of their fight for a private island.

Grain heiress Mrs. Marion MacMillan, who owns Perot's Island in Riddell's Bay, is trying to stop self-made tycoon Mr. Michael DeGroote from buying it.

In May, a Supreme Court judge said Mrs. MacMillan must stick by a 1990 agreement to sell the island to the former trucker for $8.5 million.

Mrs. MacMillan changed her mind about the sale and wants to continue making the island a retreat for people seeking counselling.

She is asking the Appeal Court to overturn the Supreme Court ruling. The appeal is scheduled for November 25.

The Supreme Court trial heard Mrs. MacMillan describe her sheltered life, affected by personal tragedy.

She was physically abused by her alcoholic mother and suffered three broken marriages, she said.

The trial judge dismissed claims from Mrs. MacMillan of misconduct by real estate firms Coopers and Betco, and by lawyers Appleby, Spurling and Kempe.

But he awarded Mr. DeGroote only about $235,500 damages instead of about $3.5 million he claimed.