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