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

tered as if set in diamonds. Hard by the tent ran a little brook, leaping, rushing, eddying, gurgling, sparkli

d a trout about a pound weight. It was a blending of pink and silver on the belly, and was mottled with dots of brown. "O

s that could be stowed conveniently; a

eakfast, I shall go and take a look a

king ready for a start. Captain Stephens was put upon a horse in the centre

r in the rear when the course lay over the plain. Towards the set of sun, they observed a horseman about a mile

Great Chief rages against mademoiselle, and has braves searching for her through every part of the terr

LAMA

ree boy. Rides a black gelding. These traitors have heard our secret counsels as friends, and have gone and disclosed our plans to the enemy. They gave warning of our approach to a band of government officers; they procured the escape of the

DAVI

"that we shall take care to avoid the follower

g his steps, when Julie rode up to him, and in her

and urged his pony to the height of its speed. When Julie joined her mistress

bright, brown beauty. "She need not have blushed at giving he

d she pressed her deftly booted fe

troops of clouds, of crimson, and bronze and pink; and in their curious shapes the solitary rider saw mighty horses, bestrode by giant riders, all congregated to join in the war. He knew that these were the spirits of chiefs who had ruled the plains long before

rew upon the savage. The horsemen in the sky had come nearer to the earth; some of them had trooped across through the dusk, till they stood directly above his head; and he fancied that several of the figur

ay, he passed so close to one of the dread things that the Indian's arm brushed the goblin. Its touch was hard. The man shrieked, and in a terror th

ble terror of this untutored savage. I have

ith enthusiasm, and again with dread, Annette and Julie were keepin

it so far from the frequented grounds and known trails, and they will be off their guard. See! yonder they camp;" and while she was y

ff for our horses. Should they get scent or sight of th

to their late one, they rode slowly and silently till a bluff

y will not be a long one." And the pair dismounted, tied their

gs, and a bird with burning eyes had brushed the face of the maiden with its pinion. "What is i

Julie? Do you want

h this pretty scr

e in the face twi

lie; they gather sometimes like

ese noiseless birds; and wondering they flew round and round the figures of the intruders, but most of all did they marvel at the great mound of white that had been raised amongst them. Some of them, in alarm, rose high above the bluff, wheeling and darting hither and thither, a

allen limbs for the fire; and as Julie bustled about through the long

ed away to her mistress, her bright

happened m

t I thought a little bramble, but when I laid my hand upon it, it moved; and then went und

ve thing like that on the ground. It was f

sweet li

eir meal of home-made bread and cold meat. It would have gladdened the heart of the most withered monk to see those two healthy, plump little maidens in the flickering fire light, t

ts large bright-bladed knife, and her ready revolver, she went away softly and cunning as a cat. The very field-mouse could have known nothing of her coming till her sweet foot was upon its head: and when she came in sig

ght, his arms and legs fast bound, and tied to a sturdy white oak tree. Near a poplar, a few paces distant, lay his comrade, likewise bound and fastened to a tree. Most of the I

ttle whisper; and she returned swiftly and

shed, while her hand made a little blind, convulsive motion toward her pistol. "We have no time now to waste; help me to pack." In the space of a few minutes everything was ready f

to recapture, should any of my plans fail; and it would take us a half

ess. The beasts were tethered, and dark as was that prairie night, these two girls with skill as unerring as the instinct of a pair of night-ha

find their ponie

for their ponies

ou again presently." But Julie followed her mistress. A little shudder passed t

what her mistress was about; and drew her own knife. Annette had already passed from one of the ponies, after pausing for a few seconds stoope

hinder legs, I suppose, mademoise

you at work

, and with a shudder at their hearts the girls wiped their knives and led away from the flock of lamed and bleeding beasts the horses of Captain Stephe

camp. After Annette had counted every Indian, and convinced herself that one and all were soun

vered fly instantly and take horse. Don't

e wavering senses of his eye and ear, he was sensible of the faintest stir among the leaves, of a shadow moving near him. Instantly his eyes were wide open; and the dull glow of the embers revealed standing ab

d bewildered by the suddenness of the boy's appearance, his own deliverance, and the order that had been given to him, he perceived the lad stooping over his companion in captivity, and severing the thongs that bound him. Stephens now moved hastily away a short distan

to Stephens, his hatchet was about to cleave the boy's skull, there was a pistol report, and the Indian fell with a convulsive toss of his arms

the bluff, joining Stephens, his companion and Julie, who al

low hurried tone, for the noise of the pursuit from

t they were able to keep their distance ahead of the Indians, who with flaring flambeaux were following their trail like bloodhounds. Out of the darkness came a series of sharp whinnies, and the next moment they found themselves among the horses. The beasts were r

nd of the enemies' voices, they slacked

your intention t

It is not safe for our horses' legs travelling among the gopher-burrows in t

ve a piece of an elk's heart raw; and I do n

everal shot wounds in his side, his left arm was at this moment in

hink it was as well while the

ture; how it is that fate seems to have singled you out to be my constant guardian-angel and deliverer. I trust that you will not refuse the explanations as you

r did not press me upon the point

where before under different circumstances; for severa

d some place to rest for a little;" and turning her horse, she led the way along a grassy lane which seemed, in the night, a

we can prepare a comfortable supper upon the grass; and you can rest

rough the dusk; and presently a fire was roaring

ent, while Stephens was busy making a comfor

t will nearly kill me to do it. I am so ashamed; our dress, you know, Julie." And by the dull gli

so becoming;" and this sweetest of maids looked admiringly at the exquisite curves and grace of outline in her mistress. And sh

ens' acquaintance would shrink from doing that in which we see naught amiss. He may think it indelicate a

ite ladies do, it was for the sake of Captain Stephens; and

me with courage;" and then sh

his eyes rivetted upon the nimble, noiseless, graceful lad. It puzzled him that the mysterious youth should persistently kee

en turning towards Captain Stephens, with eyes looking timidly down, "If monsi

fitful, changing from pale olive to the dye of the damask rose. They went beyond the bluff, and out upon

s wondered who I am, and thinks he has heard my voice

d around and gazed wit

went on-"he heard it on the brimming river

the truth," and he stood rapt with gratitude and admiration before her. Kindl

her adventures, all of which my reader already knows. Then they returned; and when they nea

oir, Mo

she imagined, the dear maiden, that she was by the edge of an amber-green pool fringed with rowan bushes and their vermillion berries, and that as she was about to step into it for a bath, there occurred what happened in the

upon the bosom of her maid, she was soon asleep and wanderin

n, even the most coquettish and pretty of them, to wear blankets; and the hideous "fashion" is the chief barbaric trait which they inherit from their wild ancestry. Annette, of course, donned the

ly, moist with dew. "Now, in what way can I assist the Cree boy who has twi

the cobalt blue of the prairie sky, and there was not anywhere in the great, blue dome an atom of cloud. The sun and the rays from the fire combined made the heat unbearable, and Annette with no littl

Annette leading, Captain Stephens riding in rear bes

the side of Annette, but she invariably made her horse mend its pace, and rode alone. Despite his admiring glances, and his deep expressions of gratitude, Stephens gradually began to resume his old playful manner of address. He referred to her a

d better resume our march then. There is a Cree village not far from here, and the braves are everywhere abro

then the luminous, greenish-yellow rim of the moon appeared an

right to keep you from the fans of the water-mill, that I also hold the right of endeavouring to preserve you from a man whose arms would be wor

led her with pain and shame, he said, "Hush now, petite; I shall not tease you any more." The confus

u only knew how I shudder

ing, for she was very much confused. But the confusion was less embarrassment than a bewildered feeling of delight. Save for t

which I gave you this mornin

r eyes? I have worn it in my

right eye? You know our white girls wear the flowers we give them under their throats-u

s maiden so sensitive, as the revelation that a habit or act of hers differed from that of the civili

his eye, who never looks for anything good in a piece of writing, but is always in the search for a flaw, that I send passages from Tennyson floating through Annette's brain with good justification. She had received a very fair education at a convent in Red River. She could speak and write both French and English with tolerable accurac

dale, and she

gle rose i

g. When the blood had gone from her forehead, she turned towards her lover, who had

wear roses in their ha

r me to wear mine

e whose eye was brighter, whose step was quicker, whose laugh was cheerier, whose years were fewer; in short, ma chere Annette, if some one for whom she cared just a little more than for any other man that walked over the face of creation, had presented it to her, she would not put

fe to save mine. I would be an ungrateful girl, then, if I did not think more of him than

e arms and nimble brown fingers were about, she had diseng

and she looked at him with a glance exhibiting th

you from drowning were to determine the place you should wear the rose, then the h

about it, and Violette, who is fond of a young Frenchman, has explai

uppose that you do know what love is; the all-consuming sort; the kind that sighs like the furnace. Well, supposing that a flower is worn over the he

d it-I would not have known where to pin the flower. I would not have worn it at all. I would, Monsieur, if home, have set it in a goblet, and

me telling you that some day, if you found out for me a coup

d

ain as if his lips yearned for hers. For her part, she took him exactly as she should have done. She never

through flowers of every name and dye, the fresh, exquisite breeze bearing the scent of the myriad petals. After a sharp gallop over about thr

my brave Cree," Stephens said. "Running through the grounds is a littl

rand plaisir

I am not going to see you catch yourself wit

ere was the most delicate, yet an utterly indescribable, sort

the mystic grace and the perfect development of her young womanhood. "It is a woman, a perfect little woma

other extreme. He is talking dang

moon spoilt because all the summer night ten thousand streams running under it sing its praises? As

, with the music of his words absorbing her body and soul. Everything was transfigured by a holy beauty, for Love had sanctified it, and clothed it in his own mystic and beautiful garments. It was with poor Marie, then, as it has some time or other been with us all: when every bird that sang, every leaf that whispered, ha

had grown more serious than A

eriod of tumult. It may continue long, and it is hard to say

not desire to see them triumph over your people. A government under the hateful chief w

what I supposed on that day when I saw you sittin

eur held what she had d

by the writers of books throughout all Christendom. A

which is a sign of something very delicious, and not uncommon, when you are

eriousness to one of levity. "Well, Annette," and he leaned yearningly towards her, "when you leave me to t

m Monsieur, perhaps h

ning, while you were getting breakfast, I w

Annette

etite. I was describing her eyes, and

ace till her cheeks rivalled the crimson dye of t

about my ears? They a

not think that they ar

plied with

and silver are most

sher maiden the sad N

deed they're not." Then slightly changing her tone, "Perhaps le capi

teful little c

in pink and silver. In his heart he is comparing my brown skin with the snow-whi

adore. It is not 'brown;' who told you that it was? The colour of your skin I des

softness hangs the downy silver peach; But as dainty as the beauty of the bloom whe

se verses about me. If you did, they are not true; I am sure the

bed your eyes yet; her

about

starlight mingled wi

gh

and glorious like some

gh

o say any more of them to me," and she put her hand over her

e enough. Why, sweet, brave, and most lovely of girls, they fall far short of showing your merits in the full. I have so far tried

it from my own experience. With such a love, my prairie flower, do I adore you. It is fit now that we are so soon to part, that I should tell you this: and you will know that every blow I strike, every noble deed I do, shall be for the approbation of the dear heart from whom fate severs me. And though the hours of absen

to ask me that question," she answered shyly, h

bridle of Annette's pony, till the two animals stood close togeth

lo

s and Julie were awaiting them there. The light of the moon was wan now up

risk, even for me," he said,

ays for his sake warn his friends of da

rnful and tender; and with Phillips at his side, then rode down a

ger, several Indians hidden in the draggl