our business, I ask again? What may you
want here, anyway?"

The angry light in the old man's eyes, and the sharp tone of his voice,
called the officer to his duty.

"I am sorry to be here, Mr. Swain; but be good enough to ask your
daughter to leave us alone for a minute or two. My business is such that
I can tell it better to you alone."

At a sign from her father the girl rose from her seat and reluctantly
walked into her room. The officer watched her retreating figure
disappear, then he turned sharply round on his heel.

"I am a lieutenant on the United States ship _Adirondack_ and my
business is to arrest a man named James Swain, a deserter from the
_Saginaw_ and a murderer as well."

Even in the dim light of the rude lamp the officer saw the rugged bronze
of the old trader's face pale to a deathly whiteness, and he leant one
hand upon the table to steady himself.

"That's a kinder surprise to me, sir. An' I doesn't believe it, nohow.
A deserter my boy Jim might be; but I won't allow he's murdered any one.
Maybe you mean he killed a man in a fair fight?"

"I cannot talk this over with you, old man. My orders are to arrest
James Swain. He is here, I know; and although it is a painful duty for
me to fulfil, you must stand aside and let that duty be done."

"You can look for him, sir; but I can tell you that you won't diskiver
him here."

"We shall see about that." And the officer, walking to the door, called
out, "Come in, Williams, and search the place. Use no violence, but if
the man we want, or any other person in the house, resists, make short
work of it."

With a dozen men at his heels, Williams entered the house, and the
officer, taking his stand at the back door, leant against it, pistol in
hand.

There were but three rooms in the trader's house--the sitting-room,
which was also used as a sleeping room by the old man and his son; the
trade room, or store; and Ema Swain's bedroom. The first two were
at once entered and searched, and in a few minutes Williams, the
boatswain's mate, reported that the man they sought for was not there.

"There is but one more room, sir," said old Swain, quietly, from his
seat at the table. "Ema, come out, and let these men look in your room."
And he glanced defiantly at the officer.

Calmly and quietly she walked into the front room, and, sitting down
beside her father, looked on. But although she was outwardly so calm,
the girl's heart was beating nigh to bursting