CHAPTER VIII.
THE STARS ARE KINDLY TO LE CHEF.
Ah! can it be that the swan sings, and soothes through the night themaiden with its song, when the lover is in the toils that jealousyand hate have set!
The party of braves, with the Metis at its head, turned and marchedswiftly back over the path taken by Stephens, till they reached apoint from which the bank was easily accessible. In a bluff upon thelevel the savages had tethered their ponies, which were speedilymounted. Then the party set out for "le corps de garde," as the Metisput 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 thesethings soon enough." He had scarcely ended, however, before he seemedto regret the tone that he had adopted, and hastened to mend thematter. "I have instructions to be guarded about making known theaffairs of le grand chef, monsieur, or I should be pleased to answeryour question. I hope that the thongs are not hurting you."
"I wonder what this rattlesnake would be at now?" Stephens askedhimself, and then turning to the bois-brule--
"I do not much mind the binding, but you would do me a favour byrelaxing those of my companion. He has been severely wounded, andinflammation has set in. If you were to remove his bonds altogetheryou would run no risk."
"I shall do as you suggest, monsieur," and in a minute Phillips wasunbound.
"Now, if monsieur le capitaine will fall a little in rear with me, Ishould like some private conversation." Stephens was fast bound, butplay enough was left to one hand to guide his horse.
"Of course," began the half-breed, "you know something of those twoCree boys who go riding about the prairies and fighting with theIndians."
"Yes; to one of these I twice owe my deliverance."
"Ah, yes; to mademoiselle Annette. Now, monsieur, we know--I know--whothe two are. The other is the demoiselle Julie, maid to demoiselleAnnette."
"Well, what if you do happen to know these facts?"
"I will tell monsieur. I love Julie very much, and if le capitainewill procure me an interview with the maiden, at some place where Ishall name, I may be useful to him in the hour of peril."
"I think," replied Stephens, "that I am now talking with theconfidential friend, secretary and adviser of M. Riel. You are theJean 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 thatI should need, setting forth the time and the place. A neutral bravecould 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 furthermeetings with la petite."
"Why, Jean, I had been under the impression that once before youtold this girl that you loved her, and that she turned up her prettynose in disdain. But whether this be true or not, there is anotherfact which forms an insuperable barrier to your object. Julie lovesanother." The eyes of the half-breed snapped and flamed with jealousrage.
"Some worthless vagabond, I suppose?" he said, fairly spitting thewords out of him.
"O, no," Stephens replied, with exasperating composure; "but a braveand illustrious Indian chief. A nobler looking man I have never laidmy eyes upon. You could walk under his legs."
"O, do you think so?" the little Metis replied, with a very uglyglance. "Now, monsieur, you have refused my offer, and listen to whatyou gain by doing so. By some means or other these two traitorousjades will be captured. Then le grand chef takes yours away up thedismal valley to Jubal's hut. I take your fine Indian chief's down toma mere's ready cottage. As for you, if the maiden retain her reputedpreferences she will be able, when the spring arrives, to come outupon the prairie and plant daisies, or any other blossom to herliking, above you."
Stephens had been prepared for malignity, but of such devilishbrutality as this he had not deemed any man living capable. He was sooverwhelmed with horror and disgust that he simply waved his bridlehand, imposing peace. Thereat Jean pushed forward and gave someinstructions to a savage, who immediately put the bonds again uponPhillips, tying the thongs so tight that the wounded man groaned withpain. Then the cavalcade resumed a brisk trot, slacking not until theprisoners found themselves before the stronghold of the rebel chief.
It is necessary to pause a moment here and point out that M. Rielhad actually formed a provisional government, and succeeded by hispassionate eloquence in deluding the Metis and Indians into thebelief that he was exercising a lawful authority, inasmuch as theterritories had not, within the interpretation of the law, passedfrom the Hudson Bay Company under the jurisdiction of Canada. Subjectto this doctrine he laid down the right to establish tribunals oflaw, to try, and punish offenders against his authority, and do allother things that made for the stability and peace of the new regime.
A prominent white settler named Toltbon, had raised a company ofvolunteers and gone against the forces of the Metis leader; but hismen were captured like a flock of sheep, and he himself locked up inthe strongest room in the guard house.
Now at the very time that Jean and his prisoners drew up before therebel stronghold, the chief himself was striding up and down his roomwith dishevelled hair and gleaming eye.
"If Jean cannot bring me either the girl or Stephens within thecoming forty-eight hours, I shall go abroad myself, and scour theplains. What if after all they should come together, marry, andescape me. Curses, eternal curses upon them. Maledictions eternalupon my own worthless followers. By the Holy Mary, if Jean cannotcatch one or other I shall put him to death for treason." While thesehot 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 Swampon his return after being set free by Mademoiselle. He was mostinsulting to myself, and used very abusive language respecting you. Ithink, Monsieur, you have cause sufficient against him."
"Bon! bon! He shall not escape me this time," and rising, he beganto stride up and down the floor, his eyes flaming with joy andvengeance.
"Now, Jean, give me your attention. At once go and put Toltbon inirons. I shall attend presently and declare that he is to be shotto-morrow. Suppliants will come beseeching me to spare his life; but atfirst I shall refuse to do so, and say that I am determined to carryout my sentence. At the last I shall yield. So far, so good. I do notknow, now, whether you understand my methods."
"I think I do, mon chef," and there was a knowing twinkle in the eyeof the ugly scoundrel.
"Well, this Stephens has an unbridled tongue, and is pretty certainto use it. If he does not, a little judicious goading will set himon. If possible, it would be well for one of the guards to provokehim to commit an assault. Could you rely upon any one of your men forsuch a bit of business?"
"Oui, Monsieur; I have such a man."
"Bon! let him be so provoked, and after his violence has beenthoroughly trumpeted through the fort, make a declaration of the sameformally 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 newsgets abroad that he is to be shot, some will be incredulous, andothers will come to sue for his life. I shall reply to them: 'This isa matter of discipline. The man has deserved death, or the court?martial would not have sentenced him. I spared Toltbon's life, andalready I have as fruits of my leniency increased turbulence anddisrespect. My government must be respected, and the only way toteach its enemies this fact, is to make an example of one of thegreatest offenders.' Lose no time in completing the work. We knownot, else, what chance may rob our hands of the fellow. Youunderstand? I am least of all mixed up in the matter, being moreconcerned with weightier affairs."
"Oui, Monsieur," a
nd making an obeisance the murderous tooldeparted. Exactly as planned, it all fell out. Captain Toltbon wasput in irons, and Riel declared that for the sake of peace and orderhe must be shot. Many people came and implored him to spare thecondemned man's life; but he was inexorable. "At the eleventh hour,"however, as the newspapers put it, yielding to solicitation, Rielsaid:
"He is spared."
Jean presented himself before his leader.
"Monsieur, I think it will not be necessary to employ stratagem inworking our man to violence. He has been showering reproaches uponthe guards, and loading your name with ignominious reproach. Theguards knew my feelings; so during the night they put chains upon him.As the foremost one advanced with the manacles, the prisoner raisedhis arm, and dealt him a blow on the head, which felled him to theground."
"Bon! bon!" Riel cried, while he rubbed his hands. "Without applyingthe little goad, he fulfils our will."
"Well, not in the strictest sense, mon chef. Luc had certain privateinstructions from me, and he carried them out in a very skilfulmanner."
"N'importe, Jean, n'importe how the thing came about; we have thecause against him, and that suffices. What do you now propose to do,for you are aware, Jean--" there was now a tone of diabolicalraillery in his words--"that this matter is one in which I cannotconcern myself, you being the best judge of what is due rebelliousmilitary prisoners?"
"Merci, mon chef! I shall endeavour to merit your further regard. Myintention is to proceed forthwith to try him. Already, I havesummoned the witnesses of his guilt; and he and you shall know ourdecision before another hour has passed." Then the faithful MonsieurJean was gone.
"No, ma chere Annette. You shall never deck your nuptial chamberwith daisies for Edmund Stephens. You will find occupation for yoursweet little fingers in putting fresh roses upon the mound thatcovers 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 tohis open coffin, and the rattle of musketry that stills the tonguewhich uttered to you the last love pledge."
For an hour did he pace up and down the floor gloating over hisrevenge. Meanwhile, I shall leave him and follow the"adjutant-general," as Jean was known under the new regime. Heproceeded to the private room of the military quarters, and enteringfound his subordinates assembled there.
"Messieurs," he said, "We know what our business is. We must lose notime in despatching it. But before commencing, let me say a fewwords. Monsieur Riel is so overweighted with other affairs that thematter of dealing with the man Stephens rests entirely in our hands.I have just left him, after endeavouring in vain to induce him to bepresent at the trial: but he could not spare the time to come. Byskilfully sounding him, however, I discovered that his sentimentsregarding the prisoner are exactly the same as those entertained bymyself. What these are I need hardly say. It is now a strugglebetween the authority of the Provisional Government and a horde ofrebellious persons of which the defendant is the most dangerous. Theeyes of our followers are upon us; and if we permit the authority ofGovernment to be defied, its officers reviled, and insult heaped uponus, depend upon it we shall speedily lose the hold we have gainedafter so many bitter struggles; and become a prey to the conspiracywhich our enemies are so actively engaged in promoting. The very factthat this man Stephens leagued himself with our enemies, is anoffence worthy of death; but I shall ask these persons who are hereas witnesses to show you that since his capture he has merited deathten times over at our hands. With your permission, gentlemen, I willproceed:
"Edmund Stephens, of Prince Albert, stands charged before thiscourt-martial with treasonable revolt against the peace and welfare ofthe colony; with having leagued himself with an armed party, whose objectwas the overthrow of authority as vested in our Provisional Government.He is likewise charged with having attempted criminal violence uponlawfully delegated guards appointed over him, during his incarceration;and likewise with inciting his fellow-prisoners to insubordination andtumult 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 thatmay be regarded as treasonable and criminal."
"I have seen him in armed revolt against the authority of Monsieurle chef."
"Will you please state what have been his demeanour and conduct as aprisoner."
"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 andits supporters as a band of mongrel rough-scruffs; a greasy, insolentnest of traitors; and a lot of looting, riotous, unwashed savages. Hehas used language of this sort ever since his imprisonment. Likewise,I have heard him say that he would have the pleasure of assisting inhanging Monsieur Riel to a prairie poplar; and in putting tar andfeathers upon his followers."
"Has he been guilty of any acts of violence?"
"He has been guilty of acts of violence. When he became unbearablyinsubordinate I found it my duty to put irons upon him. As Iapproached him with the handcuffs he smote me twice in the face, andI yet carry the mark that he gave me. [Here the precious witnesspointed to his right eye, which was a dusky purple.] This black eye Ireceived from one of his blows."
"That will do, Luc."
Another witness with the movements of a snake, and eyes as black assloes, was called. He gave evidence which tallied exactly with thatsworn to by Lestang. This, of course, was not an extraordinarycoincidence, for he had been present while the first miscreant wasgiving his evidence. Yet poor Stephens, whose life was the issue ofall the swearing, was not permitted to be present, but was kept in adistant room, chained there like a wild beast.
"The Court," said the Adjutant-General, "has heard the accusationagainst this man; and its duty is now to consider whether the safetyand the peace of the district demand that the extreme penalty shouldbe visited upon this enemy of both. The question is, whether he isworthy of death, or not. You will retire, gentlemen,--" there werefour of them, exclusive of witnesses, and the clerk--"and find yourverdict."
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 foundthat the prisoner Edmund Stephens, is 'Guilty.' _I do, therefore,declare the sentence of this court-martial to be, that the prisonerbe taken forth this day, at one o'clock, and shot_. And may God inHis infinite bounty have mercy upon his soul."