the captain. "I have almost certain proof that she
boarded your boat off Benton's wharf, and was concealed in the cabin
while men were dragging the river for her body. Can you deny that?"

Exclamations from both Flo and her mother caused Randall to turn
quickly around. Mrs. Tobin had risen to her feet, and her eyes were
blazing with indignation. She was about to speak when her husband
lifted his hand.

"Keep calm, Martha. Keep calm," he advised. "Let me handle this
gent." Then he turned to Randall, "So ye say yer daughter ran away
from home, eh?"

"She did, and that's why I'm here."

"What did she run away fer?"

"Because she was wilful, and wanted her own way; that's why."

"H'm," the captain grunted, "so that's how ye look at it?"

"And why shouldn't I? But what has all this to do with the finding of
my daughter? I didn't come here to be catechised in this way."

"Well, I didn't tell ye to come, Mister. If ye don't like yer
reception, ye kin leave whenever ye want to. No one'll interfere with
yer goin', an' the door's right thar."

Henry Randall was unused to such plain speech, and it angered him. So
accustomed had he been to having his own way and lording it over others
that this was an unusual experience and hard for him to endure. His
face darkened and he looked sternly at the captain.

"I am not in the habit of allowing people to speak to me in such a
manner," he declared. "I can make you pay dearly for your impudence.
Do you know who I am?"

"Sartinly I know, an' that's why I'm talkin' jist as I am. I don't
very often git roused up, but when I do it takes more'n you to stop me.
An' I am roused at the way ye've treated that gal ye call yer daughter.
Ye've been buyin' an sellin' so long that yer heart is nuthin' more'n a
bank account. An' ye weren't satisfied with tradin' in lumber, but ye
even want to sell yer only daughter. Thar, now, don't git riled. Jist
keep cool fer a few minutes 'til I'm through. If yer tired standin',
ye kin set down. Flo, give this feller a chair."

"I don't want a chair," Randall angrily retorted. "I want to get
through with my business here. I ask you once more if my daughter
sought refuge on board your boat the night she was supposed to have
drowned herself off Benton's wharf?"

"Didn't I tell ye that I never sot eyes on her?"

"You lie, Captain Tobin. I have definite proof that a girl was aboard
your boat when you reached the stone quarry, and t