"Oui, Monsieur."

"Then we can, if you will, be friends. I am prepared to
forgive the indignity put upon, me by your daughter. I
will not hesitate to take your hand, and forgive you for
the insult which you have just offered me. And now hear
what I have to say. Coming yonder through the prairie,
yesterday, I heard your daughter singing. The very sound
of her voice thrilled me as I had never been delighted
in all my life before. But when I saw her, sitting alone,
a d heard her holding converse with a solitary bird which
had lost its mate, I was ravished by her beauty, and made
a vow that I would win her heart. I presently perceived
that the impression I made upon her was not favourable.
I took her hand in mine, but she snatched it away as if
an aspek's tongue had touched it. A moment later, in the
madness of my passion for her, I suddenly strained her
in my arms. After this I knew that she detested me. This
knowledge I could have borne, trusting to time, and to
the aid of fortune, to make her look less indifferently
upon me. Great achievement lies almost ready at my hand;
and my end attained, she would have seen in me one who
stood above all others in Red River in brilliancy of
attainment and strength of character. And while in this
way I was endeavouring to cool the fire that was burning
me, I perceived that her heart was given to another; to
one who, so far as I can judge, does not return her
affection."

"And who, pray Monsieur, may this rival be?"

"The young man who rescued your daughter--Thomas Scott."

"Mon Dieu, I hope that it is not as you say, for I do
not want my daughter, much as I am indebted to this young
man, to give to him her affection. If he be, as you say,
a spy of Government and an enemy of our people, a marriage
with him would be out of the question."

"Bon, bon! Monsieur." And M. Riel, in the exuberance of
his loyalty, having succeeded in the vital point, grasped
the hand of Marie's father and shook and wrung it several
times.

"Now, Monsieur, we agree on the main point. I shall name
the other conditions upon which we may be friends. I
have sworn to overcome your daughter's repugnance to me.
Will you assist me in the direction of accomplishing this
object?"

"Oui, Monsieur, by every _fair_ means."

"C'est bien. By every fair means. Only fair means will
I ask you to employ. I shall now tell you what I desire
you to do. You must keep Mademoiselle under your strictest
surveillance.