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"What's the matter?" she cried. "I'll take care of you." She drew the arm down. "Speak to them!" she said again. Nesis slowly raised her head. Her eyes crept to Colina's, humble and unspeakably mournful. She opened her mouth and pointed within. Colina looked and sickened. A little cry of utter horror was forced from her, and she fell back a step, She saw why Nesis did not speak.
Nesis lifted her eyes to Colina's eyes luminous with eagerness and emotion and quickly nodded again. "Why doesn't she speak!" thought Colina. Aloud she said: "All right. Tell them I am going to take you. Tell them anybody that interferes does so at his peril." She pointed to her rifle. To Colina's astonishment, the girl lowered her head and flung an arm up over her face.
Nesis, blinded with tears, let her horse follow unguided, and Colina brought up the rear. Colina's face showed the fighting look, intent and resolute. Her brain was too busy to dwell on tragedy then. Rounding the hill, she saw that those who had gone ahead had disappeared. The horses that had been grazing here were likewise gone.
Colina finally ventured to pronounce the name "Nesis" at the same time asking by a sign which included the teepees if she was there. Marya looked startled. She hesitated, but Colina's hold was now strong upon her. She shook her head. First glancing cautiously around to make sure they were not observed, she nodded in the direction of up river. Colina, overjoyed, proceeded to further question.
Though the sun was still shining out-of-doors, according to Colina's fancy, every night at this hour the shutters were closed and the lamps lighted. The drawing-room was lighted by a single, tall lamp with a yellow shade. Ambrose was standing in the middle of the room. He had changed his clothes. His suit was somewhat wrinkled, and his boots unpolished, but he looked less badly than he thought.
"Of course not," said Ambrose; "but in this case I would be more comfortable if you spoke to him first." "Are you afraid of him?" she inquired with raised eyebrows. "No," said Ambrose coolly; "but I don't want to get you into trouble." Colina's eyes snapped. "Thank you," she said; "you needn't be anxious. You had better come we dine at seven." "I will be there," he said.
Colina paused to take a drink of water. The judge whispered to a court attendant, who in turn whispered to a policeman. Thereafter the blue-coat's eyes never left Gordon Strange. The half-breed had lost all pretense of smiling. He looked like a trapped animal. The court-room scarcely regarded him. They hung upon Colina's lips. Every time she paused her listeners' pent-up breath escaped.
Colina finally took it off, and pinned it in Marya's cotton dress. Marya gave way to an extravagant pantomime of joy. Bowing her head, she seized Colina's hand, and pressed it to her forehead. Meanwhile they exchanged such simple remarks as lent themselves to the medium of signs.
He was aware only of Colina's stricken, white face. She looked as if she had been shot. "They say they are ready to go," Strange went on. "They promise to make no more trouble if we give Doane up. If we refuse, they say they will take him, anyway." "It's an infernal lie!" cried Ambrose desperately. "I am no leader of theirs!" She did not believe him.
She was a fat girl, with a peculiarly good-humored expression, and evinced no awe at Colina's approach, but unaffected delight. Colina obeyed an inward suggestion, sent Cora back to the Grampierres, and sat down beside Marya, determined to take plenty of time to establish friendly relations. This was not difficult.
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