with the boats, the river was widening so that attack
would be impossible, and I did not ride far. Heading my horse about, I
spurred back to Fort Douglas. Passing Seven Oaks, I saw some of the
Hudson's Bay men, who had remained burying the dead--not removing them.
That was impossible after the wolves and three days of a blistering sun.

I told Hamilton of neither Le Grand Diable's death, nor Louis Laplante's
promise. He had suffered disappointments enough and could ill stand any
sort of excitement. I found him walking about in the up-stairs hall, but
his own grief had deadened him to the fortunes of the warring companies.

"Confound you, boy! Tell me the truth!" said Father Holland to me
afterwards in the courtyard.

Le Grand Diable's death and Louis Laplante's promise seemed to make a
great impression on the priest.

"I tell you the Lord delivered that evil one into the hands of the
punisher; and of the innocent, the Lord, Himself, is the defender.
Await His purpose! Await His time!"

"Mighty long time," said I, with the bitter impatience of youth.

"Quiet, youngster! I tell you she shall be delivered!"

* * * * *

At last the Nor-Westers' Fort William brigade with its sixty men and
numerous well-loaded canoes--whose cargoes had been the bone of
contention between Hudson's Bay and Nor'-Westers at Seven Oaks--arrived
at Fort Douglas. The newcomers were surprised to find us in possession
of the enemy's fort. The last news they had heard was of wanton and
successful aggression on the part of Lord Selkirk's Company; and I think
the extra crews sent north were quite as much for purposes of defence as
swift travel. But the gravity of affairs startled the men from Fort
William; for they, themselves, had astounding news. Lord Selkirk was on
his way north with munitions of war and an army of mercenaries formerly
of the De Meurons' regiment, numbering two hundred, some said three or
four hundred men; but this was an exaggeration. For what was he coming
to Red River in this warlike fashion? His purpose would probably show
itself. Also, if his intent were hostile, would not Seven Oaks massacre
afford him the very pretence he wanted for chastising Nor'-Westers out
of the country? The canoemen had met the ejected settlers bound up the
lake; and with them, whom did they see but the bellicose Captain Miles
McDonell, given free passage but a year before to Montreal and now on
"the prosperous retu