I threw the trimming work to the other end of the tent, and Mrs.
Delaney called upon Mrs. Pritchard to finish making the bannocks
herself, and we both rushed out just as the scouts galloped in.




CHAPTER XVII.

RESCUED.


Rescued! at last, and from a life worse than death. I was so overjoyed
that I sat down and cried. The rescuing party were members of General
Strange's scouts, led by two friends of my late husband, William
McKay, and Peter Ballentyne of Battleford. We were so glad to see
them. They had provisions with them, and they asked us if we wanted
anything to eat. We told them we had bannock and bacon, but partook of
their canned beef and hard tack. It was clean and good; and was the
first meal we enjoyed for two months.

I could not realize that I was safe until I reached Fort Pitt. The
soldiers came out to welcome us back to life. The stories they heard
about us were so terrible, that they could scarcely believe we were
the same.

The steamer was in waiting to take us to Battleford. Rev. Mr. Gordon
took my arm and led me on board. The same gentleman gave us hats, we
had no covering for our heads for the entire two months we were