the Captain who had taken the pink cake. Oh, what a moment that
was for Pierre! He sprang into the gutter as the German passed
and savagely jumped up and down upon the fragments of the green
poster! It was a matter for bitter regret to him long after that
the German did not seem to notice him.

The whole morning passed in such joy and excitement that it was
nearly noon when at last Mother Meraut, beaming with happiness,
and accompanied by a radiant Pierre and Pierrette, entered the
Cathedral. They were astonished to find it no longer the silent
and dim sanctuary to which they were accustomed. The Abbe' was
there, and the Verger, looking quite distracted, was directing a
group of men in moving the praying-chairs from the western end of
the Cathedral, and the space where they had been was already
covered with heaps of straw. Under the great choir at the western
end there were piles of broken glass. Part of the wonderful rose
window had been shattered by a shell, and lay in a million
fragments on the stone floor.

Mother Meraut clasped her hands in dismay. "What does it all
mean?" she demanded of the Verger, as he went tap-tapping by
after the workmen. "What do you wish me to do?"

"Gather up every fragment of glass," said the Verger briefly,
"and put them in a safe place. The wounded are on the way, and
are to be housed in the Cathedral. We must be ready for them.
There is no time to lose."

As Mother Meraut flew to carry out his directions, the Abbe'
beckoned to the children. "Can you be trusted to do an errand for