could deal with Riel and could remedy the situation, Bishop Tache, of St. Boniface, was absent at the great conclave of that year in Rome.  The more intelligent French people had no confidence in the sanity and reasonableness of Riel.  He was to them as great a puzzle as he was to the English.  It was a gloomy Christmas time in Red River, and the gloom was increased by the suspense of not knowing what the Government at Ottawa would do in the circumstances.

CHAPTER XXVII.

Lord Strathcona’s hand.

On Christmas Day, 1870, John Bruce, who was but a figurehead, resigned his office of President of the so-called Provisional Government of Red River Settlement, and the ambitious Louis Riel was chosen in his stead.  The Dominion Government had at length, been awakened to the danger.  Divided counsels still prevailed.  Two Commissioners, Grand Vicar Thibault and Col.  De Salaberry, arrived at Fort Garry, but they were safely quartered at the Bishop’s palace at St. Boniface, and as they professed to have no authority, Riel cavalierly set them aside.  At this time the American element in the hamlet of Winnipeg became very offensive.  Riel’s official organ, “The New Nation,” was edited by an American, Major Robinson.  This journal was filled with articles having such head-lines as “Confederation,” “The British-American Provinces,” “Proposed Annexation to the United States,” etc., etc.  Or, again, “Annexation,” “British Columbia Defying the Dominion,” “Annexation our Manifest Destiny.”  All this was very disagreeable to the English-speaking people, and highly compromising to Riel.

But the real negociator was at hand, and he not only had the authority to speak for Canada, but had Scottish prudence and diplomacy, as well as real influence in the country, from holding the highest position in Canada of any of the officers of the Hudson’s Bay Company.  This chief factor was Donald A. Smith, whom we have since learned to know so well as Lord Strathcona.  He, with his secretary, Hardisty, arrived on December 27th, and went immediately to Fort Garry.  Riel demanded of Mr. Smith, the object of his visit, but received no satisfaction.  On being asked for his credentials, Mr. Smith replied that he had left them at Pembina.  Being a high Hudson’s Bay Company officer, he was quartered in Government House, Fort Garry.  The larger portion of the building was occupied by Governor McTavish, the smaller or official portion became the Commissioner’s apartments.  Here he was able to observe events, meet a number of the old settlers, and obtain his information at first hand.  On the 15th of January Riel again demanded the Commissioner’s papers; he, indeed, offered to send to Pembina for them, but Mr. Smith declined the offer.  In the meantime the Commissioner had learned that the Dauphinais Settlement, lying between Pembina and Fort Garry was loyal.  Accordingly, with a guard, Hardisty started to bring