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"There is one member of the tribe beside Watusk who can speak English," he went on. "In the interest of justice I ask you to find her." "Who is it?" "Her name is Nesis. She is the youngest of the four wives of Watusk." Ambrose told her story briefly and baldly. "So!" said the inspector with a peculiar smile. "According to your own story you eloped with Watusk's wife. Upon my word!
The tension relaxed. They slowly gathered around, looking at her with no friendly eye. Colina searched rapidly among them for one that might answer to the description of Nesis. There was no girl that by any stretch of the imagination could have been called beautiful. Not wishing to give them time to spirit her away, Colina suddenly raised her voice and cried: "Nesis!"
"I presume you understand that this story would have more weight as evidence if the girl Nesis was produced in court. Can she be brought here?" Once more Colina faltered and steeled herself. Her eyes became misty, but she looked directly at the judge. "My Lord," she said simply, "she is dead." His lordship started back thoroughly discomposed. "Really! Really!" he murmured helplessly.
Again the mute nod. "Will you come with me to testify for him?" Nesis looked up blankly. "I mean," explained Colina, "will you come and tell his judges that he did not lead the Kakisas into trouble?" Nesis, by vivid signs, informed Colina that Ambrose had been a prisoner among the Indians. It occurred to Colina as strange, since she could understand English, that she should use signs.
Colina bethought herself of profiting by Nesis's experience. "Nesis," she called, "you know these people! What should we do?" Nesis, rousing herself and turning her dreadfully eloquent eyes upon Colina, signified that they must ride on for the present. When the sun went down she would tell what to do. For an hour thereafter they rode without speaking.
Colina sat out of range of the firelight, watching the other fire. Nesis took the gun and went on up the trail to guard against the surprise from that side. Cora kept an eye upon the dim shapes of the tethered horses, and watched her mistress with sullen, doglike devotion. After an hour and a half Nesis returned, and signing to Cora to saddle the horses, made a reconnaissance across the meadow.
"He's trying to find out how much Nesis told me," he thought. Aloud he said, with a shrug like Watusk himself: "Well, I'll be glad when it blows over." "Two three day I let you out," Watusk said soothingly. "You can have anything you want." "How is Nesis?" demanded Ambrose abruptly. There was a subtle change in Watusk's eyes; no muscle of his face altered. "She all right," he said coolly.
Watusk gave nothing away. Suddenly the Indian smiled. "You t'ink I mad for cause she go wit' you?" he said. He laughed silently. "Wa! There are plenty women. When I let you out I give you Nesis." This sounded a little too philanthropic. "H-m!" said Ambrose. "You lak little Nesis, hey?" inquired Watusk, leering. Ambrose was warned by a crafty shadow in the other man's eye. "Sure!" he said lightly.
Without a trace of self-consciousness she told how she and Cora had set off at night on the unknown trail, and how she had ridden into the middle of the hostile village next day and demanded Nesis. "Two girls to defy a whole tribe of redskins!" the thought could be read in the jurymen's startled eyes. The twelve men hung out of the box, listening with parted lips.
In the same graphic, simple way she learned the story of Ambrose's imprisonment and how Nesis got him out. "Come!" she cried, extending her hand. "We'll see what Sergeant Plaskett has to say to this!" But when Marya understood that she was expected to repeat her story to the policeman, a frantic, stubborn terror took possession of her.
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