rg," I cried excitedly; "tell me why you wrote this note to me
and I'll see that you are taken care of the rest of your days."

"I forbid him!" commanded Gretchen in alarm.

"As God hears me, Herr," said Stahlberg stoutly. "I wrote not a line
to you or to any one."

"Oh!" cried the innkeeper, stamping. "And you deny that you have
written here that you saw Her Highness in the garden three nights ago?"

Gretchen was beginning to grow terrified for some reason. I myself was
filled with wonder, knowing well enough that nothing about a garden had
been written in the note I had received.

"Do you dare deny," went on the implacable old man, "that you have
written here that you saw Her Highness in the garden, and that she was
weeping and murmuring this man's name?"

"Oh!" cried Gretchen, gazing wildly at the door.

The innkeeper suddenly took the bewildered giant by the shoulders and
pushed him from the room, following him swiftly; and the door closed
noisily behind them.

My heart was in flames. I understood all now, though I dare say
Gretchen didn't. All at once, her head fell on the back of the chair
from which she had but lately risen. She was weeping silently and
deeply. I did not move, but stood watching her, drinking in with
exultation the loveliness of a woman in tears. She was mine, mine,
mine! The innkeeper had not really known her heart till the night in
the garden to which he so adroitly referred; then he had made up his
mind that things were not as they should be, and had sent me that
anonymous note. Mine at last, I thought. Somehow, for the first time
in my life I felt what is called masterful; that is to say, not all
heaven and earth should take her away from me now. Softly I passed
over to her side and knelt at her feet. I lifted the hem of her gown
and pressed it to my lips.

"My Princess!" I murmured, "all mine." I kissed her unresisting hand.
Then I rose and put my arms around her. She trembled but made no
effort to withdraw. "I swear to you, Gretchen, that I will never leave
you again, not if the King should send an army against me, which he
will never do, since he has commanded that I marry you. Beware! It is
a dangerous thing to trifle with a King's will. And then, even if the
King should change his mind, I should not. You are mine. I should
like to know if I haven't won you! Oh, they do well to call you
Princess Caprice. Oh, Gretchen," falling back to humble tones, "what a