took the scows down the Athabasca?"

"A man named Vermilion. He was a half-breed, I think. Anyway, he was
a horrible creature."

"Where is Vermilion now?"

Again Chloe hesitated. "He is dead," she answered. "Mr. Lapierre shot
him. He shot him in self-defence, after Vermilion had shot another
man."

The officer nodded, and Chloe called upon Big Lena to corroborate the
statement that Lapierre had destroyed certain whiskey upon the bank of
Slave Lake. "Is that all?" asked the officer.

"No, indeed!" answered Chloe. "That isn't all! Only last week, I went
to visit MacNair's fort on Snare Lake in company with Mr. Lapierre and
Lena, and four canoemen. We got there shortly after dark. Fires had
been built on the beach--many of them almost against the walls of the
stockade. As we drew near, we heard loud yells and howlings that
sounded like the cries of animals, rather than of human beings. We
approached very close to the shore where the figures of the Indians
were distinctly visible by the light of the leaping names. It was then
we realized that a wild orgy of indescribable debauchery was in
progress. The Indians were raving drunk. Some lay upon the ground in
a stupor--others danced and howled and threw fire-brands about in
reckless abandon.

"We dared not land, but held the canoe off shore and watched the
horrible scene. We had not long to wait before the inevitable
happened. The whirling fire-brands falling among the cabins and
against the walls of the stockade started a conflagration, which soon
spread to the storehouse. And then MacNair appeared on the scene,
rushing madly among the Indians, striking, kicking, and hurling them
about. A few sought to save themselves by escaping to the timber.
And, jerking a rifle from the hand of an Indian, MacNair fired twice at
the fleeing men. Two of them fell and the others escaped into the
timber."

"You did not see any whiskey in the possession of these Indians?" asked
Corporal Ripley. "You merely surmised they were drunk by their
actions?"

Chloe nodded. "Yes," she admitted, "but certainly there can be no
doubt that they were drunk. Men who are not drunk do not----"

MacNair interrupted her. "They were drunk," he said quietly, "very
drunk."

"You admit that?" asked the officer in surprise. "I must warn you,
MacNair, that anything you say may be used against you." MacNair
nodded.

"And, as to the killing of the men," continued Chloe, "I charg