"It's impossible to say. If it pans out at a term of imprisonment it's checkmate. I've a mind to wash my hands of the job." Tottie looked up. "Don't do that," she said earnestly. "The Colonel might take it that his suspicions were justified, if you did." "I don't care a damn what he thinks. If a man can't trust me, he can do the other thing." "But I care," she said quickly. "I'm jealous for your honour, Grit." He lifted his head and surveyed her in surprise. "You!" he said. Then he laughed awkwardly at the half-shamed admiration he surprised in the woman's eyes. She turned her face aside quickly, and resumed her reading of the paper. "All right!" he said sheepishly. When she had finished the case, she got up and stood opposite him on the other side of the hearth. "What is your next move?" she asked. "I don't move," he answered quietly, "until after the case is finished." "And in the meantime?" "In the meantime," he replied, smiling across at her, "you stay here with me in this God-forsaken hole." CHAPTER FIFTEEN. Van Bleit's trial occupied considerably less time than was anticipated. It came on early in the session, and was quickly disposed of. The evidence was contradictory and unsatisfactory. Van Bleit, who was put in the witness box by his counsel, gave the only clear and unreserved account of the night's doings. His plea was that he killed Simmonds in self-defence. There had been ill-feeling between himself and Simmonds for some time. On the night in question he had gone to the bungalow in perfect good faith. There was nothing remarkable in his being armed. He had carried a revolver ever since he had roughed it in Rhodesia. At the bungalow he had met with a hostile reception. Simmonds had locked the door of the room and put the key in his pocket. He had then drawn a revolver from his coat pocket and had covered Van Bleit with it. "I recognised that I must defend my life," Van Bleit finished with fine dramatic effect. "A man hasn't time to consider on such occasions; he acts on impulse. But I solemnly declare I had no intention to kill the man. I fired wildly, and I am certain no one could have been more distressed than myself when I discovered that my shot had proved fatal. I was scarcely conscious that I had fired until Simmonds fell." Colonel Grey corroborated his statement as to the locking of the door; but he added that there was nothing hostile in the act. He believed it had been done to guard against interruption. He further allowed that Simmonds had been somewhat hasty. He had been the first to produce a revolver. He had not, however, covered the prisoner with it. The prisoner had been excited and had fired without provocation.