They stood up.

"What's the matter?" stammered Bruce.

"Matter?" cried Old Hosie. "What d'you suppose I left you two people
here together for?"

"You said you had to start----"

"Well, couldn't I have another and a bigger reason? I've been
listening outside the door here, and the way you people have acted!
See here, you two know you love one another, and yet you act toward
each other like a pair of tame icebergs that have just been
introduced!"

He turned in a fury upon his nephew, blinking to keep the moisture
from his eyes.

"Don't you love her?" he demanded, pointing to Katherine, who had
suddenly grown yet more pale.

"Why--yes--yes----"

"Then why in the name of God don't you tell her so?"

"I'm--I'm afraid she won't care to hear it," stammered Bruce, not
daring to look at Katherine.

"Tell her so, and see what she says," shouted Old Hosie. "How else are
you going to find out? Tell her what a fool you've been. Tell her
she's proved to you you're all wrong about what you thought she ought
to do. Tell her unless you get some one of sense to help run you,
you're going to make an all-fired mess of this mayor's job. Tell
her"--there was a choking in his voice--"oh, boy, just tell her what
you feel!

"And now," he added quickly, and again sharply, "that mob outside
won't listen to the Honourable Hiram much longer. They want you folks.
I give you just two minutes to fix things up. Two minutes--no more!"

And pulling his high hat down upon his forehead, Old Hosie turned
abruptly and again left the room.

Bruce looked slowly about upon Katherine. His rugged, powerful face
was working with emotion.

"What Uncle Hosie has said is all true," he stammered fearfully. "You
know I love you, Katherine. And there isn't anything you'll want to do
that I'll not be glad to have you do. Won't you forget, Katherine, and
won't you--won't you----"

He stretched out his arms to her. "Oh, Katherine!" he cried. "I love
you! I want you! I need you!"

While he spoke her face had grown radiant. "And I--and I"--she
choked, then her voice went on with an uprush of happiness--"and
I--oh, Arnold, I need you!"

* * * * *

When Old Hosie reentered a minute later and saw what there was to be
seen, he let out a little cry of joy and swooped down upon them.

"Look out, Katherine," he warned, quaveringly, "for I'm going to kiss
you!" But despite this warning the old man succeeded in his
enterprise