“We have caught Scott.” [Footnote:  I take the following from Begg’s “History of the North-West Rebellion,” p. 161:  “About this time (6th December), the French arrested and imprisoned Mr. Thomas Scott, Mr. A. McArthur, and Mr. Wm. Hallet.  Mr. Scott, it appears, had been one of the party assembled in Schultz’s house, but had afterwards left; and no other reason for his arrest is known, except his having enrolled under Colonel Dennis.  Mr. McArthur, was, it is said, confined on suspicion of acting secretly on behalf of Mr. McDougall; and Mr. Hallet, for his activity in assisting and advising Colonel Dennis.” ] The Rebel leader’s eye gleamed with a wolfish light.

“Is he in the Fort?”

“Yes.”

“Bon!  I shall be there presently.”  So without any delay he proceeded to the Fort, and entered the apartment where young Scott was confined.

“Ah, Monsieur!  This is where you are?”

“Yes, you tyrannical ruffian.  But I shall not be here for long.”  Riel curbed the mad blood which had leaped to his temples.

“Monsieur shall not be here long, if he chooses to accept conditions upon which he may be free.”

“Come, for curiosity sake, let us hear the proposals; I am certain that they are foul.  Yet, as I say, I am anxious to hear them.”

“Monsieur must be reasonable.  There is no good purpose to be served by railing at me.”

“That is true.  You are too infamous a miscreant to be shamed or made better by reproaches.”

“Nevertheless, I shall proceed to business, Monsieur.  Do you know where old Jean and his daughter have taken up their abode?”

“I do.”

“So I suspected.  If you will let me know their place of abode, that I may give them my guarantee for their personal safety if they return to their home—­as I understand that through some unfounded fear of me they fled, and I am anxious to stand well in the affections of all my people—­I shall permit you forthwith to leave this Fort.”

“Contemptible villain, liar and tyrant, I will not reveal to you.  Begone.  By heaven! if you stand there I shall bury my hands in your foul, craven throat.”

“Take care, Monsieur,” was all M. Riel said, as he left Scott’s presence.  But his eye burned like a fiend’s.  The agitator, with a spirit of the most devilish rage consuming him, nevertheless went on to forward the general movement.  His first great step was against the followers of Colonel Dennis, who had banded together and posted themselves in the house of Dr. Schultz, a very prominent settler.  They had gathered here with arms in their hands, but they seemed like a lot of little children, without any purpose.  There was no moral cohesion among them, and there was no force either to lead or to drive them.  They were not long thus ridiculously impounded, when they began to look at one another, as if to ask: 

“Quis furores o cives?”