She had convicted him of
judging without fact. And in his head a voice seemed to cry out to
him, "What did Carmin Fanchet ever do to you?"
He rose suddenly to his feet and stood at the back of his chair,
his hands gripping the top of it. "Maybe you are right," he said.
"Maybe I was wrong. I remember now that when I got Fanchet I
manacled him, and she sat beside him all through that first night.
I didn't intend to sleep, but I was tired--and did. I must have
slept for an hour, and SHE roused me--trying to get the key to the
handcuffs. She had the opportunity then--to kill me."
Triumph swept over the face that was looking up at him. "Yes, she
could have killed you--while you slept. But she didn't. WHY?"
"I don't know. Perhaps she had the idea of getting the key and
letting her brother do the job. Two or three days later I am
convinced she would not have hesitated. I caught her twice trying
to steal my gun. And a third time, late at night, when we were
within a day or two of Athabasca Landing, she almost got me with a
club. So I concede that she never did anything very terrible to
me. But I am sure that she tried, especially toward the last.
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