And then for a moment there was a space and a
man with bent body and clenched hands was rushing forward as if upon a
football field, and there came a little sickening thud and then the crowd
closed in again.
Her strength was gone and she could only wait. More soldiers had come up
and were using their fists freely, and gradually the crowd retired, still
snarling; and they lifted him up and brought him to her.
"There's a chemist's shop in the next street. We'd better take him
there," suggested the one who had first spoken to her. And she thanked
them and followed them.
They made a bed for him with their coats upon the floor, and some of them
kept guard outside the shop, while one, putting aside the frightened,
useless little chemist, waited upon her, bringing things needful, while
she cleansed the foulness from his smooth young face, and washed the
matted blood from his fair hair, and closed the lids upon his tender
eyes, and, stooping, kissed the cold, quiet lips.
There had been whispered talk among the men, and when she rose the one
who had first spoken to her came forward.
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