"She's dressing," said Aunt Margret. "Let us go and fetch her down, Anna," and the two women went up-stairs.
"Magnus ought to be here, too," said the Governor. "Where is he, I wonder?"
"Were you asking for Magnus?" said a voice from the hall. It was the Sheriff--a small man with a sly face, wearing a gold-braided uniform like the Governor's.
"He's at the warehouse, isn't he? Or is he still at the jetty?" asked the Factor.
"No," said the Sheriff entering. "To tell you the truth, when I passed the hotel he was sitting in the smoking-room."
"The smoking-room of the hotel?" said the Governor.
The Factor laughed. "Treating his friends in advance of the event, I suppose! It's bad to let the sledge go ahead of the horse, though."
"No," said the Sheriff again. "To tell you the truth, he was quite alone."
"Drinking?" asked the Governor.
"Nonsense, Stephen! Magnus does not drink," said the Factor.