was very desirable, this slender, uncertain person in the
crumpled grey.

"Miss Tullis," he said, a thrill in his voice, "you are a princess, just
the same. I never was so happy in my life as I am this minute. It isn't
so black as it was. I thought I couldn't win you because you--"

"Win me?" she gasped, her lips parted in wonder.

"Precisely. Now I'm looking at it differently. I don't mind telling you
that I'm in love with you--desperately in love. It's been so with me
ever since that day in the Park. I loved you as a duchess or a princess,
and without hope. Now, I--I--well, I'm going to hope. Perhaps Vos Engo
has the better of me just now, but I'm in the lists with him--with all
of them. If I get you out of this place--and myself as well--I want you
to understand that from this very minute I am trying to win you if it
lies in the power of any American to win a girl who has suitors among
the nobility. Will--will you give me a chance--just a ghost of a chance?
I'll try to do the rest."

"Are--are you really in earnest?" she murmured, composure flying to the
winds.

"Yes; terribly so," he said gently. "I mean every word of it. I do love
you."

"I--I cannot talk about it now, Mr. King," she fluttered, moving away
from him in a sudden panic. Presently he went over to her. She was
standing near the candle, staring down at the flame with a strangely
preoccupied expression in her eyes.

"Forgive me," he said. "I was hasty, inconsiderate. I--"

"You quite took my breath away," she panted, looking up at him with a
queer little smile.

"I know," he murmured.

Her troubled gaze resumed its sober contemplation of the flame.

"How was I to tell--" she began, but checked herself. "Please, Mr. King,
you won't say anything more to me about--about it,--just now, will you?
Shall we talk of our plans for to-night? Tell me about them."

He lowered his eyes, suddenly disheartened. "I only ask you to believe
that I am desperately in earnest."

"I cannot comprehend how--I mean, it is so very wonderful. You don't
think me unappreciative, or mean, do you?"

"Of course not. You are startled, that's all. I'm a blundering fool.
Still, you must agree that I was frightfully bowled over when I found
that you were not what I thought. I couldn't hold back, that's all. By
Jove, isn't it wonderful? Here I've been looking all over the world for
you, only to find that you've been living around the corner from me all
these years! It's pos