Annette, the Metis Spy Part 12

"Well, I was making verses about ma pet.i.te. I was describing her eyes, and her ears, and all her beautiful face."

"Oh, Monsieur!" and again came the blood to her face till her cheeks rivalled the crimson dye of the vetch at their ponies' feat. Then in a little,

"What did Monsieur say about my ears? They are like those of all the Metis girls; and I do not think that they are as pretty as Julie's."

Then he replied with the lines,

"Sh.e.l.ls of rosy pink and silver are most like her dainty ears; Sh.e.l.ls wherein the fisher maiden the sad Nereid's singing hears."

"Oh, indeed Monsieur, my ears are not at all beautiful like that; indeed they're not." Then slightly changing her tone, "Perhaps le capitaine made these about some white maiden whose ears _are_, like that."

"What an ungrateful little creature it is!"

"No, but Monsieur cannot make me believe that my ears resemble sh.e.l.ls, coloured in pink and silver. In his heart he is comparing my brown skin with the snow-white complexions of some of his Caucasian girls, and thinking how horrid mine is."

"Why, you irreconcilable little wretch, it is your complexion that most of all I adore. It is not 'brown;' who told you that it was? The colour of your skin I described in these lines, though you do not deserve that I should repeat them to you:"

"In the sunny, southern orchard fronting on some tawny beach, Exquisite with silky softness hangs the downy silver peach; But as dainty as the beauty of the bloom whereof I speak--Rain, nor sun, nor frost can change it--is the bloom on Annette's cheek."

"Oh, monsieur! I do not know what to say, if you really made these verses about me. If you did, they are not true; I am sure they are not;" and her confusion was a most exquisite sight to see.

"But I have not described your eyes yet; here are the two lines that I made about them:

"Annette's eyes are starlight mingled with the deepest dusk of night;-- Eyes with l.u.s.tre rich and glorious like some sweet, warm, southern light."

"Oh, no, no, monsieur, they are not true; I don't want you to say any more of them to me," and she put her hand over her face; for the dear little one's embarra.s.sment was very great.

"That is all I wrote about you; but I may write some more. You say, pet.i.te, that they are not true. I confess that they are not--true enough. Why, sweet, brave, and most lovely of girls, they fall far short of showing your merits in the full. I have so far tried to explain only what is beautiful in your face; but, darling, you have a n.o.bleness of soul that no language of mine could describe.

"I believe, my heroic love, that you have regarded yourself as a mere plaything in my eyes. Why, ma chere, all of my heart you have irrevocably. One of your dear hands is more precious to me, than any other girl whom mine eyes have ever seen. Do you remember the definition of love that I tried to give you? Well, I gave it from my own experience. With such a love, my prairie flower, do I adore you.

It is fit now that we are so soon to part, that I should tell you this: and you will know that every blow I strike, every n.o.ble deed I do, shall be for the approbation of the dear heart from whom fate severs me. And though the hours of absence will be dreary there will lie beyond the darkest of them one hope which shall blaze like a star through the night, and this is, that I shall soon be able to call my Annette my own sweet bride. Now, my beloved, if that wished-for time had come, and I were to say, 'Will you be mine, Annette,' what would your answer be?"

"I did not think it was necessary for Monsieur to ask me that question," she answered shyly, her beautiful eyes cast down; "I thought he knew."

"My own little hunted pet!" He checked his horse, and seized the bridle of Annette's pony, till the two animals stood close together.

Then he kissed the girl upon her dew-wet lips, murmuring low,

"My love!"

Later on, they were in sight of the spot where they must part, and Phillips and Julie were awaiting them there. The light of the moon was wan now upon the prairie, for the dawn was spreading in silver across the eastern sky.

"My beloved must run no more risk, even for me," he said, leaning tenderly towards her.

She would be prudent, but she would always for his sake warn his friends of danger when she had knowledge of the same.

Again he breathed a low "Good-bye, my love," his eyes wistful, mournful and tender; and with Phillips at his side, then rode down a small gorge at the bottom of which were tangles of cedar and larch.

And as they rode suspecting naught of danger, several Indians hidden in the draggled bush arose and stealthily followed them.

CHAPTER VII.

A FIGHT; A CAPTURE; AND THE GUARDIAN SWAN.

ANNETTE with a tear in the corner of each eye, and Julie at her side, rode on till the two came within sight of the shining waters of the indolent Saskatchewan. As they rode leisurely along its banks, Annette, now sighing and now Julie, they heard the trample of hoofs, and turning saw approaching an Indian chief, well mounted.

"Ah, your chef, ma pet.i.te," Annette said, looking at Julie.

But Julie was well aware who the fast riding stranger was; and she was covered with the most becoming of blushes when her lover drew rein beside them.

"No time; Indians in pursuit of you. I said I would come ahead of braves to keep watch upon your movements. Ride to the south, and unless you find good bluffs to the east, don't rest till you reach Souris." And he was about to go; but Julie, who had quietly managed to so work her left heel as to make her horse perform a right pa.s.s till its side touched that of the chief's pony, turned towards him, her face having the expression of a large note of interrogation, which if put in words would say, Are you going away without giving your Julie a kiss? while her lips would remind you of the half-opened rose that awaits the hovering shower.

The chief may have interpreted the mute and delicious appeal, but he was too full of alarm to accept the invitation, even though he could have conquered his sense of delicacy enough to do it before Annette.

"There now, I must be away, he said; and you must be off too." Julie put down her head till her chin touched her bosom; but she turned her dusky eyes up towards her lover with irresistible effect, as she said,

"Won't you before you go? Ma maitresse will not mind." It is not in the nature of man, even before the cannon's mouth, to resist such an appeal as there was upon the half-pouting, half-yearning lips of that Metis girl. He stooped suddenly, kissed her once, twice, thrice, and then was away.

Annette and Julie at the same moment turned their horses, and rode at a swift pace along the Saskatchewan; but they had barely started when a shower of fierce yells came to them, and turning in their saddles they saw a band of painted savages not more than five hundred paces distant, mounted on fleet ponies, and making for them at high speed. As for Julie's chief there was nothing to be seen of him.

"Where can the chief have gone, ma maitresse? Will the braves not know that he has played them false? Oh it was so selfish not to think of him;" and she turned again in her saddle, and once more scanned the plains for sight of her lover.

"Julie need not fear for the chief. He is very likely in that cottonwood bluff near where we parted."

"He could hide safely there, think you mademoiselle?" and she gave her reins a joyous fling. Then in an altered tone, "But he must think me indifferent, that I did not ask him how he was to conceal from the braves knowledge of what he had done."

"There is not much fear that he will think pet.i.te indifferent,"

Annette replied in a playful tone. "A sweet girl that asks a lover to kiss her is not _indifferent_."

"Oh, there now, mademoiselle; please don't! Oh, it was such a dreadful thing for me to do. Perhaps he will not like me for it;" and this wretched darling was the colour of a new-blown poppy.

"Why, Julie, they are closing upon us," Annette exclaimed, as she turned to look at the pursuers. "Their ponies are fresh, and our horses cannot keep up a long run, I fear. Spur on, Julie," and the girls put their horses at the top of their speed.

"There, we are holding our distance now Julie; and I think gaining a little," she added after a few moments. "See, some of their ponies are falling out of the chase," and a glance revealed four savages now several hundred yards in advance of the main body which were evidently unwilling to join further in the pursuit.

"These four Julie, must in the end overtake us. Note their lithe, large ponies, and what a buoyant spring they have."

"How soon, mademoiselle, will they catch us? and what will we do then?"

"You must not ask two questions at once, Julie. I mean, you must not get frightened. As to the first question,"--the sentences were now and again broken by the swift galloping--"they will catch us probably in half an hour."

"Oh, goodness," Julie said.

"As to the second, we must fight them."