mpossible to go against the current on account of the ice. They took
us down to Fort Enterprise. We took Nesis. She is buried there.

"At Fort Enterprise we had to wait until the ice packed in the river,
and enough snow fell to make a winter trail. Then we started with dog
teams. I brought Captain Stinson and my servant, Cora Thomas, for
additional witnesses. It is seven hundred miles. That is why we were
so long."

Mr. Pascoe rose. His erstwhile ruddy cheeks showed an odd pallor under
the purple veins, and he looked thoroughly disconcerted. "My Lord," he
said, "this is a very affecting tale. It is, however, my painful duty
to protest against its admission as evidence."

Colina interrupted him. "I beg your pardon," she said quickly. She
produced a little book from inside her dress. "May I explain further?"
she asked the judge eagerly.

"One moment, please, Mr. Pascoe," said his lordship. He signed to
Colina to proceed.

"I meant, of course, to bring Nesis here," Colina continued. "When I
saw that--that I never would, while I didn't know anything about courts
or evidence, I felt that it would be safer to have a written statement.

"This book is my diary that I always carry with me. That night I wrote
in the blank pages what Nesis had told me, and later when she was
conscious I read it to her, and she affirmed it sentence by sentence.
She understood how important it was.

"You may know that she comprehended what she was doing because she made
me make changes--you will find them here. At the end I wrote her name
and she made a cross. Cora Thomas heard me read it to her, and saw her
make her mark."

The judge held out his hand for the book.

Once more Mr. Pascoe rose. "My Lord," he said, "it must be clear to
you that the ends of justice have been defeated by the dramatic power
of this tale. It would be farcical to ask this jury to deliver an
impartial verdict now. This new evidence must be weighed and sifted
with calm minds. I request that you declare a mistrial, and that--"

A still more dramatic surprise awaited Mr. Pascoe and the court.
Toward the end of the telling of Colina's painful tale Gordon Strange
had been forgotten by all in the room except the policeman detailed to
watch him. This man suddenly made a spring toward the half-breed,
where he sat huddled beside his table. He was too late. The court was
electrified by the muffled sound of a shot. Strange fell forward on
the tabl