At this moment the sound of shouting and yelling arose from the forest, and some shots were fired in close succession.  The girl started to her feet, looking white and scared; but Fritz and Stark stood close beside her, one on either hand, as if to assure her that no harm should befall her.

The next moment a fair-haired youth, with a strong likeness to the girl, came dashing blindly through the forest, calling her name in accents of frantic fear.

“Corinne, Corinne, Corinne!  Where are you?  Hide yourself!  Have a care!  The Rangers are upon us!”

“I am here, Colin.  I am safe!” she cried, in her flute-like accents—­“I am here all safe.  The Rangers are taking care of me.  See!”

He pulled up short, blinded and breathless.  He had come tearing back to his sister’s aid, full of remorse at having been tempted to leave her for a moment in the pleasure of the chase.  He stood panting, staring at the strange group, unable to get out a word.

“Call the men in,” said Stark, addressing Charles, who had remained silent all the while; “tell them to hurt no one—­to make no captures.  This lady’s escort is to remain unmolested.  Bring them here, and we will deliver them their charge safe and sound.”

With alacrity Charles disappeared upon his errand.  The old tender-heartedness of the man always returned when he saw anything young and helpless.  There was no fierceness in his strange face today, and Corinne, looking after him, said wonderingly: 

“Who is he? he looks like one who has seen a ghost!”

In a few terse phrases Fritz told the outline of Charles’s story, and how he himself with his companion had found the hapless man and his brother.

“Oh, this war is a terrible thing!” cried Corinne, pressing her hands together.  “It makes men into devils, I think.  Ah, why can we not live at peace and concord with our brothers?  Surely out here, in these wild lands, French and English might join hands, and live as brothers instead of foes.”

“I fear me,” said Fritz, looking out before him with wide gaze, “that that time is far enough away—­that it will never come until the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our God and of His Christ, when He shall reign for ever and ever.”

She looked at him in quick surprise.  She had not expected to hear such words in the mouth of one of Rogers’ Rangers.

“I have heard my uncle speak so,” she said slowly; “but the soldiers think of nothing but fighting and conquest.”

“We used to think much of that day down in my southern home.  We were taught to look for the day of the Lord and the coming of Christ.  But men were even there growing weary and impatient.  The strife of parties was spoiling our home.  That is why so many of us journeyed forth to see the world.  But I do not forget what my forefathers taught and believed.”

There was a light of quick sympathy in the girl’s eyes; but she had no time to reply, for the Rangers were coming back, with the French soldiers in their company.  They had surprised the whole band, and had practically made them prisoners when Charles came up with his strange message, and they marched them along to see what it all meant.