GOOD NEWS.
Colin Macdonald, I have omitted to state, was rather more than sixty
years of age; a stalwart, bearded, well-preserved Scotchman, who had
grown gray in the service of the Hudson Bay Company. He was an old
friend of mine, as I had visited Fort Garry on previous occasions.
"Good-morning, Carew," he began. "Overslept yourself--eh? Miss Hatherton
would insist on waiting for you--lucky dog that you are! But here is
something that will interest you."
"Dispatches?" I exclaimed eagerly.
"Right you are."
"From Quebec, I presume?"
"No; from the North. But sit down and have breakfast, man. You must be
half-starved."
Curbing my impatience, I seated myself at the table. Flora sat on the
left and poured out the coffee. The factor remained standing.
"I must be off directly," he said. "I knew you would want to hear the
news. A special courier came in at daybreak--splendid fellow!--all the
way from Fort Charter--left three weeks after your party."
"From Fort Charter?" I cried. "And what is the news?"
"I hope it is good news," said Flora.
"Well, yes, what there is of it is good," replied Macdonald, "and that's
not so much after all. The dispatches come from Fort Charter, and
contain information received there from Fort York and other northern
posts. For one thing, my prediction was right. The Indians, instead of
continuing on the war-path, have disbanded as mysteriously and swiftly as
they assembled. A small force, collected from the different forts, has
started out to pursue the scattered parties of the enemy."
"I hope they will succeed," said I. "Anything about Cuthbert Mackenzie?"
"Yes. That infernal ruffian was the leader, according to Indian spies
who arrived at Fort York. But there is little hope of catching him. He
is supposed to have fled south with a few followers. By Heaven, sir, if
he comes back to the Red River, I'll arrest him at once! The whole North
West Company shan't hinder me!"
"I'm sorry he escaped!" exclaimed Flora, with flashing eyes. "But tell
me, Mr. Macdonald, is there any word of Mr. Menzies and his party?"
"They are all right," replied the factor. "They reached Fort Elk in
safety, and then went on to Fort York. So you see that the North is
quiet again."
"But that won't avenge the burning of Fort Royal," I said bitterly, "or
the death of so many brave men."
"The work of retribution will come later," declared Macdonald; "be
assured of that. The governor will leave no stone unturned to seek out
and punish the murderers. I wish Lord Selkirk were here; he is the very
bones and sinews of the company. I understand that he contemplates an
early visit to the Canadas, and this outrage may hasten his arrival. And
now I must be going, Carew. When you have finished your breakfast--"
"One moment, sir," I interrupted. "I suppose there is no news of Captain
Rudstone? It is foolish to ask--"
"Oh, but there is! Bless me, I quite forgot to speak of it. Let me see;
there was a reference to the matter in the dispatch from Fort Charter.
What did he say? Wait--I have it!"
Running his finger down the page of thick yellow paper, covered with
scrawly writing, he read as follows:
"... and tell Mr. Carew that we made a further search the next week for
his friend Captain Myles Rudstone. A party set out under Tom Arnold and
were gone three days. But they found no trace of the unfortunate man,
and there can be no doubt that he perished in the storm, and is buried
deep under a drift."
"Poor fellow!" said I. "I hoped he might turn up, but there is no chance
of it now."
"It is a strange case," replied Macdonald. "I was familiar with Captain
Rudstone's name, but I can't recall every having met him."
With that the factor looked at his watch, gathered up his papers, and
hurried from the room. Left to ourselves, Flora and I discussed the
welcome tidings we had just heard, as well as some matters of a more
personal nature. Then, breakfast finished, I reluctantly departed to my
day's work, and a few moments later I was seated at a desk in the
clerk's quarters, with ink, quill, and paper before me; for I was
writing a detailed account of the siege and capture of Fort Royal, which
to be forwarded to the officials of the company at Quebec.
* * * * *
The breakfast room again; the time nine o'clock that same night. After
laborious toil with brain and hand, I was enjoying a well-earned rest.
Supper was over long since, and the ladies had retired a few minutes
before. A snugger, more cozy place could scarcely have been found in
Quebec itself. Two lamps shed a soft light, and a mighty fire roared in
the huge stove.
Macdonald and I sat in easy-chairs at opposite sides of a table that was
littered with books and papers, glasses, a bottle of whiskey, and a
canister of tobacco. He was smoking a long churchwarden, I a stubby and
blackened short one. At a small table at the other end of the room three
officers of the fort were playing cards with the silence and attention
of old-world gamesters.
"Nearly done with your report?" asked the factor.
"I think another day will finish it," said I.
"It's a trying task, no doubt."
"I would rather be fighting Indians," I replied. "The work is better
fitted for Mr. Burley."
"Quite so," assented Macdonald. "By the bye, where is your legal friend
to-night?"
"I'll warrant he's in the men's quarters, as usual," I answered, "on the
hunt for information."
"He's a queer chap, but sound-headed," said the factor. "He spoke to me
of the matter that brought him to the Canadas, but I couldn't give him
any assistance; I never heard the name of Osmund Maiden."
I'm afraid it's a useless search--so many years have passed since the
man disappeared.
"I agree with you," I replied. "But he is a plucky fellow, and sticks on
in spite of failure. He deserves to win. I don't suppose he told you
what he wants with the man?"
"No; he was close-mouthed about that, Carew. Fill up your glass again.
That rare old Scotch I get straight from Edinburgh, and the tobacco is
the best crop of the Virginias. You see, we try to live up to the mark
here in the wilderness."
"Royally," said I. "I have tasted no such tobacco or whisky since I was
in Quebec last."
We smoked for awhile in silence, and then Macdonald suddenly blurted
out:
"If the Northwest people make trouble, my supplies will be cut off."
"Any news to-day?" I asked.
"A little," he replied. "It may mean nothing--or much. Certainly our
enemies are growing bolder. Last night a lot of half-breeds marched
through our colony, making murderous threats and singing war songs."
"And a week ago two swivel guns and a howitzer were stolen," said I;
"and a week before that there was a brawl up at Isle-a-la-Crosse, in
which a man was killed on either side. Mr. Macdonald, the situation is
becoming intolerable. How will it end?"
The factor brought his fist heavily down on the table. "In a general
fight--perhaps in a war spread over the whole territory," he declared.
"By Heaven! sir, if I had authority from Governor Semple, I would take
stern measures at once--I would make the Northwest people show their
hand, and then attack and crush them. We have borne insults and affronts
too long."
"I hoped that I was done with fighting," I replied.
"Ay, you have had more than your share of it. I am sorry for you, Carew.
I will hurry on your marriage--I sent for the priest this morning--and
then I would advise you to send your wife to Quebec. We shall win in the
end, and uphold the supremacy of the company, but not without a
struggle, I fear."
The thought of parting from Flora--of sending her hundreds of miles away
from me--made me feel very blue; and the factor's keen eyes observed
this:
"Cheer up," he said. "We are discussing events that may never occur.
Come, what do you say to a little diversion--to a hand at cards?"
"With all my heart," I assented gladly.
But just then the door slowly opened, and Mr. Christopher Burley slowly
entered the room. He was neatly attired in black, and after looking
about him he made a low bow.
"I trust I am not intruding," he said in a dry, precise voice. "I desire
to see you particularly, Mr. Macdonald. I have been conversing with some
of the older employees of the fort, and I find that through ignorance I
overlooked a most important matter during the interview you granted me
several days ago."
"Indeed!" replied Macdonald. "And to what do you refer? Go on; you may
speak freely in front of Mr. Carew."