CHAPTER IX.
THE STARS TAKE A NEW COURSE.
Monsieur Riel had been all this while pacing up and down his room. A tap came upon his door.
"Entrez. Ah, it is you, mon adjudant!"
"Oui, mon president."
"What tidings?"
"C"est accompli. The court-martial has found the prisoner guilty; and he is condemned to be shot at one o"clock this day."
"Monsieur is expeditious! Monsieur is zealous. C"est bon; c"est bon; merci, Monsieur." And the miscreant walked about delirious with his gratification. Then he came over to where his adjutant stood, and shook his hand; then he thrust his fingers through his hair, and half bellowed, his voice resembling that of some foul beast.
"La patrie has reason to be proud of her zealous son," and he again shook the hand of his infamous lieutenant. Then with a very low bow Jean left the room, saying, as he departed.
"I shall endeavour to merit to the fullest the kindly eulogy which Monsieur le President bestows upon me." The news of Stephens"
sentence spread like fire. Some believed that the penalty would not be carried out, but others thought it would.
"If this prisoner is pardoned, people will treat the sentences of the provisional authorities as jokes. Riel must be aware of this; therefore Stephens is likely to suffer the full penalty." Several persons called upon the tyrant and besought him to extend mercy to the condemned man; but he merely shrugged his shoulders!
"This prisoner has been in chronic rebellion. He has set bad example among the prisoners, a.s.saulted his keeper, and loaded the Government with opprobrium. I may say to you, Messieurs, however, that I have really nothing to do with the man"s case. In this time of tumult, when the operation of all laws is suspended, the court-martial is the only tribunal to which serious offenders can be referred. This young man Stephens has had fair trial, as fair as a British court-martial would have given him, and he has been sentenced to death. I a.s.sume that he would not have received such a sentence if he had not deserved it. Therefore I shall not interfere. There is no use, Messieurs, in pressing me upon the matter. At heart, I shall grieve as much as you to see the young man cut off; but his death I believe necessary now as an example to the hundreds who are desirous of overthrowing the authority which we have established in this district." The pet.i.tioners left the monster with sorrowful faces.
"My G.o.d!" one of them exclaimed, "it is frightful to murder this young man, whose only offence is resistance to insult from his debased half-breed keeper. Is there nothing to be done?"
No, there was nothing to be done. The greasy, vindictive tyrant was lord and master of the situation. When Riel was alone, he began once more to walk his room, and thus mused aloud:
"I shall go down to his cell. Perhaps he may tell me where she is to be found."
"Yes," he was sure that he would succeed: "I shall get his secret by promising pardon; then I will spit upon his face and say, "Die, dog; I"ll not spare you."" So forth he sallied, and made his way to the cell where the young man sat in chains.
"Well, malignant tyrant, what do you here? Whatever your business is, let it be dispatched quickly; for your presence stifles me. What dishonourable proposal have you now to make?"
"Monsieur Stephens, it seems to be a pleasure to you to revile me.
Yet have I sought to serve you;--yea, I would have been, would now be, your friend."
"Peace; let me hear what it is that you now propose?"
"You are aware that it is ordered by court-martial, of which I was not a member, that you are to be shot at one o"clock this day? It is now just forty-five minutes of one. I can spare your life, and I will do it, upon one condition."
"Pray let me hear what dishonour it is that you propose? I ask the question out of a curiosity to learn, if possible, a little more of your infamy."
"And I reply to you that I shall take no notice of your revilings, but make my proposal. I simply ask you to state to me where this maiden Annette has betaken herself?"
"Where you will never find her. That"s my answer, villain and tyrant; and now begone."
"Perhaps you imagine that the sentence will not be carried out. I ask you to choose between life and liberty, and an almost immediate ignominious death."
"I care not for your revenge, or your mercy. Once more I say, get you gone." Then the ruffian turned round, rushed at the chained prisoner, and dealt him a terrific kick in the side, after which he spat upon his face.
"She shall be mine!" he hissed, "when your corpse lies mouldering in a dishonoured, traitor"s grave." The young man was chained to a heavy table, but with a sudden wrench, he freed himself, raised both arms, and was about bringing down his manacled hands upon the tyrant miscreant--and that blow would have ended the rebellion at Prince Albert,--when Luc burst into the room, seized the prisoner, and threw him. While his brute knee was on Stephens" breast, and his greasy hand held the victim"s throat, Riel made his escape, and turned back to his own quarters.
As for poor Stephens, when the tyrant and the brutal guard had left the cell, he began to pace up and down, sorely disturbed. He had somehow cherished the hope that the miscreant would be induced to commute the sentence to lengthy imprisonment. But the diabolical vengeance which he had seen in the tyrant"s eye undermined all hope.
Some friends were admitted to his cell, and they informed him that they had pleaded for him, but in vain.
And now we go back to Annette and Julie. Their horses soon took them to the post, wherein Inspector d.i.c.ken had taken up his abode for the nonce. They soon learnt that Captain Stephens and his friend had been captured, and that both had been hurried off to the stronghold of the rebel chief.
"Have any steps been taken for his rescue, monsieur?" Annette asked.
"None, I regret, have so far been practicable. I am detained on duty here with twenty men; and expect an attack hourly. I would surrender the fort and hasten to the rescue of my friend, but that the lives of more than a hundred women and children here depend upon my remaining."
"And where, monsieur, are the nearest troops? Holy Mother of G.o.d!"
she exclaimed, "surely they will not permit le chef to put him to death without making an effort to save him."
"Anything possible will be done, my brave lad. The nearest troops are those of Colonel Denison. Here I will write you a note to the Colonel. He is an officer whom I much admire. He is quick at conceiving, and prompt and firmhanded in achievement. His force is mounted and a few of his troopers thundering into the rebels" nest would scatter them like rats."
"Speed, speed, monsieur," she cried, as she perceived the Inspector pause to consider the terms in which he should address the Colonel.
"Let it be simply an introduction; and a mere statement that I have rendered service to you and to your forces."
"So be it," he replied; and then rapidly pencilled the note, which he put into her hand. A quick "Merci, merci," and the two were gone, and speedily upon their horses" backs. They had not ridden far before they espied a mounted party, evidently reconnoitering. Instead of pursuing its course, the party, upon perceiving the two Indian boys, turned their horses and rode towards the pair.
"Oh, Julie, I hope that they will not detain us. They judge, I suppose, that we are enemies."
"But you can tell them that we are not, mademoiselle."
"Ah, Julie, the world is not as truthful and as free from guile as you. They might not believe us. But I can at any rate show them the Inspector"s note."
"Who goes there?" shouted the officer of the approaching party.
"Friends, who want to see Colonel Denison immediately.
"Consider yourselves in my charge now," the officer said, fitting very high and straight upon his horse.
"But will monsieur l"officier take us straightway to Colonel Denison?"
"In good time we shall see that officer," the starchy commander replied.
"But, monsieur, I pray you to make haste. It is a matter of the gravest importance that I should see him as speedily as possible. We were riding at a mad pace before you joined us, as witness our horses" flanks. This note I bear from Inspector d.i.c.ken to Colonel Denison."
The officer took it, opened it slowly, and cast his eye over the writing.
"I do not know whether this has been written by d.i.c.ken or not," he said, "as I have never seen his writing." Then folding the note he put it into his pocket.
"But that is my note, monsieur, my pa.s.sport to Colonel Denison"s attention. Wherefore do you keep it?"