condescend to answer my question, I must beg the favor of a reply,"
sneered he, putting the lamp down upon the table.

"Take a seat, Mr. Thornton. Your speech is improving," I added, throwing
myself into a chair near my base of supplies.

I think my visitor was entirely satisfied by this time that he could
make nothing by bullying me; and it seemed to me that in reaching this
point I had accomplished a great deal. Tom Thornton sat down in a chair,
near the table where he had deposited the lamp.

"Thank you, Mr. Ernest Thornton. I am seated, and await your further
pleasure," he continued, with a curling lip.

"You intimated that you came on business."

"I certainly hinted as much as that."

"And your business relates to Miss Kate Loraine?"

"It does. I took the liberty to inquire if you knew where she was at the
present time. A direct and unequivocal answer to this question would
oblige your humble servant very much," said Tom, nervously; and I saw
that it was with the greatest difficulty he could confine himself to
this satirical style of speech--for he wanted to break out in menace and
violence, to crush me with hard words and savage demonstrations, which
prudent cunning restrained him from using. "Do you know where the girl
is?"

"I do," I replied, promptly. "I trust my reply is sufficiently direct
and unequivocal."

"It is; and you will oblige me by informing me, as directly and
unequivocally, _where_ she is," said he, rising from his chair.

"I am sorry to disoblige you, Mr. Tom Thornton; but I must respectfully
decline to give you any information on that point," I answered, firmly.

"Am I to understand that you refuse to tell me where she is?" demanded
he, turning up the cuff of one of his coat-sleeves.

"That was the idea I intended to convey," I replied, imitating his
example by rolling up one of my coat-sleeves.

"You won't tell me."

"No, sir."

"You know where she is?"

"I do."

"And won't tell?"

"I will not."

He turned up the other coat-sleeve, and I did the same.

"I'll tell you what it is, youngster, we have played this farce long
enough," Tom proceeded, in a rage. "I want you to understand that I am
not to be trifled with. You may make a fool of the old man, but you
can't make a fool of me."

"Perhaps nature has already done that kindly act for you," I put in, as
he paused to take a long breath with which to whet his wrath.

I know, now, that it was wrong for me to make these