Part 6 (1/2)

CHAPTER VII

”Mon pere, it is Paul, and there is with him Monsieur Scott; why, I wonder, has he come?” While the question yet re Scott

”Monsieur will explain the cause of his visit,” Paul said

”Monsieur andhis head first to the father and then to the daughter, ”as you ht me here under these circu to the territories, is one of Monsieur Riel's agents, and is in the confidence of that dangerous person He tells ht, probably before the rise of the moon, a party is to surround your house, and ainst you is, that you are both in league with Canadian spies, and enemies of Red River

One of the said spies is myself! It appears that you are to be taken to the coed in the house of a Metis hag, who is a depraved instruht hither an escort sufficient to accoe beyond the Aoing to your brother's

I do not consider this a safe plan Your hbours all infor the existence of relatives, and where they reside You would be no safer froeance of this monster in adjacent, thinly settled American territory, than you would be in Red River Will you therefore come with me to my uncle's in a town not far beyond the line?--only too happy will he be to serve you in your need” The proposal was very gladly accepted

Tears stood in old Jean's eyes; and I doubt not that they caan to reflect that, but for Marie, he should now have been acting in league with his enerous-hearted young fellow

Within an hour, most of the little valuables in the dear old hoain expected to see, were made up into small packs, each one to be carried by one of the escorts With a deep sigh Marie looked at the ho in the deep shadow of the oaks, and then ht she rode by her lover's side, and stole ure When they were a couple of hours out, a dusky yellow appeared in the south-east, and then the bright, greenish-yellow rian to flood the illiht

”So thisman, for both had unconsciously dropped in rear ”I did not like his glances this , and had resolved to keep ht to keep you froht of endeavouring to preserve you fro wheel?” She said nothing, but there was gratitude enough in her eye to reward for therisk that man ever run

”You do not love this sooty persecutor, do you,that such a question pained and confused her, he said, ”Hush now, ma petite fille; I shall not tease you any more” The confusion passed away, and her little olive face brightened, as does the lad O, if you only kne I shudder at the sound of his naet about him, I can protect you from him; can I not?” and he reined his horse closer to hers, and leaned tenderly over towards the girl She said nothing, for she was very much confused But the confusion was less eht But for the dull thud, thud of the hoofs upon the sod, her escortof the little ave you this

What did you do with it?”

”Ah, Monsieur, where were your eyes? I have worn it in my hair all day It is there now; it was there when you ca”

”Ah, I see I am concerned with your head,--not with your heart Is that it, irls wear the floe give them under their throats, or upon their boson that the donor occupies a place in their heart” He did not perceive in the duskyher with confusion Upon no point was this little maiden so sensitive, as when it was revealed to her that a particular habit or act of hers differed froirl Her dear little heart was alh her e I must seeh her whole body

”But how could I knohere to wear entle ladies wear the through her head

”She went by dale, and she went by down, With a single rose in her hair”

And they gave her soht be only joking When the blood had gone back from her forehead, she turned towards her lover, who had been looking at her since speaking with somewhat of a tender expression in his irls never wear roses in their hair? I thought they did Can it be wrong for me to wear mine in the same place?”

”Ah, my little barbarian, you do not understand me If an old bachelor, whose head shone like thebelle a rose or a lily, she would, most likely, twist it in her hair; but if sohter, whose step was quicker, whose laugh was cheerier, whose years were fewer; in short, ma chere Marie, if some one for whom she cared just a little bit more than for any other man that walked over the face of creation, had presented it to her, she would not put it in her hair No, my little unsophisticated one, she would feel about with her unerring fingers, for the spot nearest her heart, and there she would fasten the gift

Now, ma Marie, suppose you had possessed all this inforave you the flohere would you have pinned it?”

”nobody has ever done so much forhis life to save irl, then, if I did not think more of him than of any other man; therefore, I would have pinned your flower on the spot nearest my heart,”

Then, deftly, and before he could deterers were about, she had disengaged the lily from her hair, and pinned it upon her bosoht place?” and she looked at hi of innocence and coquetry