ilitary
prisoners?"

"Merci, Monsieur! I shall endeavour to merit your further
regard. My intention is to proceed forthwith to try him.
Already, I have summoned the witnesses of his guilt; and
he and you shall know our decision before another hour
has passed." Then the faithful Monsieur Lepine was gone.

"No, ma Marie. You shall never deck your nuptial chamber
with daisies for Monsieur Thomas Scott. You will find
occupation for your sweet little fingers in putting fresh
roses upon the mound that covers him. For a _feu-de-joie_
and the peal of glad marriage bells, I will give you, ma
petite chere, the sullen toll that calls him to his open
coffin, and the rattle of musketry that stills the tongue
which uttered to you the last love pledge."

For an hour did he pace up and down the floor gloating
over his revenge. Meanwhile I shall leave him, and follow
the "adjutant-general," as M. Lepine was known under the
Provisional Government. He proceeded to the private room
of the military quarters, and entering found his subordinate
officers assembled there.

"Messieurs," he said, "We know what our business is. We
must lose no time in dispatching it. But before commencing,
let me say a few words. Monsieur Riel is so overweighted
with other affairs that the matter of dealing with the
man Scott rests entirely in our hands. I have just left
him, after endeavouring in vain to induce him to be
present at the trial; but he could not spare the time to
come. By skilfully sounding him, however, I discovered
that his sentiment respecting the prisoner are exactly
the same as those entertained by myself. What these are,
I need hardly say. It is now a struggle between the
authority of the Provisional Government and a horde of
rebellious persons of which the defendant is the most
dangerous. The eyes of our followers are upon us; and if
we permit the authority of government to be defied, its
officers reviled, and insult heaped upon us, depend upon
it we shall speedily lose the hold which we have gained
after so many bitter struggles; and become ridiculous,
and a prey to the conspiracy which our enemies are so
actively engaged in promoting against us. The very fact
of this man Scott having leagued himself with our enemies,
within a few hours after his release from confinement,
is in itself an offence worthy of death; but I shall ask
these persons who are here as witnesses to show you that
since his capture he has merited death ten tim