. You
are not the first who has suffered in like manner in a
cause which history will ever associate with your name.
The tyrant who prevails over you, will not triumph for
long. Ignominious will be the atonement that he must pay.
But you have to show that for the sacred cause of loyalty
you know _how_ to die. You have made your peace with God,
and there is nought then that you have to fear. You sorrow
at going alone, leaving all the world after you, but we
go hence too, in a little; and every hour the clock tells,
yields a thousand souls to eternity."

"Ah, my friends, this is all true, but I am young, and
I had cherished one very sweet hope."

"This has been the fate of tens of thousands."

"I should not have shrunk from death six months ago, had
he set me up as a target for his half-breed murderers.
I should have uttered no word of repining, but it is
different now: O God, it is very different."

All hung down their heads. They were vainly trying to
hide their tears.

"And even for myself, under the new condition which has
arisen, I would not care. It is because of _her_--because
of my pure, beautiful love, my Marie, whom this fiend
has so persecuted, that I cannot look upon my doom with
calmness. I had thought that there was such a happy future
in store for us, for her and me, when this tumult was
ended!" Then he took paper and pen and wrote a letter,
which, when he had sealed it, he gave into the hands of
the clergyman.

"That address must be known only to one," he said. "It
is not safe to post the letter anywhere in Canada; but,
as a dying request, I ask that you have it put in the
post at Pembina."

"I shall with my own hand deliver it. I shall set out
to-morrow."

"May God, sir, send you comfort in your affliction. Pray
remain as long as you can with my darling;--tell her,
for it will help her better to bear the blow, that I was
cheerful, and that I said I had no fear but that she and
I would meet it heaven, and that when I went there I
would pray to my God in her behalf every day. She has no
token of mine. Take this ring and give it to her, and my
scarf-pin, which in her sweet, childish fancy she used
so to admire. Tell her that I died--I have told her in
my letter--but repeat it to her, with my heart full, O
so full! of love for her."

There was now a rude bustling at the door; the rusty key
was plied, and with a harsh scream the bolt flew back.
Then the evil-looking Luc entered, followed by