brought them out on the other side of the castle, and, in order to reach the bridge, theyhad to pass round the wall. As they turned the corner, a fresh cry of grief and surprise broke from them on seeing the ruined state of the little valley. The mill-wheel had stopped. There was still no sound, except the running of the water. Four out of the five cottages lay in one heap of smoking ruins; the fifth, which stood a little apart, showed no sign of life. After that first cry, they proceeded silently. They had gone through sights already which made them feel just then as if nothing else could matter. It was only what they expected, to find the same desolation and disorder in the one remaining cottage as in the castle. Not quite so great indeed, for the scanty furniture remained, though it was thrown about in every direction; and in the cupboard Marie found a jug of milk and half a loaf of bread. Evidently the soldiers had not thought it worth while to look there. All the inhabitants were gone. Probably they had taken refuge in the mountains until the soldiers were...