A snicker, beginning from nowhere in particular, but passing on from man to man and swelling in volume, greeted this statement.  Even Frona and Del himself were forced to smile, and the only sober face was the prisoner’s.

“But he quarrelled with Old Andy at Dyea, and with Chief George of the Chilcoots, and the Factor at Pelly, and so on down the line.  He got us into no end of trouble, and ’specially woman-trouble.  He was always monkeying around—­”

“Mr. Chairman, I object.”  Frona stood up, her face quite calm and blood under control.  “There is no necessity for bringing in the amours of Mr. St. Vincent.  They have no bearing whatsoever upon the case; and, further, none of the men of this meeting are clean enough to be prompted by the right motive in conducting such an inquiry.  So I demand that the prosecution at least confine itself to relevant testimony.”

Bill Brown came up smugly complacent and smiling.  “Mr. Chairman, we willingly accede to the request made by the defence.  Whatever we have brought out has been relevant and material.  Whatever we intend to bring out shall be relevant and material.  Mr. Bishop is our star witness, and his testimony is to the point.  It must be taken into consideration that we nave no direct evidence as to the murder of John Borg.  We can bring no eye-witnesses into court.  Whatever we have is circumstantial.  It is incumbent upon us to show cause.  To show cause it is necessary to go into the character of the accused.  This we intend to do.  We intend to show his adulterous and lustful nature, which has culminated in a dastardly deed and jeopardized his neck.  We intend to show that the truth is not in him; that he is a liar beyond price; that no word he may speak upon the stand need be accepted by a jury of his peers.  We intend to show all this, and to weave it together, thread by thread, till we have a rope long enough and strong enough to hang him with before the day is done.  So I respectfully submit, Mr. Chairman, that the witness be allowed to proceed.”

The chairman decided against Frona, and her appeal to the meeting was voted down.  Bill Brown nodded to Del to resume.

“As I was saying, he got us into no end of trouble.  Now, I’ve been mixed up with water all my life,—­never can get away from it, it seems,—­and the more I’m mixed the less I know about it.  St. Vincent knew this, too, and him a clever hand at the paddle; yet he left me to run the Box Canyon alone while he walked around.  Result:  I was turned over, lost half the outfit and all the tobacco, and then he put the blame on me besides.  Right after that he got tangled up with the Lake Le Barge Sticks, and both of us came near croaking.”

“And why was that?” Bill Brown interjected.