a _protege_ of
Monseigneur Tache; that through this pious bishop it was
he had received his education, and that His Lordship
would not alone seek to minimize what his favourite had
done, but would say that the uprising was a justifiable
one. This was how the Catholic Church in Red River
stimulated the diseased vanity and the lawless spirit of
this thrice-dangerous Guiteau of the plains.

I have already said that Bruce was put up by Riel as a
mere figure-head. When the end of the pretence had been
accomplished, this poor scare-crow was thrown down and
Louis Riel assumed the presidency of the Provisional
Government. Now he began to draw to himself all those
men whom he knew would be faithful tools in carrying out
any scheme of villainy, or even of blood that he proposed
to them. The coarse and loud-mouthed O'Donoghue was duly
installed as a confidential attendant with wide powers,
and Lepine was made head of the military part of the
insurrectionary body. It certainly was strange if the
treasonable undertaking should not be successful with
the acquisition of all the fearless and lawless personages
that the half-breed community could produce, and the
vicar-general and the swaggering father Richot offering
up masses that it should prevail.

It must not be supposed that there were no white people
in this Red River region. There were very many indeed,
and some of them held prominent places in the community
through high character or through affluence. Most of
these persons were loyal to the heart's core, and were
of opinion that the rising had nothing justifiable in
it, and regarded it as a criminal and treasonable rebellion.
At meetings, held in the town of Winnipeg, some of these
gentlemen were at no pains to give expression to their
sentiments. But Riel's murderous eye was upon them; and
he was revolving over divers plans of vengeance. There
was no reason why he should hesitate in taking any step
that promised help to the cause, for Holy Church was
praying for its success, and working for it, too. The
shedding of the blood of a few heretics was a matter of
small consequence: indeed, the act would only hallow a
cause that had patriotism under, and religion behind it.
We shall leave Riel glaring with wolfish eyes upon the
good men who raised their voices against lawlessness,
and relate a story which will shed a new light upon the
darkest deed of the dark career of the miscreant Rebel.

CHAPTER V.

Some time