a new dignity in his voice that stirred her pride.

"Please!" she closed her eyes as she entreated.

"It's for a long time--_always_." His voice was heaven-sweet with its
note of warning and he laid his other strong warm hand on her throat
where a controlled sob made it pulse.

"I'm being very patient," she whispered and her lips quivered with a
smile as two tears jeweled her black lashes.

But David had made his last stand--he folded her in, locked his heart and
threw away the key.

"Love," he whispered after a long time, "I know this is just a
dream--I've had 'em for ten years--but don't let anybody wake me!"

To which plea Phoebe was making the tenderest of responses, when the door
burst open and Billy Bob shot into the room.

"Hip! hip!" he yelled at the top of his voice, "six hundred and ten
plurality and all from the two coon wards--count all in and verified--no
difference now how the others go and--" He paused and the situation
dawned upon him all in a heap as Phoebe hid her head against David's
collar. "Davie," he remarked in subdued tones, "you're 'lected, but I
don't s'pose you care!"

"Go away, Billy Bob, don't you see I'm busy?" answered David as he rose
to his feet, keeping Phoebe still embraced as she stood beside him.