This was very sweet tidings to the desolate girl.  She read the letter over and over till she could repeat every word of the eight large pages which it contained.  When she began to grow stronger she would keep it in her lap all day, and touch it tenderly as a young mother would her sleeping babe.  Before blowing out her lamp in the night she would kiss the letter, and put it under her pillow.  When she opened her large bright eyes in the morning she would take it, kiss it, and read it once again.

During all this time the fire of Riel’s two-fold passion was not burning lower:—­nay, it was growing stronger.  His aim now was to make himself such a ruler and master in the settlement that every word of his should be as law, and that no man, not all the people, might disobey his command or censure his action.

“So Thomas Scott is to marry her, when the strife ends,” he would speculate.  “Ah, Monsieur Scott, if to that time you defer your nuptials, they shall take place in heaven —­or in hell.”  For the furtherance of his diabolical personal aims he now began to assume a benignant, fatherly tone, and when he issued his famous “Proclamation to the people of the North-West,” everybody was struck by the calmness, the restraint, and even the dignity of its language. [Footnote 1] He likewise endeavoured to show that he was not a disturber whose only mission was to pull down.  Through his instrumentality, and at his suggestion in every one of its details, a Bill of Rights, [Footnote 2] was drawn up, and published to the people.  This document set forth little more than what would be regarded as legitimate requests.

[1 Footnote:  This document was as follows:—­“Let the assembly of twenty-eight representatives, which met on the 9th March, be dear to the people of Red River!  That assembly has shown itself worthy of great confidence.  It has worked in union.  The members devoted themselves to the public interests, and yielded only to sentiments of good will, duty and generosity.  Thanks to that noble conduct, public authority is now strong.  That strength will be employed to sustain and protect the people of the country.

“To-day the Government pardons all those whom political differences led astray only for a time.  Amnesty will be generously accorded to all those who will submit to the Government; who will discountenance or inform against dangerous gatherings.

“From this day forth the public highways are open.

“The Hudson Bay Company can now resume business.  Themselves contributing to the public good, they circulate their money as of old.  They pledge themselves to that course.

“The attention of the Government is also directed very specially to the northern part of the country, in order that trade there may not receive any serious check, and peace in the Indian districts may thereby he all the more securely maintained.

“The disastrous war which at one time threatened us, has left among us fears and various deplorable results.  But let the people feel reassured.