Annette, the Metis Spy: A Heroine of the N.W. Rebellion, Page 2

  CHAPTER II

  ANNETTE FORMS AN HEROIC RESOLVE.

  All day long Annette was in sore trouble, for she felt that thewords of the rebel chief boded no good to herself or to her deliverer.

  "Why should he think that I loved Captain Stephens?" the girlmurmured, as a soft tinge of crimson stole into her cheek. "I am surethat I behaved in no way to him, that a girl should not act towardsthe man who had risked his life to save hers."

  With the dusk came her father, his horse covered with foam; for hehad ridden fast and far.

  "Why is my daughter's cheek so pale?" he asked as he came into thesweet, tidy cottage, with its trailing morning glories, and bunchesof mignonette.

  "I have been a little disturbed, papa. The Metis chief and one ofhis friends stayed here last night. O, I do fear that we are now verynear an outbreak. Is it not so, my father? Will you not tell me?"

  "It is even so, child. Already nearly a thousand men, includingBois-Brule's and Indians have arms in their hands, and await thewords of their leaders."

  "But, papa, can good really come of this insurrection which youpropose? I mean, mon pere, can you and Monsieur Riel, with yourscattered followers, who have no money, no garrisons, no means ofholding out in a long struggle, hope to overcome the numerous trainedsoldiers of the Government, with the money and the enthusiasm of anation at their back?"

  "You talk, my daughter, as if some friend of Government had beenpouring his tale into your ear. Now, Annette, child, I love you verydearly, and I am grateful to this young man who has saved your life;but as the opinions which you have expressed could only have comefrom him I must ask that further intercourse between you and himceases till this great issue has been fought out and settled."

  "Captain Stephens, mon pere, has never uttered a word to me aboutthese matters; and the opinions which I have, worthless though theybe, are my own. Ah, papa, you surely have not forgotten the laststruggle. Monsieur Riel, then, had some sort of right to set up hisauthority in a province which for a time came not under thejurisdiction of the Company or of the Dominion; the clergy were athis back; he had possession of the strongest Fort in the North-WestTerritories, and provisions enough to supply his forces for a year.Yet, at the very beating of the soldiers' drums he fled like a felon,and was obliged to beg a mouthful of food in his flight to exile. Thecircumstances now are not nearly so auspicious. How, then, can youhope to succeed?"

  "You are not familiar, child, with affairs in these territories; andyou neither know the extent of the discontent, nor the causes whichhave led to it. The Half-Breed people and the Indian tribes have beentreated by government and their agents, worse than we would use ourdogs. Instead of sending honest and capable men to rule here, theyappoint adventurers whose only object is to make money during theirresidence, at the expense of the people. You are not wholly ignorantof the conduct of Lieutenant-Governor Tewtney. Since his arrival inthe territories he has never been known to give a patient hour tohearing the grievances of the half-breed people; but he is foreverabroad grabbing up plots of choice land, and securing timber andmineral leases; or furthering the schemes of knots of friends andadvisers gathered about him. I shall relate one instance which hasjust came to light, and it will serve as an example of this man'scareer. Some time ago a friend of his imported a large quantity ofmeat, but upon arrival it was found to be unwholesome and foul. Thisman went to Governor Tewtney and he said.

  "'All my consignment of meat is spoilt. Isn't that a great loss?'

  "'No loss at all my dear friend,' replied the Governor: 'give it tothe Indians and half-breeds.' Now you are aware that government hadundertaken to give relief to the Indians and to the Metis, withemployment that would bring them food. Well, this meat was given toboth, and for every pound of the foul meat the wretched Breed orIndian was charged fifteen, cents. One of the chief's and also aMetis, went to the Governor and complained that the meat was vile andunwholesome; but they only received this in reply:

  "'You are becoming very choice, you fellows. You will eat this meat,or starve and be d--d.'

  "Year after year, the half-breed who has toiled upon his holding, hasapplied for a grant of this holding under the law, but has applied invain; and a friend of Mr. Tewtney coming in may drive him off hisfarm, and profit by his toil and skill.

  "All these things have been represented at Ottawa by the priests andthe people; and the only reply that has been obtained, in effect, isthis:

  "'What a troublesome, noisy set these savages and half-breeds are!Cease pestering us. We will not, and cannot, do more for you than wehave done.'

  "When a new minister of these Territories was appointed, our priestswaited at his office and besought him for God's holy sake, to listento the people's wrongs; and to enquire into the doings of GovernorTewtney; but it is a fact that he actually went asleep in his chair,while the delegates were stating their case. Instead of makingenquiry into the grievances, he hastily packed his trunks and wentaway to England to obtain a knighthood, which had been promised tohim. While he was running back and forth between his lodgings andDowning street, the officials here were laying upon our backs thelast weight that our endurance could bear."

  While he was speaking there suddenly arose, outside, a jingling ofbells, and a clashing of cymbals; and looking through the windowfather and daughter beheld a numerous band of painted Indiansadvancing, brandishing tomahawks, and singing war songs.

  "I hope these savages will not make a bungle of things," the Colonelsaid; "I wonder who has started them upon the war-path?" Then goingto the door he raised his voice.

  "Where go my friends the Crees?"

  The chief, a tall and magnificent savage, put his finger on his lipsand advanced:

  "Me speak inside with the colonel. Chief Louis Riel has ordered ourbraves to surround the Hickory Bush, when the moon rises. CaptainStephens, police spy, and heap of other spies there. Take em all andput em in wigwam a long way off. Mebbe shoot em. Tall Elk comes tosee if Great Colonel would like to come too."

  "Thank you, chief; I would rather not be at the capture of CaptainStephens. You know he saved la Reina here, from being drowned in thewhirlpool."

  The "Queen" was the name by which Annette was known among all theIndians and Metis that lived upon the plain. "But," continued theColonel, "I hope that Tall Elk and his braves will do no harm toStephens. He is not with us, but he is a brave, good man, and loveour people. In acting against us he is only doing his duty."

  "Ugh! It is well," grunted the chief. "Will look after Stephensmyself."

  But this assurance did not satisfy Annette, who stood, during thedialogue, with throbbing heart and pale cheek. The threats of theRebel Chief still lingered in her ear; and she knew that herdeliverer's life would not be safe in the hands of the terrible man.She said naught, but a bold resolution passed like a flame throughher brain. In a little while the chief departed, and at the head ofhis painted warriors struck out across the dark prairie in thedirection of Hickory Bush. The Bush was about twelve miles distant,and the rising of the moon would be in two hours.

  In a little while the girl said, "Papa, I am so disturbed to-nightthat I cannot sit up with you as long as usual: good-night." Then shekissed her father who caressed her silken hair; and she left the room.

  Now, Annette had as a companion or attendant, an orphan girl, namedJulie. She was not tall and graceful like Annette, but her olive facewas stained with delicate carnation, and her little mouth resembled arose just about to open. She was intelligent, active andaffectionate; and the great aim of her existence was to serve amistress whom she almost adored.

  "Come to me, Julie," Annette whispered as she passed the girl.

  "Well, mademoiselle, what can Julie do?"

  "Captain Stephens, as you are aware, ma petite Julie, is to becaptured to-night by those savages who have just left our house.Monsieur Riel hates my deliverer, and I shudder to think that heshould fall into his hands. I mean to-night to warn him of his danger.

  "Brava!" exclaimed the girl; "
c'est bon! It is so like my bravemistress. Ah, mademoiselle, I have seen Monsieur le Chef look uponyou; and there was great love in his eye. But it was not the good,the _holy_ kind. Ah! It was bad. He hates le Capitaine, becausehe saved you from the chute.

  "Ah, then my little Julie, you know? Yes, it is all as you say; andthis is why my heart flutters so for the fate of Monsieur Stephens. Iwant my bay saddled and led quietly out to the poplar bush; and Ishall come there in a little."

  Julie kissed the forehead of her mistress, and then tripped awaydaintily and softly as a fawn to do the bidding.

  Before ten minutes had elapsed, an Indian boy, of lithe and gracefulfigure, walked swiftly down the path toward the bush. As he reachedthe little grove, another figure emerged from the shadow and said ina low tone:

  "Tres bien!" This was Julie, and the Indian boy was Annette,disguised so perfectly that her father could not have guessed thetruth were he standing by. She wore a buff coat and deer skinleggings; and about her waist was a belt in which were stuck a longknife and a pair of pistols. She patted her pony, took the bridle inher little brown hand, and vaulted lightly into her seat. "There now,Julie; return quickly, and go to your room."

  "Au plaisir, portez-vous bien, ma maitresse."

  "I shall take care of myself. Adieu;" and she galloped down thegrassy knoll, and out upon the prairie.

  Although the plain was a great, dusky blur, this observant maidenknew the route as accurately as if the meridian sun were shining; andher horse, guessing that his mistress was on an errand of life anddeath, flew lightly over the level sod, as if he were a thing wovenof the winds. She was aware that her horse could outdistance anIndian pony; and after half an hour's ride knew that the band mustnow be fully a couple of miles in the rear. But she kept on till shejudged that fifteen minutes more must bring her to the encampment atHickory Bush. Then through the hush of the night came to her ear afar off, indistinct sound, which resembled galloping thunder. Sheknew not what it could mean, unless indeed it was the tumult of somedistant waterfall, borne hither now because, mayhap, a storm wasbrewing, and the dense air was a better carrier of the sound. Themoon was now pushing its wide yellow edge above the plain, and shewas enabled to see objects for a considerable distance around. Butnothing met her view, save here and there a hummock or a clump ofpoplars. She rode on marvelling what the sound might be, for thenoise was constantly becoming louder, and growing

  "Nearer, clearer, deadlier than before"

  when lo! out of the west come what seemed a dim shadow moving acrossthe plain. With hushed breath she watched the dark mass move alonglike some destroying tempest and, as it seemed to her, with tenthousand devils at its core. Chained to the ground with a terribleawe, she stood fast for many minutes, till at last in the dim lightshe saw eye-balls that blazed like fire, heads crested with rugged,uncouth horns and shaggy manes; and then snouts thrust down, flaringnostrils, and rearing tails.

  "My God, a buffalo herd!" she exclaimed. Close at hand was a tallboulder in the shelter of which she instantly secured her horse; thenrunning a few paces to where stood a tall, sturdy poplar, sheclambered into its branches.

  Then the tremendous mass, headed by maddened bulls, with blazingeyes and foaming nostrils, drove onward toward the south, like anunchained hurricane. Some of the terrified beasts ran against thetrees, crushing horns and skull, and fell prone upon the plain to betrampled to jelly by the hundreds of thousands in rear. The tree uponwhich the girl had taken refuge received many a shock from a crazedbull; and it seemed to Annette from her perch in the branches, as ifall the face of the plains was being hurled toward the south in thewildest turmoil. Hell itself let loose could present no suchspectacle as this myriad mass of brute life sweeping over the lonelyplain under the elfin light of the new-risen moon. Clouds of steam,wreathing themselves into spectral shapes rose from the dusky,writhing mass, and the flaming of myriad eyeballs in the gloompresented a picture more terrible than ever came into the imaginationof the writer of the Inferno.

  The spectacle, as observed by the girl some twenty feet from theground, might be likened somewhat to a turbulent sea when a sturdytide sets against the storm, and the mad waves tumble hither andthither, foiled and impelled, yet for all the confusion andobstruction moving in one direction with a sweep and a force that nopower could chain.

  Circling among and around the strange dusk clouds of steam that wentup from the herd were scores of turkey buzzards, their obscene headsbent downward, their sodden eyes gleaming with expectancy. Well theyknew that many a gorgeous feast awaited them wherever boulder, treeor swamp lay in the path of the mighty herd. At last the face of theprairie had ceased its surging; no lurid eye-ball light gleamed outof the dusk; and the tempest of cattle had passed, and went rollingout into the unbounded stretches of the dim, yellow plain.

  When the ground was clear she descended from the tree, every limbtrembling, lest in the delay the Indians should have accomplishedtheir object. When she reached her horse, she found near by a heap ofdead and struggling buffalo, which in their headlong race had runover the bluff front of the boulder. When she resumed her gallop sheobserved that the great amplitude of rich grasses was like unto aploughed field. The herbage had been literally crushed into mire, andthis the innumerable hoofs had churned up with the soft rich soil.The leguminous odors of the trodden clover and the rank masses ofwild pease, together with the dank earthy smell of the broken sod,rose offensively in the girl's face. Her course now lay along anupland covered with straggling copses of white oak and poplar. In thedim valley beyond, lying drunken under the moonlight, was HickoryBush. Upon the solid crest of the little hill the hoofs rang outsharply; but the girl's quick ear detected noises besides those whichcame from the trample of her horse. Still she swept on, with a longswing, resembling the flight of a swallow. A small grove lay infront, and as she swerved around this a horseman sprang suddenlybefore her.

  "Stop!"