CHAPTER VIII

IN THE JUDGMENT HALL

Now that Dorothy knew the worst was about to happen, she,
strangely enough, felt more self-possessed than she had
done before. These rebels might kill her, or not, just
as the mood swayed them, but she would let them see that
the daughter of a white man was not afraid.

In that short walk to the chapel she reviewed her position.
She hoped that by this time the others had managed to
reach the Fort. If they had, then she could face with
comparative equanimity what might happen to herself. Her
only fear was what her father, in his distress on hearing
of her capture, might do.

Fortunately it was not far to the chapel which Riel had
converted into his headquarters. Indeed, he was only
paying a hurried visit there to exhort the faithful and
long-suffering metis and Indians to prompt and decisive
action. He intended to go off again in a few hours to
Prince Albert to direct the siege against that town. Only
those who had witnessed the wantonness and the capture
of the "white witch" followed. Most of the rebels were
too busy improving the shining hour of unlimited loot.
A half-breed on one side and an Indian on the other, each
with a dirty mitt on Dorothy's shoulder, led her to the
Judgment Hall of the dusky prophet, Louis David Riel,