The French half breeds profess the Roman Catholic religion,
and they have a number of churches. At the head of the
Roman communion is Archbishop Tache, of St. Boniface.
This is the gentleman who provided the munificence for
Louis Riel's education. He is the same bishop whose name
so many hundreds of thousands of our people cannot recall
without bitterness and indignation.




CHAPTER III.

Such, then, was the condition of Red River before the
person who is the subject of this book appeared upon the
scenes. But perhaps it is as well that I should relate
one occurrence which fanned into bright flame the
smouldering embers of discord between the half-breeds
and their white neighbours. An officer of the Hudson Bay
Company, living at an isolated post, had two daughters.
As they began to arrive toward young-womanhood he was
anxious that they should have an education, in order that
they might, in proper season, be able to take their
position in society. There were good schools at Red River,
and thither the officer sent his daughters, placing them
under the care of a guardian whom he knew would exercise
an authority as judicious as his own. The two girls were
remarkably handsome, and whenever they walked through
the settlement, or drove abroad with their guardian, they