u speak of?" abruptly asked Nina, leaving her seat
and moving towards her father.

"Nothing that is not just and proper. He promised to deliver to us a man
who in time of profound peace took the lives of innocent men to escape
the punishment he deserved for breaking the law. He planned his mischief
on a large scale. It is not his fault if it failed, partially. Of
course you have heard of Dain Maroola. Your father secured him, I
understand. We know he escaped up this river. Perhaps you--"

"And he killed white men!" interrupted Nina.

"I regret to say they were white. Yes, two white men lost their lives
through that scoundrel's freak."

"Two only!" exclaimed Nina.

The officer looked at her in amazement.

"Why! why! You--" he stammered, confused.

"There might have been more," interrupted Nina. "And when you get
this--this scoundrel will you go?"

The lieutenant, still speechless, bowed his assent.

"Then I would get him for you if I had to seek him in a burning fire,"
she burst out with intense energy. "I hate the sight of your white
faces. I hate the sound of your gentle voices. That is the way you
speak to women, dropping sweet words before any pretty face. I have
heard your voices before. I hoped to live here without seeing any other
white face but this," she added in a gentler tone, touching lightly her
father's cheek.

Almayer ceased his mumbling and opened his eyes. He caught hold of his
daughter's hand and pressed it to his face, while Nina with the other
hand smoothed his rumpled grey hair, looking defiantly over her father's
head at the officer, who had now regained his composure and returned her
look with a cool, steady stare. Below, in front of the verandah, they
could hear the tramp of seamen mustering there according to orders. The
sub-lieutenant came up the steps, while Babalatchi stood up uneasily and,
with finger on lip, tried to catch Nina's eye.

"You are a good girl," whispered Almayer, absently, dropping his
daughter's hand.

"Father! father!" she cried, bending over him with passionate entreaty.
"See those two men looking at us. Send them away. I cannot bear it any
more. Send them away. Do what they want and let them go."

She caught sight of Babalatchi and ceased speaking suddenly, but her foot
tapped the floor with rapid beats in a paroxysm of nervous restlessness.
The two officers stood close together looking on curiously.

"What has happened? What is the m