funeral up on the road now. It is a military one at any rate."

Frances looked with interest. First marched a guard of soldiers,
two by two, then a band with muffled drums, playing the Dead
March. After the band came a gun-carriage drawn by four horses and
bearing the coffin, over which was draped the English flag.
Several barouches followed with officers in uniform, and then the
rest of the regiment, walking very slowly, their guns reversed.

As the procession approached, every man on the route uncovered and
did not replace his hat until it had passed, a mark of respect
which struck Frances forcibly. "They have better manners than we
have," she acknowledged half to herself.

Edith looked surprised. "Men always uncover on meeting a funeral,"
she remarked. "This was a private, but if he had been an officer,
his helmet and sword would be on the flag, and directly behind the
gun-carriage, his orderly would lead his riderless horse. A
military wedding is so pretty, Frances. I saw one once in Bath
Abbey. The officers were all in full uniform and after the
ceremony they formed in the aisle, two lines going way down out of
the church and at a signal, drew their swords and crossed them
with a clash above their heads and the bride and groom came down
this path through the glittering swords. I was just a tiny then,
but I decided I'd marry a soldier so I could have the arch of
swords."

"It must have been very pretty," Frances agreed. "Why, what are
those? See, like immense horseshoes in the water."