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

of the shining waters of the indolent Saskatchewan. As they rode leisurely along its banks, Annette, now sigh

petite," Annette sa

ger was; and she was covered with the most becomin

was about to go; but Julie, who had quietly managed to so work her left heel as to make her horse perform a right pass till its side touched that of the chief's pony, turned towards him, her face having the expre

was too full of alarm to accept the invitation, even though he coul

put down her head till her chin touched her bosom; but she turned her

re the cannon's mouth, to resist such an appeal as there was upon the half-pouting, half-yearnin

when a shower of fierce yells came to them, and turning in their saddles they saw a band of painted savages not more than five hundre

has played them false? Oh it was so selfish not to think of him;" and she turne

f. He is very likely in that cott

yous fling. Then in an altered tone, "But he must think me indifferent, that I di

fferent," Annette replied in a playful tone. "A sweet

readful thing for me to do. Perhaps he will not like me for it;

t the pursuers. "Their ponies are fresh, and our horses cannot keep up a long run,

s. "See, some of their ponies are falling out of the chase," and a glance revealed four savages now severa

take us. Note their lithe, large ponies

, will they catch us? a

frightened. As to the first question,"-the sentences were now and again b

ness," Ju

cond, we must

y will kill us

e to try hard. See yon vall

mademo

her course, suddenly, for a bluff intervened and hid the movements of the girls from the savages, Annette followed by Julie made rapidly for

e matter was that, as Annette had expected and planned, the Indians descended into the valley at a point much higher than that chosen by the pursued. They knew not of the stretch of quaking, treacher

e plant; and if I could credit the stories of the nursery, I would be able to believe that those malignant fairies who live about dangerous springs and shaking swamps, cover the ground with these dainty sprays of green to

a course that, in order to regain the trail of the fugitives, they must cross

d both brought their h

and the pet's hands trembled, an

e, I wish to ride down when they get fairly in the toils; but I would prefer that you shoul

ere maitresse, to do

en minutes they will be out. Let us away." While she guided her horse with her bridle h

guess I'll do the same thing." Not a bi

e centre of the bog, and were floundering in it up to their horses' bellies. Their excitement was so intense that they had eyes for no other place than the spot where their horses floundered and writhed; an

s, and covered the next brave. But before she had the lid over her left eye, Annette had fired, and fired to

he result of her shot, the arm of the sa

nd cocked her

extended once again. "I don't like to kill the wretches.

hand upon his hatchet, the terrified wretch faced the Sun and swore the oath: then turning towards the clouds wherein the Th

ues, and we do not believe them,"

the miserable savage rep

we will not trust them. But let the braves listen. We do no

oaned the po

ies in that way, or we shall be obliged to fire at their bodies and

ached this point will

ht individual. Why did

no firearms, being supp

were not aware that t

rom them, mademoiselle," Julie said

attempt pursuit. Moreover, I am anxious that they shall convey tidings of our bloodthirstiness am

ma maitresse;

t each one lay close under the lee of a struggling horse, holding t

the shielding horses upon the fore shoulder. Maddened with pain, the brute flung himself out of his predicament, and left the Indian expos

him, after all

error, the unfortunate redskin, who believed the third one shot at to be dead, drew himself out of his covert, and, putting his leg upon the horse, exposed himself to the pistol. Once mor

t?" whisp

wait long enough to see his imposture exposed. He is sinking fast in the quagmire. His head is almost under now." She had scar

spasms right along," Julie w

ust keep watch to-night, Julie. I believe these two men will follow; and if they find us sleeping, they

l keep strict watch, and woe unto any one of you that we catch in pistol range again. We now le

ave been to follow witho

e would have been, enfant naif. You, child, may have conside

ink it so. La maitresse

he four Indians on terra firma, when probably all the savages would have been killed;

my mistress c

could penetrate it far enough to

above the far flat prairie, the girls turned their horses towards a stretch of somb

rove a signal to the foe. So they ate their meal, and Julie rolled herself up in her blank

ot to sit up at all. What did I come for-if-not-to-to-."

s the hungry beasts fed. Her heart was not in the wood; it was away with her lover, and once more her blood tingled, and

, oh, he can be sincere. He never could have spoken in such a tone, with such a light in his eyes, with such an expression in his face, if all had not come from the bottom of his heart. And he will take me away, away out to the far east, where

rthy. But you know it does not always happen in the way that you have fashioned it in your dear head. Some other girl does sometimes come with sly, soft feet and steal away hearts from trusting and adoring

innied. "Julie, awake," she cried, quickly touching the sleeping girl; and then seizing her pistol took position behind a tree, whisp

Little Po

he sleep flew out of Julie's eyes, and left them l

him. All the while she kept saying, "This way! this way!" but in a tone so low that he could not have heard her at a distance of ten lengths of this small ma

broken in getting out the horses. One brave was really dead, and he has by this time sunk in the bog. A fourth had a broken arm, and he went away with the other two. They will not pursue again, so

were very hap

te people as it had been some little time ago. He was aware that the braves were for the

not tell, mademoiselle, nor your brain conceive, the sufferings that I have seen among our people in the long bitter winters, with only the snow for wrappers, and pieces of dried skins for food. Will the white man die of hunger while food is

nchers' cattle if the white man had not come and stripped them of their boundless heritage, and put them upon reservations where a buffalo may never come. [Footnote: The words in the mouth of this chief are not exaggerations, and it is God's own truth that during late winters dozen after dozen of Indians, men and women and children, perished in th

cheap glory of 'killing a lot of Indians;' and I have with my own ears heard one of the Ontario magistrates, Col. Denison, declare that he did next come

have travelled like March hares. But give me a bluff, and fifty braves, and not one of all hi

urance that some of the officers gave to me. Yet, if I mistake not, Major Beaver is at this moment planning an attack upon us. His young men want to kill a few Indians, provided the thing can be done without any risk; a

e others who have always sympathized with the Indian, like Mr. Mair. Mon pere tells me that he has been for some time engaged on a beautiful poem, intended

e chief enquired, as they came in sight of a small settlem

her. They would remain there for a day or two to rest, and

e twice been there looking for the scouts, and he has spies among the

ise? Our hampers are exhausted

round. The chief advised the maidens to ride thither, as they must now be tired and hungry; he would fetch them the provisions and other things needed when the stars came out. Annette then scribbled a note to her aun

ie very

not to pitch tent now, I should be well

voice trembled a little. "I do not think that the braves who go in and out of t

the village, they perceived t

Is not the taller one he who brought

embering persons." The Indian rode rapidly towards the t

f knows of it before this. Little Poplar, who is now disguised as a medicine man, is yonder in the valley, and he charged me to come and warn the two scouts, his friends, to follow out the instructions tha

nette's lips, and the blood

ny tidings o

und the white men's horses could easily outdistan

rrow this most expressive phrase from my friend, Prof. Roberts, as vividly descriptive of the cry of the loon. John Burroughs applies the epithet "whinny," which is good; but it misses the sense of supernatural terror with which, to me, the cry

pture, if such there has been, would speedily reach them. Throw away your care, and rest to-night. With the sun we shall rise to-morrow

lation. Indians have also skulked after us; and it may be tha

bank, with its matted growth of trees, the water was a pure myrtle green; midway in the expanse it was purple, and beyond, in the last faint light of the sun, it was an exquisite violet. Th

bright, pink sand that frin

no breath of wind is in the heavens, an

I heard it a moment ag

the note of s

she could not say from what

nging in upon the sand come from the same bird whose song y

f the legend, Julie. Repeat

in his sky-blue eyes. In the day, her eyes were ever looking wistfully along the trail by which he had come, or gazing, with a woe past skill to describe, out along the stretch by which he had gone from her sight. Late in the autumn, when the petals of the rose and the daisy began to fall, and summer birds prepared for the flight to the south, the Great Spirit came softly down from a cumulus cloud and stood beside the maiden, as she sat upon the fading prairie. He told her of a glorious land out in the heavens, where spring endured for ever, and true lovers were joined to have no more parting; and when she looked yearningly towards the region at which he pointed, he asked her if she would go thither with him. With joy unutterable she consented, and giving her hand into his, the two rose in the air and disappeared through a piled mass of rosy cloud. When she reached para

And lo! from over the hushed face of the w

sorrow-laden, as I have been

swan soothes and conso

eeps into my heart, filling me w

s lake to cheer your sorrowful spirit, and to give you

And this it is which the song tells me t

maidens saw a bird, beautiful, and endowed with grace of motion past description, move by, sending divers shining rings of water before it. Then a sudden darkness fell and hid the bird; but the song came at frequent intervals to the girls from the midst of the lake, and whenever a shadow passed over Annette's spirit, the singing was resumed. [Footnote: T

mong the brambles near

i vive?" came

Little

said, and the eyes of this minx grew ins

eart. It is true that he was "a savage," but if merit there be in "blood,"-and for my own part I would not have a dog unless I was sure about his pedigree,-he was descended of a long and illustrious line o

ealed an immense range of expression; a capacity for great tenderness, and passion without bound. His nose approximated the aquiline type; his firm mouth was a bow of Cupid, and his skin was a light nut-brown. His dress was like that of a cow-boy, and was devoid of barbaric gauds. I suppose that is enough to say about him. [Footnote: I may say that w

, and found, besides le cafe and le the, as they were labelled, several petits pains-"Rolls!" cried Julie, smacking her h

pie enough for one delicious meal." Her sweet mouth was "watering," and when she came to un gigo

; and Annette herself was like a bear. After al

ns?" Annette ventured to ask. This is the question that had been upon her lips sinc

e swampy bottom of the ravine; and many braves, with arms in their hands, were in close pursuit.

she lay down in her blanket, with Julie at her side, there came once more, thr

ar it agai

the maidens slept. And whenever through the night Annette awoke, and began to think of her lover's peril and probable cap

led; and the saddles were upon the horses. Then the trio set out at a brisk trot; the chie

present, I should allow my two Metis maidens to journey without my c

ith Inspector Dicken. The lower end of the gulch was not so cheerful as that portion where they had entered. The trees grew thicker; swamps composed the greater portion of the ground, and the long groping shores of the trees mig

ush I am unable to see. Nevertheless, we must try it." As they turned their horses' heads, a din of yells burst upon their ears from

sieurs; resista

use his right arm, even though a dash down the trail by which they had come were practicable. For himself, he had a pa

e hateful boisbrule; and the detestab

he pris