flower, do I love you.  It is fit now, that we are so soon to part, that I should tell you this:  and you will, know that every blow I strike, every noble deed I do shall be for the approbation of the dear heart distant from me in American territory.  I have said that the hours of absence will be dreary; but there will be beyond the the darkest of them one hope which shall blaze like a star through the night, and that is that I shall soon be able to call my Marie my sweet, sweet bride.  Now, my beloved, if that wished for time had come, and I were to say, ’Will you be mine, Marie,’ what would you answer?”

“I did not think that it would be necessary for Monsieur to ask me that question,” she answered shyly, her beautiful eyes cast down; “I thought he knew.”

“My own little hunted pet!” He checked his horse, and seized the bridle of Marie’s pony, till the two animals stood close together.  Then he kissed the girl upon her sweet virgin lips, murmuring low,

“My love.”

The next morning he was away, and Marie sat sad by the strange brook that ho had told her about.  Old Jean was very contented, but now that he had nought to do, ha babbled all day about the wars; and thanked the Virgin that himself and his child had escaped the clutches of the Rebel leader.  Paul speedily obtained employment harvesting on a large farm near by, and after a little old Jean began to be extremely useful to his kind host.  But tying sheaves was not the occupation, at this tumultuous time, that young Paul’s heart would have chosen.  For how he longed to be in the fray! to stand, side by side, with his young comrade, Luc, fighting for the honour and independence of Riviere Rouge.  It was only, after the most tedious argument, that he could be prevailed upon to stay; and it was Thomas Scott, who had so overcome him.

“You know the designs that this monster harbours,” that young man had said to Paul.  “You are foolish enough to count now on his patriotism, and to imagine that he would welcome you to his ranks.  He would act far differently:  he would probably spare you, provided that you lent yourself to his evil designs.  If you refused to do this, he would very probably shoot you as a traitor to your country.”

As for Riel, it may seem that his conduct in deciding in one hour, to use Marie’s father as a tool, and, during the next, projecting a plan which defeated the very end which he had in view, was absolutely illogical, and unreasonable; and that it is the narrator whose skill is at fault.  But I have been at pains to give this occurrence at length, for the very purpose of revealing the unstaid, unreasoning character of Riel, and how far passion and impulse will carry him away from sound understanding.

As for the Arch-agitator, the spirits taken at the house of old Jean, had raised the savage part of his blood to the highest pitch of unreasoning and confident passion.  All obstacles seemed to disappear, and he saw with the same glance the gratification of his passion and of his revenge.