Annette - The Metis Spy

As for Annette, her quick eye at once showed her how the situation

stood: her lover, his hands bound, a black cap over his eyes, a

coffin beside him. Luc, the jailer, and chief of the executioners,

remained at his post as long as possible; and at the first outburst

of the din had called upon his party to fire. But these mahogany-

complexioned executioners scurried like rats at the first cry. Most

of them carried their arms with them, but Luc perceived a musket

lying in a corner of the drill square. This he seized and levelled at

Stephens, pulling the trigger, after careful aim. The rusty weapon

missed fire, and the intrepid half-breed began hastily to chip the

flint with the back of his sheath-knife; but while he was engaged in

this laudable preparation, Annette came over the earthworks like a

bird, smote him with the handle of her whip upon the crown, and sent

him sprawling in the dust. With another bound she was at her lover's

side; and slipping from her horse, she pulled off the hideous cap,

cut his thongs,--and then the hero-darling waited to be taken to his

heart.

The change in his fortunes was so sudden, and so amazing,--passing

at one bound from the grave's edge back to freedom and love, that he

was for some seconds unable to realize it, and his eyes and brain

swam with a sense of happiness that reached delirium. But gradually

it all began to grow clear: the scurrying figures of his captors and

jailers; the shouting of mounted soldiers; the wistful eyes of his

beloved looking at him.

"Ah, Annette; you again; my guardian angel!"

It took but a few minutes to restore order. It was ascertained that

Riel and Jean had made their escape while Browninge's horse was yet

half a mile away from the post; but they made their exit in secrecy.

"If we give the alarm," Kiel muttered, as he prepared to get into

the saddle, "there will be an instant stampede, and the execution

will be stayed."

"I agree with the decision of mon chef. Let Luc remain; he has

courage enough to have the thing done with the soldiers at the very

stockades." And the two rode away helter-skelter, till a dozen miles

lay between them and their treason nest.

"The rebel chief is gone; he skurried away half an hour ago," was

the tidings that one of the men brought to Browninge. That officer

was not surprised; and ordered that the prisoners, which numbered

about a dozen in all, be put in carts, and escorted by a guard of

cavalry back to Camp Denison.

They were all tired, and it was resolved that the horses be

permitted to rest for a couple of hours before returning.

"I can find the way back to your colonel's camp, monsieur Browninge,

as easily by night as in the daylight." Riel and his greasy followers

lived like so many swine in a sty; but several brace of quail and

chicken, and quarters of elk were found, which the two Cree boys at

once began to prepare. A few loaves of bread were found, and a

tolerable side of bacon, from all of which, with the pure, cold water

that gurgled out of the side of a nigh ridge, a sumptuous meal was

promised.