THE STARS ARE KINDLY TO LE CHEF.
Ah! can it be that the swan sings, and soothes through the night the
maiden with its song, when the lover is in the toils that jealousy
and hate have set!
The party of braves, with the Metis at its head, turned and marched
swiftly back over the path taken by Stephens, till they reached a
point from which the bank was easily accessible. In a bluff upon the
level the savages had tethered their ponies, which were speedily
mounted. Then the party set out for "le corps de garde," as the Metis
put it, of "le grand chef."
"Had le chef then a guard-house?" Stephens asked.
"Monsieur, the spy, and enemy of the half-breeds, will learn these
things soon enough." He had scarcely ended, however, before he seemed
to regret the tone that he had adopted, and hastened to mend the
matter. "I have instructions to be guarded about making known the
affairs of le grand chef, monsieur, or I should be pleased to answer
your question. I hope that the thongs are not hurting you."
"I wonder what this rattlesnake would be at now?" Stephens asked
himself, and then turning to the bois-brule--
"I do not much mind the binding, but you would do me a favour by
relaxing those of my companion. He has been severely wounded, and
inflammation has set in. If you were to remove his bonds altogether
you would run no risk."
"I shall do as you suggest, monsieur," and in a minute Phillips was
unbound.
"Now, if monsieur le capitaine will fall a little in rear with me, I
should like some private conversation." Stephens was fast bound, but
play enough was left to one hand to guide his horse.
"Of course," began the half-breed, "you know something of those two
Cree boys who go riding about the prairies and fighting with the
Indians."
"Yes; to one of these I twice owe my deliverance."
"Ah, yes; to mademoiselle Annette. Now, monsieur, we know--I know--who
the two are. The other is the demoiselle Julie, maid to demoiselle
Annette."
"Well, what if you do happen to know these facts?"
"I will tell monsieur. I love Julie very much, and if le capitaine
will procure me an interview with the maiden, at some place where I
shall name, I may be useful to him in the hour of peril."
"I think," replied Stephens, "that I am now talking with the
confidential friend, secretary and adviser of M. Riel. You are the
Jean of whom I have heard mention?"
"Oui, monsieur. I am Jean."
"I fear, Jean, that I will be unable to procure this interview."
"Oh, do not say so. A note written by you to the maiden is all that
I should need, setting forth the time and the place. A neutral brave
could be procured to fetch it to the house of mademoiselle's aunt."
"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.
Now at the very time that Jean and his prisoners drew up before the
rebel stronghold, the chief himself was striding up and down his room
with dishevelled hair and gleaming eye.
"If Jean cannot bring me either the girl or Stephens within the
coming forty-eight hours, I shall go abroad myself, and scour the
plains. What if after all they should come together, marry, and
escape me. Curses, eternal curses upon them. Maledictions eternal
upon my own worthless followers. By the Holy Mary, if Jean cannot
catch one or other I shall put him to death for treason." While these
hot words were upon his lips the door opened and Jean entered.
"I bring mon chef good news."
"Ah, what is it? Any tidings of Stephens?"
"He is at this very moment in the fort. I caught him in Larch Swamp
on his return after being set free by Mademoiselle. He was most
insulting to myself, and used very abusive language respecting you. I
think, Monsieur, you have cause sufficient against him."
"Bon! bon! He shall not escape me this time," and rising, he began
to stride up and down the floor, his eyes flaming with joy and
vengeance.
"Now, Jean, give me your attention. At once go and put Toltbon in
irons. I shall attend presently and declare that he is to be shot
to-morrow. Suppliants will come beseeching me to spare his life; but at
first I shall refuse to do so, and say that I am determined to carry
out my sentence. At the last I shall yield. So far, so good. I do not
know, now, whether you understand my methods."
"I think I do, mon chef," and there was a knowing twinkle in the eye
of the ugly scoundrel.
"Well, this Stephens has an unbridled tongue, and is pretty certain
to use it. If he does not, a little judicious goading will set him
on. If possible, it would be well for one of the guards to provoke
him to commit an assault. Could you rely upon any one of your men for
such a bit of business?"
"Oui, Monsieur; I have such a man."
"Bon! let him be so provoked, and after his violence has been
thoroughly trumpeted through the fort, make a declaration of the same
formally to me. I will then direct you to try him by court martial.
You are aware of how I desire him to be disposed of. When the news
gets abroad that he is to be shot, some will be incredulous, and
others will come to sue for his life. I shall reply to them: 'This is
a matter of discipline. The man has deserved death, or the court?
martial would not have sentenced him. I spared Toltbon's life, and
already I have as fruits of my leniency increased turbulence and
disrespect. My government must be respected, and the only way to
teach its enemies this fact, is to make an example of one of the
greatest offenders.' Lose no time in completing the work. We know
not, else, what chance may rob our hands of the fellow. You
understand? I am least of all mixed up in the matter, being more
concerned with weightier affairs."
"Oui, Monsieur," and making an obeisance the murderous tool
departed. Exactly as planned, it all fell out. Captain Toltbon was
put in irons, and Riel declared that for the sake of peace and order
he must be shot. Many people came and implored him to spare the
condemned man's life; but he was inexorable. "At the eleventh hour,"
however, as the newspapers put it, yielding to solicitation, Riel
said:
"He is spared."
Jean presented himself before his leader.
"Monsieur, I think it will not be necessary to employ stratagem in
working our man to violence. He has been showering reproaches upon
the guards, and loading your name with ignominious reproach. The
guards knew my feelings; so during the night they put chains upon him.
As the foremost one advanced with the manacles, the prisoner raised
his arm, and dealt him a blow on the head, which felled him to the
ground."
"Bon! bon!" Riel cried, while he rubbed his hands. "Without applying
the little goad, he fulfils our will."
"Well, not in the strictest sense, mon chef. Luc had certain private
instructions from me, and he carried them out in a very skilful
manner."
"N'importe, Jean, n'importe how the thing came about; we have the
cause against him, and that suffices. What do you now propose to do,
for you are aware, Jean--" there was now a tone of diabolical
raillery in his words--"that this matter is one in which I cannot
concern myself, you being the best judge of what is due rebellious
military prisoners?"
"Merci, mon chef! I shall endeavour to merit your further regard. My
intention is to proceed forthwith to try him. Already, I have
summoned the witnesses of his guilt; and he and you shall know our
decision before another hour has passed." Then the faithful Monsieur
Jean was gone.
"No, ma chere Annette. You shall never deck your nuptial chamber
with daisies for Edmund Stephens. You will find occupation for your
sweet little fingers in putting fresh roses upon the mound that
covers him. For a _feu-de-joie_ and the peal of marriage bells,
I will give you, ma petite chere, the sullen toll that calls him to
his open coffin, and the rattle of musketry that stills the tongue
which uttered to you the last love pledge."
For an hour did he pace up and down the floor gloating over his
revenge. Meanwhile, I shall leave him and follow the
"adjutant-general," as Jean was known under the new regime. He
proceeded to the private room of the military quarters, and entering
found his subordinates assembled there.
"Messieurs," he said, "We know what our business is. We must lose no
time in despatching it. But before commencing, let me say a few
words. Monsieur Riel is so overweighted with other affairs that the
matter of dealing with the man Stephens rests entirely in our hands.
I have just left him, after endeavouring in vain to induce him to be
present at the trial: but he could not spare the time to come. By
skilfully sounding him, however, I discovered that his sentiments
regarding the prisoner are exactly the same as those entertained by
myself. What these are I need hardly say. It is now a struggle
between the authority of the Provisional Government and a horde of
rebellious persons of which the defendant is the most dangerous. The
eyes of our followers are upon us; and if we permit the authority of
Government to be defied, its officers reviled, and insult heaped upon
us, depend upon it we shall speedily lose the hold we have gained
after so many bitter struggles; and become a prey to the conspiracy
which our enemies are so actively engaged in promoting. The very fact
that this man Stephens leagued himself with our enemies, is an
offence worthy of death; but I shall ask these persons who are here
as witnesses to show you that since his capture he has merited death
ten times over at our hands. With your permission, gentlemen, I will
proceed:
"Edmund Stephens, of Prince Albert, stands charged before this
court-martial with treasonable revolt against the peace and welfare of
the colony; with having leagued himself with an armed party, whose object
was the overthrow of authority as vested in our Provisional Government.
He is likewise charged with having attempted criminal violence upon
lawfully delegated guards appointed over him, during his incarceration;
and likewise with inciting his fellow-prisoners to insubordination and
tumult contrary to the order and well-being of this community.
"Luc Lestang."
That person came forward:
"Relate all you know in the conduct of the prisoner Stephens that
may be regarded as treasonable and criminal."
"I have seen him in armed revolt against the authority of Monsieur
le chef."
"Will you please state what have been his demeanour and conduct as a
prisoner."
"He has been insulting and disorderly in the last degree."
"Will you specify a few particular examples?"
"I have frequently heard him describe the Provisional Government and
its supporters as a band of mongrel rough-scruffs; a greasy, insolent
nest of traitors; and a lot of looting, riotous, unwashed savages. He
has used language of this sort ever since his imprisonment. Likewise,
I have heard him say that he would have the pleasure of assisting in
hanging Monsieur Riel to a prairie poplar; and in putting tar and
feathers upon his followers."
"Has he been guilty of any acts of violence?"
"He has been guilty of acts of violence. When he became unbearably
insubordinate I found it my duty to put irons upon him. As I
approached him with the handcuffs he smote me twice in the face, and
I yet carry the mark that he gave me. [Here the precious witness
pointed to his right eye, which was a dusky purple.] This black eye I
received from one of his blows."
"That will do, Luc."
Another witness with the movements of a snake, and eyes as black as
sloes, was called. He gave evidence which tallied exactly with that
sworn to by Lestang. This, of course, was not an extraordinary
coincidence, for he had been present while the first miscreant was
giving his evidence. Yet poor Stephens, whose life was the issue of
all the swearing, was not permitted to be present, but was kept in a
distant room, chained there like a wild beast.
"The Court," said the Adjutant-General, "has heard the accusation
against this man; and its duty is now to consider whether the safety
and the peace of the district demand that the extreme penalty should
be visited upon this enemy of both. The question is, whether he is
worthy of death, or not. You will retire, gentlemen,--" there were
four of them, exclusive of witnesses, and the clerk--"and find your
verdict."
They were absent about two minutes. The foreman then advancing, said:
"Monsieur l'Adjutant, WE FIND THE PRISONER EDMUND STEPHENS, GUILTY."
Then drawing upon his head a black cap, the adjutant said:
"After due and deliberate trial by this Court, it has been found
that the prisoner Edmund Stephens, is 'Guilty.' _I do, therefore,
declare the sentence of this court-martial to be, that the prisoner
be taken forth this day, at one o'clock, and shot_. And may God in
His infinite bounty have mercy upon his soul."