osing he must be deaf.

"I heard you!" growled the old dwarf, with sudden rage. "You don't suppose
I'm deaf, do you? I said yes. You don't want to argue, do you?"

Kate murmured her thanks, feeling much astonished and very uncomfortable
at the old gentleman's conduct. Thus they sat in silence for a long while,
the little old man smoking like a volcano. At length:

"Are you hungry?" said he, abruptly.

"Yes, sir," said Kate, bethinking herself of her bread.

"So am I!" said the old man, shortly, at the same time resuming his
smoking. Removing his pipe after another pause, "I haven't had anything to
eat for one hundred years; I feel kind of empty," said he.

"I should think so," thought Kate to herself; then, after regarding him in
silence for a few minutes, she said, timidly, "I--I have a--a piece of
bread in my basket, sir, if you would like to have it?"

"Like to have it? You speak as though you had no sense. Of course, I
should like to have it! Why didn't you offer it to me sooner?"

Kate, in spite of her hunger, that had recommenced gnawing her, now that
she was warm, handed him the piece of bread. The old man seized it
ravenously, opened his mouth to an astonishing extent, bolted the large
morsel as one does a pill, and then resumed his smoking as though nothing
of any note had occurred. Kate regarded him with silent astonishment.

"What are you doing out in this kind of weather?" said the old man,
suddenly.

"I came to gather pine-cones to sell in the town," said Kate.

"You're a fool!" snapped the old man. "How do you suppose you can gather
pine-cones in twelve inches of snow, not to mention the drifts?"

"Nevertheless, sir, I have to get the children something to eat, and
father----"

"Oh! don't bother me with that story!" said the old man, impatiently. "I
know all about it. Your father's Peter Kurtz, isn't he?"

"Yes, sir."

"Umph!" grunted the dwarf. Then, after another pause, "go to the closet
yonder, and take one of the cups there, in return for the bread you gave
me."

"Indeed, sir," said Kate, earnestly, "I do not care for any return
for----"

"Do as I tell you!" bellowed the dwarf, in a fury.

Kate crossed the room, opened the cupboard, and--what a sight met her
eyes! All the dishes, bowls, cups and saucers were of pure gold.

"Take one of the cups?" said Kate, in breathless doubt.

"That's what I said, wasn't it?" snarled the dwarf. "You are just like all
women, never contented wit