Annette - The Metis Spy

"Now, Jean, wherefore do you seek this interview with the girl?"

Stephens asked, with a slight curl of contempt upon his lip.

"I want to tell her that I love her; and to arrange to have further

meetings with la petite."

"Why, Jean, I had been under the impression that once before you

told this girl that you loved her, and that she turned up her pretty

nose in disdain. But whether this be true or not, there is another

fact which forms an insuperable barrier to your object. Julie loves

another." The eyes of the half-breed snapped and flamed with jealous

rage.

"Some worthless vagabond, I suppose?" he said, fairly spitting the

words out of him.

"O, no," Stephens replied, with exasperating composure; "but a brave

and illustrious Indian chief. A nobler looking man I have never laid

my eyes upon. You could walk under his legs."

"O, do you think so?" the little Metis replied, with a very ugly

glance. "Now, monsieur, you have refused my offer, and listen to what

you gain by doing so. By some means or other these two traitorous

jades will be captured. Then le grand chef takes yours away up the

dismal valley to Jubal's hut. I take your fine Indian chief's down to

ma mere's ready cottage. As for you, if the maiden retain her reputed

preferences she will be able, when the spring arrives, to come out

upon the prairie and plant daisies, or any other blossom to her

liking, above you."

Stephens had been prepared for malignity, but of such devilish

brutality as this he had not deemed any man living capable. He was so

overwhelmed with horror and disgust that he simply waved his bridle

hand, imposing peace. Thereat Jean pushed forward and gave some

instructions to a savage, who immediately put the bonds again upon

Phillips, tying the thongs so tight that the wounded man groaned with

pain. Then the cavalcade resumed a brisk trot, slacking not until the

prisoners found themselves before the stronghold of the rebel chief.

It is necessary to pause a moment here and point out that M. Riel

had actually formed a provisional government, and succeeded by his

passionate eloquence in deluding the Metis and Indians into the

belief that he was exercising a lawful authority, inasmuch as the

territories had not, within the interpretation of the law, passed

from the Hudson Bay Company under the jurisdiction of Canada. Subject

to this doctrine he laid down the right to establish tribunals of

law, to try, and punish offenders against his authority, and do all

other things that made for the stability and peace of the new regime.

A prominent white settler named Toltbon, had raised a company of

volunteers and gone against the forces of the Metis leader; but his

men were captured like a flock of sheep, and he himself locked up in

the strongest room in the guard house.