Colina drew a long breath to steady herself.  “They talked about the chances of my father’s dying,” she went on.  “He was very sick at that time.  Mr. Strange suggested to Watusk that it wouldn’t take much to finish him.  They both laughed at that.

“He told Watusk that if John Gaviller died he, Strange, would settle all the trouble, and then the Company would make him the trader for good.  He told Watusk that when he got to be trader he would soon fix Ambrose Doane, too.

“Mr. Strange was always telling Watusk to tell the Kakisas that my father hated them, but that he, Strange, was their friend.

“Nesis said that a couple of days after this Ambrose Doane came down the river, and after him his outfit on a raft.  When Ambrose Doane heard that the Indians were hungry he took men and crossed the river and broke into the flour-mill and ground flour for them.

“This took two nights and a day.  On the second night Gordon Strange came across to see Watusk again.  Nesis said he was so angry that he started in talking without sending her out of the teepee.  He had no idea, of course, that she could understand English.  She made herself look stupid, she said.

“Mr. Strange was angry because, if the Indians got their flour and went back to the Kakisa River satisfied, all his plans would be spoiled.  His attempt to create a rebellion among the half-breed farmers had already failed.

“Nesis said that Strange cursed Ambrose Doane for spoiling his plans.  She said he told Watusk he must burn the flour, and then the Indians would surely make trouble.  They talked about how to do it.

“It was arranged that Strange was to bring Watusk a big can of coal-oil:  Watusk was to hide it under the floor of Gaston Trudeau’s empty shack, and afterward store the flour there.  Then Watusk was to give a big tea-dance to get all the people out of the way.

“Before going to the dance he was to pour oil over the bags, and leave the window open so Strange could fire it after he had gone.”

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 went on:  “At the tea-dance Nesis saw Ambrose Doane for the first time.  She said she—­” Colina lowered her eyes and sought for a word—­“she liked him.  After that she wanted to help him.  When the alarm of fire was raised, and all ran to the burning building, Nesis kept near to Ambrose Doane and watched all that he did.

“She said she saw him go after Watusk, and heard him make Watusk tell the Indians not to be foolish, but go back to the teepees until morning.  But Watusk spoke to them half-heartedly and they did not listen.  It was Myengeen, Nesis said, who urged them to go across the river, and break into the store.