after the tidal wave, and Charleston after the earthquake, piled up
their accounts of those scenes of suffering, some of them even greater
than the horrors of war, so that Lloyd dreamed of fires and floods that
night. But the horror of the scenes was less, because a baby voice
called cheerfully through them, "Here, daddy, give these to the poor
little boys that are cold and homesick;" and a great St. Bernard, with a
Red Cross on his back, ran around distributing mittens and tin
soldiers.




CHAPTER V

IN AFTER YEARS


Time flies fast under the Locusts. The sixteen years which have passed
since Hero followed his little mistress home have brought many changes.
He is only a tender memory now. A square, white stone stands on the lawn
where "taps" were sounded over him one September day, long ago. But the
sight of it no longer brings pain to the Little Colonel. With the sweet
ambition in her heart to make life happier for every one she touches,
she has grown up into a veritable Princess Winsome.

In a home of her own now, to her own little son, she sometimes tells
the story that is set down here. He is too young yet, to be told the
chapters which have been added since to that amazing history of
sacrifice and service. And she cannot say now as the old Major said
then--"Wherever the Red Cross goes is safety for the wounded soldiers.