ead"--holding up the two papers--"what you have done."

"Mr. Harper has--has exaggerated it very much," she returned. Her
voice seemed to come with as great a difficulty as his own.

"And I have read," he continued, "how much I owe you."

"It's--it's----" She did not finish in words, but a gesture disclaimed
all credit.

"It has made me. And I want to thank you, and I do thank you. And I do
thank you," he repeated lamely.

She acknowledged his gratitude with an inclination of her head.
Motions came easier than words.

"And since I owe it all to you, since I owe nothing to any political
party, I want to tell you that I am going to try to make the very best
mayor that I can!"

"I am sure of that," she said.

"I realize that it's not going to be easy," he went on. "The people
seem to be with me now, thanks to you--but as soon as I try to carry
out my ideas, I know that both parties will rise up and unite against
me. The big fight is still ahead. But since--since you have done it
all--I want you to know that I am going to fight straight ahead for
the people, no matter what happens to me."

"I know," she said.

"My eyes have been opened to many things about politics," he added.

She did not speak.

Silence fell between them; the room was infiltered by a multitudinous
hum from without. Presently the thought, and with it the fear, that
had been rising up stronger and stronger in Bruce for the last half
hour, forced itself through his lips.

"I suppose that now--you'll be going back to New York?"

"No. I have had several cases offered me to-day. I am going to stay in
Westville."

"Oh!" he said--and was conscious of a dizzy relief. Then, "I wish you
success."

"Thank you."

Again there was a brief silence, both standing and looking in
constraint at one another.

"This celebration is very trying, isn't it?" she said. "I suppose we
might sit down while we wait."

"Yes."

They each took the end of a different bench, and rather stiffly sat
gazing into the shadowy severity of the big room. Sounding from the
front of the Court House they heard rather vaguely the deep-chested,
sonorous rhetoric of the Honourable Hiram.

But they heard it for but an instant. Suddenly the court room door
flew open and Old Hosie marched straight up before them.

"You're the dad-blastedest pair of idiots I ever saw!" he burst out,
with an exasperation that was not an entire success, for it was
betrayed by a little quaver.