y lifted his hand and beckoned to her.

"Who are you?" she asked, when she had drawn near.

"We are as dead men," was the hollow reply. "But in God's name, who
are you?"

"I am Jean Sterling, daughter of Colonel Sterling. I was carried away
from home, but was rescued by these Indians, who are now taking me back
to my father."

"Ay, we heard of you, did we not, James?" the man enquired, turning to
his companion.

"Ay, we heard of you, Miss, on our way here, as William says," the
other replied, "But so great have been our own cares and sorrows since
then that we have forgotten about you."

"Do you live here?" Jean asked, wondering who these men could be.

"No, no, not living, but dying here, we and our wives and children. We
are Loyalists, Miss, who arrived with the Fall Fleet. We came up the
river in open boats, mistook this river one night for the main channel,
and were frozen in here before morning. Our sufferings have been
great. We are starving to death. Though," he added after a slight
pause, "there are not so many to provide for now."

"What! have some died?" Jean asked.

"Seven, Miss, mostly little ones. They are all under the snow, and the
rest of us will soon be with them."

"Come, come, you must not give up yet," the girl encouraged. "Sam and
Kitty will help you, I am sure. Where do you live?"

"Just over there," and the man motioned to the right. "It's a poor
place, and the last storm was terribly hard on us."

"Take me there, then," Jean ordered. "I want to see your women and
children."

A feeling of responsibility had suddenly come to her such as she had
never before known. These two men before her were in the depths of
despair, so something had to be done to arouse and stimulate them with
courage. Hitherto she herself had been dependent upon others, and
followed their guidance. But now it was different. Here were people
in a strange land, and in difficult circumstances who had for the time
lost their grip of things, and needed special assistance. It all came
upon her in a flash, transforming her from a follower to a leader; from
dependent girlhood to the glory of responsible womanhood.

Guided by the two men, they soon reached the encampment but a hundred
yards away. At sight of this Jean stopped and stared in profound
amazement. It was no wonder that the women and children huddled there
were cold. The ones who had fashioned these rude abodes were evidently
unacquainted