prayer-book against the body, making the sign
of the cross on the bandaged head with her
fingers. Ambrosch knelt down and made the
same gesture, and after him Antonia and
Marek. Yulka hung back. Her mother
pushed her forward, and kept saying some-
thing to her over and over. Yulka knelt
down, shut her eyes, and put out her hand
a little way, but she drew it back and began
to cry wildly. She was afraid to touch the
bandage. Mrs. Shimerda caught her by the
shoulders and pushed her toward the coffin,
but grandmother interfered.

"No, Mrs. Shimerda," she said firmly, "I
won't stand by and see that child frightened
into spasms. She is too little to understand
what you want of her. Let her alone."

At a look from grandfather, Fuchs and Jeli-
nek placed the lid on the box, and began to
nail it down over Mr. Shimerda. I was afraid
to look at Antonia. She put her arms round
Yulka and held the little girl close to her.

The coffin was put into the wagon. We
drove slowly away, against the fine, icy snow
which cut our faces like a sand-blast. When
we reached the grave, it looked a very little
spot in that snow-covered waste. The men

[[133]]

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v?