rm, and he acknowledged it
gladly.

"It's true, I have come back, Colonel Bougainville," he said, "and right
glad I am to come. I see that your country has had no cause to complain
of you in the last week."

"Nor of hundreds of thousands of Frenchmen," said Bougainville. "Your
company, the Strangers, is close at hand, and here is your captain now."

Captain Daniel Colton, thin and ascetic, walked forward. John gave him
his best salute and said:

"Captain Colton, I beg to report to you for duty."

A light smile passed swiftly over Cotton's face.

"You're a little late, Lieutenant Scott," he said.

"I know it, sir, but I've brought Lieutenant Carstairs and Lieutenant
Wharton with me. There have been obstacles which prevented our speedy
return. We've done our best."

"I can well believe it. You left on horseback, and you return by air.
But I'm most heartily glad to see all three of you again. I feared that
you were dead."

"Thank you, sir," said John. "But we don't mean to die."

"Nevertheless," said Captain Colton, gravely, "death has been all about
us for days and nights. Many of the Strangers are gone. You will find
the living lying in the little valley just beyond us, and you can resume
your duties."

Lannes, after a word or two, left them, and Caumartin took the
_Omnibus_ to another part of the field. Lannes' importance was
continually growing in John's eyes, nor was it the effect of
imagination. He saw that under the new conditions of warfare the ability
of the young Frenchman to carry messages between generals separated
widely could not be overrated. He might depart that very night on
another flight.

"May I ask, sir," he said to Captain Colton, "to what command or
division the Strangers are now attached?"

"To that of General Vaugirard, a very able man."

"I'm glad to hear it, sir. I know him. I was with him before I was taken
by the Germans."

"It seems that you're about to have a general reunion," said Carstairs
to young Scott, as they walked away.

"I am, and I'm mighty happy over it. I'll admit that I was rather glad
to see you, you blooming Britisher."

About one-third of the Strangers were gone forever, and the rest, except
the higher officers, were prostrate in the glade. White, worn and
motionless they lay in the same stupor that John had seen overtake the
German troops. Some were flat upon their backs, with arms outstretched,
looking like crosses, others lay on their faces, and other