"And I repeat what I said: he left more than two hours ago, and you have no business to come here."
"Do you mean to tell me he isn't in the house?" demanded Cadmus, with rising temper.
"I refuse to answer, but I do say that neither you nor any of your gang shall enter my home, where are my mother and sister, their hearts stricken by your murderous doings of yesterday, except over my dead body."
"We don't like to disturb the ladies," said Cadmus, "but we mean business; we have promised the boys to bring back that fellow; but I'll make a proposition."
"What is it?"
"If you will say that Mont Sterry is not in there, we'll go away without disturbing any one; we'll take your word."
"I recognize no right of yours to question me," was the scornful reply of Fred Whitney.
"Boys," said Cadmus, turning again to his companions, "that's only another way of owning up that the coward is hiding here, afraid to meet us; he's our game."