Harris met his gaze without flinching, and nodded his head as if in assent. And that was the man found dead in her room! The faces of the people seemed for a moment an indistinct blur before his eyes; then he rallied and turned to her. "'Tana, you never did it," he said, reassuringly; "or if you did, it has been justifiable, and I know it. If it was necessary to do it in any self-defense, don't be afraid to tell it all plainly. No one would blame you. It is only this mystery that makes them want to hear the truth." She only looked at him. Was he acting? Did he himself know nothing? The hope that it was so--that she had deceived herself--made her tremble as she had not at danger to herself. She had risen to her feet as he entered, but she swayed as if to fall, and he caught her, not knowing it was hope instead of despair that took the color from her face and left her helpless. "Courage, 'Tana! Tell us what you can. I left you just as the moon came up. I saw you go to Mrs. Huzzard's tent. Now, where did you go after that?" "What?" almost shouted Lyster. "You were with her when the moon rose. Are you sure?" "Sure? Of course I am. Why?" "And how long before that, Mr. Overton?" asked Saunders; "for that is a very important point." "About a half-hour, I should say--maybe a little more," he answered, staring at them. "Now, what important thing does that prove?" One of the men gave a cheer; three or four had come up to the door when they saw Overton, and they took the yell up with a will. Mrs. Huzzard started to run from the tent, but grew so nervous that she had to wait until Miss Slocum came to her aid. "What in the world does it mean?" she gasped. Saunders turned around with an honestly pleased look. "It means that Mr. Overton here has brought word that clears Miss Rivers of being at the cabin when the murder was done--that's what it means; and we are all too glad over it to keep quiet. But why in the world didn't you tell us that, miss?" But she did not say a word. All about Dan were exclamations and disjointed sentences, from which he could gain little actual knowledge, and he turned to Lyster, impatiently: "Can't you tell me--can't some of you tell me, what I have cleared up for her? When was this killing supposed to be done?" "At or a little before moonrise," said Max, his face radiant once more. "'Tana--don't you know what he has done for you? taken away all of that horribly mistaken suspicion you let rest on you. Where was she, Dan?" "Last night? Oh, up above the bluff there--went up when the pretty red lights were in the sky, and staid until the moon rose. I came across her up there, and advised her not to range away alone; so, when she got good and ready, she walked back again, and went to the tent where you folks were. Then I struck the creek, decided I would take a run up the lake, and left without seeing any of you again. And all this time 'Tana has had a guard over her. Some of you must have been crazy."