As for Annette, her quick eye at once showed her how the situation
stood: her lover, his hands bound, a black cap over his eyes, a
coffin beside him. Luc, the jailer, and chief of the executioners,
remained at his post as long as possible; and at the first outburst
of the din had called upon his party to fire. But these mahogany-
complexioned executioners scurried like rats at the first cry. Most
of them carried their arms with them, but Luc perceived a musket
lying in a corner of the drill square. This he seized and levelled at
Stephens, pulling the trigger, after careful aim. The rusty weapon
missed fire, and the intrepid half-breed began hastily to chip the
flint with the back of his sheath-knife; but while he was engaged in
this laudable preparation, Annette came over the earthworks like a
bird, smote him with the handle of her whip upon the crown, and sent
him sprawling in the dust. With another bound she was at her lover's
side; and slipping from her horse, she pulled off the hideous cap,
cut his thongs,--and then the hero-darling waited to be taken to his
heart.
The change in his fortunes was so sudden, and so amazing,--passing
at one bound from the grave's edge back to freedom and love, that he
was for some seconds unable to realize it, and his eyes and brain
swam with a sense of happiness that reached delirium. But gradually
it all began to grow clear: the scurrying figures of his captors and
jailers; the shouting of mounted soldiers; the wistful eyes of his
beloved looking at him.
"Ah, Annette; you again; my guardian angel!"
It took but a few minutes to restore order. It was ascertained that
Riel and Jean had made their escape while Browninge's horse was yet
half a mile away from the post; but they made their exit in secrecy.
"If we give the alarm," Kiel muttered, as he prepared to get into
the saddle, "there will be an instant stampede, and the execution
will be stayed."
"I agree with the decision of mon chef. Let Luc remain; he has
courage enough to have the thing done with the soldiers at the very
stockades." And the two rode away helter-skelter, till a dozen miles
lay between them and their treason nest.
"The rebel chief is gone; he skurried away half an hour ago," was
the tidings that one of the men brought to Browninge. That officer
was not surprised; and ordered that the prisoners, which numbered
about a dozen in all, be put in carts, and escorted by a guard of
cavalry back to Camp Denison.
They were all tired, and it was resolved that the horses be
permitted to rest for a couple of hours before returning.
"I can find the way back to your colonel's camp, monsieur Browninge,
as easily by night as in the daylight." Riel and his greasy followers
lived like so many swine in a sty; but several brace of quail and
chicken, and quarters of elk were found, which the two Cree boys at
once began to prepare. A few loaves of bread were found, and a
tolerable side of bacon, from all of which, with the pure, cold water
that gurgled out of the side of a nigh ridge, a sumptuous meal was
promised.