yesterday, 11 weeks after it began.

But the two multi-millionaires involved may have to wait another month for a ruling on which one should get the luxury island retreat.

Judge the Hon. Mr. Justice Ground has to examine a pile of legal papers almost five feet high.

Even after his decision, the battle is expected to rumble on through the courts, possibly to the Privy Council in London, with a settlement maybe three years from now.

Just offshore in Riddell's Bay, Perot's Island has a mansion with around 15 rooms and a private beach.

Mrs. Marion MacMillan, 60, who has around $700 million from her family's US grain company, bought the island in 1987 for about $4 million.

In 1990, she agreed to sell it to Canadian trucking tycoon Mr. Michael DeGroote for $8.5 million. He had sold his business stake back home for almost 500 million Canadian dollars.

But just weeks before completion of the deal Mrs. MacMillan backed out, the court heard.

Mr. DeGroote took her to court, and she involved real estate firms Betco and Coopers, who denied misconduct during the sale.

The trial, which has taken several breaks, totalled about 30 days in the courtroom and involved six lawyers.

Mrs. MacMillan, who admitted she was a recluse when she came to Bermuda, stunned the court with revelations of her private life.

She told how she was physically abused by her alcoholic mother, and suffered three failed marriages.

She had a "change of heart'' over the sale and now wants to set up a psychological counselling centre on the island, she told the court.

Mr. DeGroote, 59, testified he expected Mrs. MacMillan to stick by her contract. He said the island deal was a big part of him coming to Bermuda, and he needed it to carry on his usual lifestyle.

He wants the island plus about $3.5 million damages. Another issue in the case is $425,000 commission on the sale that realtors hope to pocket.

The Royal Gazette accepts that yesterday's report on the court proceedings headlined "Heiress flees court after `perjury' claim'', was misleading.

Mrs. MacMillan has pointed out that she left the court because of a prior appointment, and The Gazette is happy to withdraw the statement that she fled after allegations "bordering on perjury.'' In court yesterday, Mr Hall noted: "She had always planned to leave the court and did not flee the court in the face of my learned friends' accusations.''