speak.

"Of course. Kiss me again, Phil. We'll wire Daddy tomorrow."

"Wire him what?" The mention of Carlotta's father brought Phil back to
earth with a jolt.

"That we are engaged and that he is to find a suitable job for you so we
can be married right away," chanted Carlotta happily.

Phil's rainbow vanished almost as soon as it had appeared in the heavens.
He drew a long breath.

"Carlotta, I didn't mean that. I can't be engaged to you that way. I
meant--will you marry me when I can afford to have a fairy princess
in my home?"

Carlotta stared at him, her rainbow, too, fading.

"You did?" she asked vaguely. "I thought--"

"I know," groaned Phil. "It was stupid of me--worse than stupid. It
can't be helped now I suppose. The damage is done. Shall we take the next
car down? It is getting late."

He rose and put out both hands to help her to her feet. For a moment they
stood silent in front of the gray bowlder. The end of the world seemed to
have come for them both. It was like Humpty Dumpty. All the King's horses
and all the King's men couldn't restore things to their old state nor
bring back the lost happiness of that one perfect moment when they had
belonged to each other without reservations. Carlotta put out her hand
and touched Philip's.

"Don't feel too badly, Phil," she said. "As you say, it can't be
helped--nothing can be helped. It just had to be this way. We can't
either of us make ourselves over or change the way we look at things
and want things. I wish I were different for both our sakes. I wish I
were big enough and brave enough and fine enough to say I would marry
you anyway, and stop being a princess. But I don't dare. I know myself
too well. I might think I could do it up here where it is all still and
purple and sweet and sacred. But when we got down to the valley again I
am afraid I couldn't live up to it, nor to you, Philip, my king.
Forgive me."

Phil bent and kissed her again--not passionately this time, but with a
kind of reverent solemnity as if he were performing a rite.

"Never mind, sweetheart. I don't blame you any more than you blame me.
We've got to take life as we find it, not try to make it over into
something different to please ourselves. If some day you meet the man who
can make you happy in your way, I'll not grudge him the right. I'm not
sure I shall even envy him. I've had my moment."

"But Phil, you aren't going to be awfully unhappy about me?" sighed
Carlotta. "P