“Stop a moment.”  Then taking a white handkerchief he tied it round the victim’s eyes.  Regarding it for a moment, he said, “That will do, I guess.  Here, two of you men, take him by the arms.”  During this time the prisoner was engaged in deep prayer, and remained so till he reached the place of execution.  This was a few yards distant, upon the snow, where a coffin had been placed to receive his body.  Addressing Mr. Young, he said: 

“Shall I stand or kneel?”

“Kneel,” the clergyman answered in a low voice.

“Farewell,” [Footnote:  I get the details of the execution from a report of the occurrence by Hon. Donald A. Smith.  The extract is likewise to be found in Captain Huyshe’s Bed River Expedition, pp. 18-19.—­The Author.] he said, to Mr. Young, then “My poor Marie!” While these words were upon his lips there were several rifle reports, and this high-spirited, sunny-hearted young fellow, fell backwards into his coffin, pierced by three bullets.  Mr. Young returned to the body but found the victim was still alive.  He groaned several times and moved his hands; whereupon one of the party approached with a pistol and discharged it into the sufferer’s face.  The bullet entered at the eye and passed round the head.  Then the body was straightened out in the coffin and the lid nailed down.  The whole affair was so revoltingly cruel that it is with pain one is obliged to write about it.  It is said, and upon authority that there is little room to question, that even after the cover had been put upon the coffin, the young man was still heard to groan, and even to cry.  Mr. Young then asked that he might be permitted to take the body and give it interment in the burying ground of the Presbyterian Congregation, but his request was not granted, and a similar favour was refused to the Bishop of Rupert’s Land.  The body was taken inside the Fort where Lepine declared it was to be buried; and where an actual burial did take place before a number of spectators.  The coffin, afterwards exhumed, was found to contain only stones and rubbish.  What the fate of the body was no one has since discovered, but it has been conjectured that it was taken during the night by Riel’s bloodhounds and dropped through the ice into the river.

Mr. Young was faithful to his pledge.  On the following day he set out over the bitter, snowy wastes for Pembina, and thence through storm, and over pathless stretches he held his way till he reached the settlement where abode Marie and her father.

She was sitting at the window-pane thinking of her lover when the stranger passed; and she opened the door to the clergyman’s knock.  There could be no mistaking who this girl was, and the clergyman’s heart was numb as he looked upon her.

“Did he send me any message?” And then reflecting that this man was a stranger who may never have seen her lover, she blushed deeply.  But she recovered herself in a moment.

“Where does Monsieur come from?”