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country。 Why； then； could not one thousand people constitute such
a group？ she asked herself。 And if one thousand； why not one
hundred？ Why not fifty？ Why not five？ Why not … two？
She was frightened at her own conclusion； and she talked it over
with Hans。 At first he could not comprehend； and then； when he
did； he added convincing evidence。 He spoke of miners' meetings；
where all the men of a locality came together and made the law and
executed the law。 There might be only ten or fifteen men
altogether； he said； but the will of the majority became the law
for the whole ten or fifteen； and whoever violated that will was
punished。
Edith saw her way clear at last。 Dennin must hang。 Hans agreed
with her。 Between them they constituted the majority of this
particular group。 It was the group…will that Dennin should be
hanged。 In the execution of this will Edith strove earnestly to
observe the customary forms； but the group was so small that Hans
and she had to serve as witnesses； as jury； and as judges … also as
executioners。 She formally charged Michael Dennin with the murder
of Dutchy and Harkey； and the prisoner lay in his bunk and listened
to the testimony； first of Hans； and then of Edith。 He refused to
plead guilty or not guilty； and remained silent when she asked him
if he had anything to say in his own defence。 She and Hans；
without leaving their seats； brought in the jury's verdict of
guilty。 Then； as judge； she imposed the sentence。 Her voice
shook； her eyelids twitched； her left arm jerked； but she carried
it out。
〃Michael Dennin； in three days' time you are to be hanged by the
neck until you are dead。〃
Such was the sentence。 The man breathed an unconscious sigh of
relief； then laughed defiantly； and said； 〃Thin I'm thinkin' the
damn bunk won't be achin' me back anny more； an' that's a
consolation。〃
With the passing of the sentence a feeling of relief seemed to
communicate itself to all of them。 Especially was it noticeable in
Dennin。 All sullenness and defiance disappeared； and he talked
sociably with his captors； and even with flashes of his old…time
wit。 Also； he found great satisfaction in Edith's reading to him
from the Bible。 She read from the New Testament； and he took keen
interest in the prodigal son and the thief on the cross。
On the day preceding that set for the execution； when Edith asked
her usual question； 〃Why did you do it？〃 Dennin answered； 〃'Tis
very simple。 I was thinkin' … 〃
But she hushed him abruptly； asked him to wait； and hurried to
Hans's bedside。 It was his watch off； and he came out of his
sleep； rubbing his eyes and grumbling。
〃Go；〃 she told him； 〃and bring up Negook and one other Indian。
Michael's going to confess。 Make them come。 Take the rifle along
and bring them up at the point of it if you have to。〃
Half an hour later Negook and his uncle； Hadikwan； were ushered
into the death chamber。 They came unwillingly； Hans with his rifle
herding them along。
〃Negook；〃 Edith said； 〃there is to be no trouble for you and your
people。 Only is it for you to sit and do nothing but listen and
understand。〃
Thus did Michael Dennin； under sentence of death； make public
confession of his crime。 As he talked； Edith wrote his story down；
while the Indians listened； and Hans guarded the door for fear the
witnesses might bolt。
He had not been home to the old country for fifteen years； Dennin
explained； and it had always been his intention to return with
plenty of money and make his old mother comfortable for the rest of
her days。
〃An' how was I to be doin' it on sixteen hundred？〃 he demanded。
〃What I was after wantin' was all the goold； the whole eight
thousan'。 Thin I cud go back in style。 What ud be aisier； thinks
I to myself； than to kill all iv yez； report it at Skaguay for an
Indian…killin'； an' thin pull out for Ireland？ An' so I started in
to kill all iv yez； but； as Harkey was fond of sayin'； I cut out
too large a chunk an' fell down on the swallowin' iv it。 An'
that's me confession。 I did me duty to the devil； an' now； God
willin'； I'll do me duty to God。〃
〃Negook and Hadikwan； you have heard the white man's words；〃 Edith
said to the Indians。 〃His words are here on this paper； and it is
for you to make a sign； thus； on the paper； so that white men to
come after will know that you have heard。〃
The two Siwashes put crosses opposite their signatures； received a
summons to appear on the morrow with all their tribe for a further
witnessing of things； and were allowed to go。
Dennin's hands were released long enough for him to sign the
document。 Then a silence fell in the room。 Hans was restless； and
Edith felt uncomfortable。 Dennin lay on his back； staring straight
up at the moss…chinked roof。
〃An' now I'll do me duty to God；〃 he murmured。 He turned his head
toward Edith。 〃Read to me；〃 he said； 〃from the book；〃 then added；
with a glint of playfulness； 〃Mayhap 'twill help me to forget the
bunk。〃
The day of the execution broke clear and cold。 The thermometer was
down to twenty…five below zero； and a chill wind was blowing which
drove the frost through clothes and flesh to the bones。 For the
first time in many weeks Dennin stood upon his feet。 His muscles
had remained inactive so long； and he was so out of practice in
maintaining an erect position； that he could scarcely stand。
He reeled back and forth； staggered； and clutched hold of Edith
with his bound hands for support。
〃Sure； an' it's dizzy I am；〃 he laughed weakly。
A moment later he said； 〃An' it's glad I am that it's over with。
That damn bunk would iv been the death iv me； I know。〃
When Edith put his fur cap on his head and proceeded to pull the
flaps down over his ears； he laughed and said：
〃What are you doin' that for？〃
〃It's freezing cold outside〃； she answered。
〃An' in tin minutes' time what'll matter a frozen ear or so to poor
Michael Dennin？〃 he asked。
She had nerved herself for the last culminating ordeal； and his
remark was like a blow to her self…possession。 So far； everything
had seemed phantom…like； as in a dream； but the brutal truth of
what he had said shocked her eyes wide open to the reality of what
was taking place。 Nor was her distress unnoticed by the Irishman。
〃I'm sorry to be troublin' you with me foolish spache；〃 he said
regretfully。 〃I mint nothin' by it。 'Tis a great day for Michael
Dennin； an' he's as gay as a lark。〃
He broke out in a merry whistle； which quickly became lugubrious
and ceased。
〃I'm wishin' there was a priest；〃 he said wistfully； then added
swiftly； 〃But Michael Dennin's too old a campaigner to miss the
luxuries when he hits the trail。〃
He was so very weak and unused to walking that when the door opened
and he passed outside； the wind nearly carried him off his feet。
Edith and Hans walked on either side of him and supported him； the
while he cracked jokes and tried to keep them cheerful； breaking
off； once； long enough to arrange the forwarding of his share of
the gold to his mother in Ireland。
They climbed a slight hill and came out into an open space among
the trees。 Here； circled solemnly about a barrel that stood on end
in the snow； were Negook and Hadikwan； and all the Siwashes down to
the babies and the dogs； come to see the way of the white man's
law。 Near by was an open grave which Hans had burned into the
frozen earth。
Dennin cast a practical eye over the preparations； noting the
grave； the barrel； the thickness of the rope； and the diameter of
the limb over which the rope was passed。
〃Sure； an' I couldn't iv done better meself； Hans； if it'd been for
you。〃
He laughed loudly at his own sally； but Hans's face was frozen into
a sullen ghastliness that nothing less than the trump of doom could
have broken。 Also； Hans was feeling very sick。 He had not
realized the enormousness of the task of putting a fellow…man out
of the world。 Edith； on the other hand； had realized； but the
realization did not make the task any easier。 She was filled with
doubt as to whether she could hold herself together long enough to
finish it。 She felt incessant impulses to scream； to shriek； to
collapse into the snow； to put her hands over her eyes and turn and
run blindly away； into the forest； anywhere； away。 It was only by
a supreme effort of soul that she was able to keep upright and go
on and do what she had to do。 And in the midst of it all she was
grateful to Dennin for the way he helped her。
〃Lind me a hand；〃 he said to Hans； with whose assistance he managed
to mount the barrel。
He bent over so that Edith could adjust the rope about his neck。
Then he stood upright while Hans drew the rope