orth to slay, to slay."

Whose cry outpierces the night-bird's note?
Whose voice mourns sadly through sighing trees?
What spirits wail to the prairie gale?
Who tells his woes to the evening breeze?

Ha-ha! We know, though we tell it not.
We fought with them till none remained.
The coyote knew, and his hungry crew
Licked clean the grass where the turf was stained.

Ho-ho! List you all to my tale of truth.
'Tis I, Pierre, the rhymester, this glory tell
Of freedom saved and brave hands laved
In the blood of tyrants who fought and fell!

The whole scene was repugnant beyond endurance. My ears were so filled
with the death cries heard in the afternoon, I had no relish for
Pierre's crude recital of what seemed to him a glorious conquest. I
could not rid my mind of that dying boy's sad face. Many half-breeds
were preparing to pillage the settlement. Intending to protect the
Sutherland home and seek the dead lad's body, I borrowed a fresh horse
and left the tumult of the camp.

I made a detour of the battle-field in order to reach the Sutherland
homestead before night. I might have saved myself the trouble; for every
movable object--to the doors and window sashes--had been taken from the
little house, whether by father and daughter before going to the fort,
or by the marauders, I did not know.

It was unsafe to return by the wooded river trail after dark and I
struck directly to the clearing and followed the path parallel to the
bush. When I reached Seven Oaks, I was first apprised of my whereabouts
by my horse pricking forward his ears and sniffing the air uncannily. I
tightened rein and touched him with the spur, but he snorted and jumped
sideways with a suddenness that almost unseated me, then came to a
stand, shaking as if with chill. Something skulked across the trail and
gained cover in the woods. With a reassuring pat, I urged my horse back
towards the road, for the prairie was pitted with badger and gopher
holes; but the beast reared, baulked and absolutely refused to be either
driven, or coaxed.

"Wise when men are fools!" said I, dismounting. Bringing the reins over
his head, I tried to pull him forward; but he planted all fours and
jerked back, almost dragging me off my feet.

"Are you possessed?" I exclaimed, for if ever horror were plainly
expressed by an animal, it was by that horse. Legs rigid, head bent
down, eyes starting forward and nostri