"No," she replied. "And did you not hear that Phil was killed yesterday?" her voice almost incoherent with sobs.
"What!" he cried, "Phil—dead? Is it possible? Is it possible? How did it happen?"
"Mike said that he decided to return from Montreal by stage, and that the horses baulked on a dangerous hill near the Rouge. The stage was overturned and he was thrown out violently and his neck was broken. His wife knew nothing of it until they carried his body in."
Rug tried to catch the steamer that he might break the news to his father, but was too late; he had left with the remains of the Duke, and heard nothing of the accident until his return.
CHAPTER XVIII.
AN EXCITING MOOSE-HUNT.
1826.
An interesting group of gentlemen was seated round a table covered with maps and papers in the dining-room of the Chief's house, arranging plans for the building of the Rideau Canal. They had been discussing for over an hour the relative merits of three different points at which the canal should diverge from the Ottawa River.
