“How, I ask you, could the prisoner have foreseen and prepared for all those ingenious traps formulated in the resourceful brain of my learned friend, unless he was telling the simple truth?

“Moreover, the gaps, the inconsistencies, the improbabilities in the story which my friend has pointed out, to my mind these are the strongest evidences of its truth.  For if he had made it all up he would be logical.  Man’s brain works that way.

“Suppose for the sake of argument that the prisoner did accomplish that miracle; that in his brain he formulated a story so complete in every ramification that nine hours’ cross-examination could batter no holes in it.

“If that is true, it is a wonderful brain, isn’t it?  The prisoner, in short, is an amazingly clever young man.  Now, can you imagine a man with even the rudiments of good sense persuading himself that he could make a successful Indian uprising at this date?  There is a serious—­”

Denholm was stopped by a commotion that arose outside the door of the court-room.  There was a great throng in the corridor as well.  He looked to the bench for aid.

His lordship rapped smartly with his gavel.  “Silence!” he cried, “or I will have the room cleared!”

But the noise came nearer.

“Officer, what is the trouble outside?” demanded the bench.

The two doorkeepers with great hands were pressing back a threatened irruption from the corridor.  One spoke over his shoulder.

“If you please, sir, there’s a young woman here says she has evidence to give in this case.”

CHAPTER XL.

AN UNEXPECTED WITNESS.

Those in the court-room jumped up and looked toward the door, and the confusion was redoubled.  Several policemen hurried to the assistance of the doorkeepers.  The judge rapped in vain.

Finally one of the doorkeepers made his voice heard above the scuffling: 

“She says her name is Colina Gaviller.”

A profound sensation was created within the court.  The confusion was stilled as by magic.  All those inside turned back to look at the young prisoner.

He had leaped to his feet, and stood gazing toward the door with a wild, white, awakened face.  Denholm had a restraining hand on his shoulder.  John Gaviller, Gordon Strange, Inspector Egerton; there was no man connected with the case but betrayed something of the same agitation.

“Admit Miss Gaviller,” commanded the judge.

The two policemen, with herculean exertions, made an opening in the crowd for Colina and two companions to enter and kept every one else out.  The doors were then closed.

At Colina’s appearance an odd murmur rippled over the crowd.  Her beauty astonished them.  She walked down the aisle of the court-room, pale, erect, and self-controlled.  Captain Stinson and Cora followed her.