“I watched,” was the dogged reply, while a groan went up from the crowd.  “Borg shook clear of them, however, and got on his legs.  He hurled Bella across the cabin with a back-sweep of the arm and turned upon the Indian.  Then they fought.  The Indian had dropped the knife, and the sound of Borg’s blows was sickening.  I thought he would surely beat the Indian to death.  That was when the furniture was smashed.  They rolled and snarled and struggled like wild beasts.  I wondered the Indian’s chest did not cave in under some of Borg’s blows.  But Bella got the knife and stabbed her husband repeatedly about the body.  The Indian had clinched with him, and his arms were not free; so he kicked out at her sideways.  He must have broken her legs, for she cried out and fell down, and though she tried, she never stood up again.  Then he went down, with the Indian under him, across the stove.”

“Did he call any more for help?”

“He begged me to come to him.”

“And?”

“I watched.  He managed to get clear of the Indian and staggered over to me.  He was streaming blood, and I could see he was very weak.  ‘Give me your gun,’ he said; ‘quick, give me it.’  He felt around blindly.  Then his mind seemed to clear a bit, and he reached across me to the holster hanging on the wall and took the pistol.  The Indian came at him with the knife again, but he did not try to defend himself.  Instead, he went on towards Bella, with the Indian still hanging to him and hacking at him.  The Indian seemed to bother and irritate him, and he shoved him away.  He knelt down and turned Bella’s face up to the light; but his own face was covered with blood and he could not see.  So he stopped long enough to brush the blood from his eyes.  He appeared to look in order to make sure.  Then he put the revolver to her breast and fired.

“The Indian went wild at this, and rushed at him with the knife, at the same time knocking the pistol out of his hand.  It was then the shelf with the slush-lamp was knocked down.  They continued to fight in the darkness, and there were more shots fired, though I do not know by whom.  I crawled out of the bunk, but they struck against me in their struggles, and I fell over Bella.  That’s when the blood got on my hands.  As I ran out the door, more shots were fired.  Then I met La Flitche and John, and . . . and you know the rest.  This is the truth I have told you, I swear it!”

He looked down at Frona.  She was steadying the box, and her face was composed.  He looked out over the crowd and saw unbelief.  Many were laughing.

“Why did you not tell this story at first?” Bill Brown demanded.

“Because . . . because . . .”

“Well?”

“Because I might have helped.”