“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!