tion would take place that morning, and throughout
the night was constant in his devotions. At seven o'clock
he had a light supper, and at five in the morning mass
was celebrated, followed two hours later by the
administration of the last sacrament. Riel, towards the
last, almost entirely dropped his new religious
idiosyncrasies and decided to die a devout catholic.

The hour fixed for the execution was eight o'clock, but
it was fifteen minutes past that hour before those who
had passes from the sheriff were admitted to the guard-room.
Here was found the prisoner, kneeling on the floor of an
upper room, from which he was to step to the gallows, It
was a sad scene. Around him were gathered numbers of
mounted police, Sheriff Chapleau, Deputy-Sheriff Gibson,
and a few others. The room was illuminated by a small
window, covered with a rime of frost through which the
sun, now risen but a few hours, shot a few weak rays.
Riel now knelt beside the open window, through which the
gallows could be seen, and prayed incessantly for fully
half an hour. Fathers McWilliams and Andre conducted the
service for the doomed man in French, Riel repeating the
responses in a clear voice, which could be heard distinctly
above the murmurs of the priests' whispering tones. Riel
wore a loose woollen surtout, grey trousers, and woollen
shirt. On his feet were moccasins, the only feature of
his dress that partook of the Indian that was in him. He
received the notice to proceed to the scaffold in the
same composed manner he had shown the preceding night on
receiving warning of his fate. His face was full of
colour, and he appeared to have complete self-possession,
still responding to the service in a clear tone. The
prisoner decided only a moment before starting for the
scaffold not to make a speech. This was owing to the
earnest solicitations of both the priests attending him.
He displayed an inclination at the last moment to make
an address, but Father Andre reminded him of his promise.

The hangman, who on a former occasion had been in the
hands of Riel as a prisoner, commenced the work of
pinioning the doomed man, and then the melancholy procession
soon began to wend its way toward the scaffold, which
had been erected for Khonnors, the Hebrew, and soon came
in sight of the noose. Deputy-Sheriff Gibson went ahead,
then came Father McWilliams, next Riel, then Father Andre,
Dr. Jukes, and others. As he stood on the trap-door Riel
continued