"Do you hear it again, Julie?"
Yes, Julie heard it: It was, without any doubt, singing to quiet the
groundless apprehensions of sa maitresse. Then both the maidens
slept. And whenever through the night Annette awoke, and began to
think of her lover's peril and probable captivity, the soft, scented
night wind bore to her ears a note or two of reassuring music from
the throat of the maiden-bird.
Before the sun had cleared the horizon on the morrow the breakfast
was ended, the tent rolled; and the saddles were upon the horses.
Then the trio set out at a brisk trot; the chief to join his people
upon their reserve, the girls to find Inspector Dicken at Battleford.
I do not like "breaking threads," but it is necessary that, for the
present, I should allow my two Metis maidens to journey without my
company, while I go back to where I left Captain Stephens in the
gulch.
The route of the two horsemen lay through alternating swamp and
grassland, and as the path was not much traversed, bush tangles here
and there almost blocked the way. They had no misgiving as they rode,
and expected to be soon with Inspector Dicken. The lower end of the
gulch was not so cheerful as that portion where they had entered. The
trees grew thicker; swamps composed the greater portion of the
ground, and the long groping shores of the trees might be traced far
through the black bog, till they found anchoring place at the skirt
of the upland. At last they reached a point where the swamp extended
across the entire valley; and further progress by the level was
impossible.
"I fear, Phillips, that we shall be obliged to try the edge of the
upland; but how our horses can make their way through the dense bush
I am unable to see. Nevertheless, we must try it." As they turned
their horses' heads, a din of yells burst upon their ears from the
bushes round about; and immediately a score of savages with tomahawks
uplift, headed by a Metis with snaky eyes, surrounded them.
"Surrender, messieurs; resistance is useless."
Stephens looked about him, and at one glance mastered the situation.
Phillips was too ill of his wounds to be able to use his right arm,
even though a dash down the trail by which they had come were
practicable. For himself, he had a pair of Colt's revolvers; but
before he could fire twice the savages would be enabled to brain him
with their tomahawks.
"I surrender," he said, nodding to the hateful boisbrule; and the
detestable eyes of the man gleamed as he said-"Bind the prisoners."