me?" he said.

"Yes, Your Reverence," answered Pierre.

"Very well," said the Abbe. "I want you to get for the towers two
Red Cross flags. They must be the largest size, and we must have
them soon. The wounded may arrive at any moment now, and the Red
Cross will protect the Cathedral from shell-fire, for not even
Germans would destroy a hospital." He gave them careful
directions, and a note for the shop-keeper. "Now run along, both
of you," he said. "Tell your Mother where you are going, and that
I sent you."

In two minutes the Twins were on their way, but it was more than
an hour before they got back. First, the shop-keeper was out, and
when he got back it took him some time to find large enough
flags. At last, however, they returned, each carrying one done up
in a paper parcel.

"Here are the flags," Pierre announced proudly to the Verger, who
met them at the entrance.

"Yes," said Father Varennes, "here they are, and here you are.
Come in, your Mother wants to see you." The children followed him
through the door, and although they had been told that the
wounded were to be brought to the Cathedral, they were not
prepared for the sight that met their eyes as they entered. On
the heaps of straw lay tossing moaning men, in the gray uniforms
of the German army.