"Oh, mother, is not that lovely? What constant care some one must take of these two graves—such little graves, too! These must be the two the landlady spoke of; we must hear the story. I wonder why one has a marble cross and the other only a wooden one?"
While Lily spoke, they were drawing nearer to the little graves, and now the girl began to read aloud—
"'Charles William Wentworth, only child of Dr. Alexander Wentworth
and Lucy, his wife. Died April 3, 18—, aged seven years.'"
Suddenly her mother caught her by the arm, and said in a low, strange voice—
"Lily! The other—look at it, read it!"
Lily was frightened, and she was more frightened when she saw her mother's face. She looked at the wooden cross, and exclaimed—
"Oh, mother, what can it mean?"
"Read it to me; I may have read it wrong. Be quick, Lily, read it."
And Lily read—
"'Frank. Died September 14, 18—, aged about seven years.
He laid down his life to save his brother's. His last words
were a message to his mother, to tell her he had taken care of Fred.'"