ill. And I keep
hardening myself against it, and yet I know the time will come when he
will have his way, because he is stronger than I."

"You must not let him be stronger than you. The birch bends, but it can
resist."

"You don't know! If he were outwardly cruel, I could defy him. But he is
like the sun that nourishes and then burns. He seems to have such life
in himself, such great inborn power, no one can resist it. You almost
feel as if you were going against natural laws when you go against him;
and you know you'll be beaten because the laws are inevitable."

"That wasn't what you said of him that first night down in the shack."

"No! I scoffed at him then a little. He was so far away! Now I have been
near him again and I tremble."

"But as you picture him, he's all good, all benevolence. You could
convince a man like that."

"Never! He hasn't any soul. He is this great natural force that radiates
power."

"Power!" echoed Osmond. "No wonder he's drunk on it. I could go down on
my knees and worship it."

"Not such as his!"

"Such as anybody's, so long as it is power."

For the first time she began to comprehend his mortal hunger.

"Don't you go over to him, too," she said jealously. "Peter is under his
foot. So is Electra. If you go over, I shall be alone."

"I shall never go anywhere to leave you alone." Then, after a moment, he
continued, "So you are not sure whether the prince loves you?"

"He would call it that. It is not that to me."

"Of course he loves you!"

"Don't be too sure, playmate. I know the world. You know your garden."

"Then why does he want you?"

"It's a game. My father wants to buy him. He may want to buy my father.
Then maybe he wants the prestige of owning the woman with the most
beautiful hair in Europe."

"Is that your hair, playmate?"

"He says so."

"Well, a man might do worse than gamble for a thing like that."

"You amaze me." But he would not continue that, and presently she asked
him, "What have you been thinking about lately?"

"About you."

"When?"

"All day long while I was at work, and every night when I sat here and
you didn't come."

"Was it a happy thing to do?"

"Very happy."

"Even when I didn't come?"

"Even when you didn't come."

"Then it's just as nice to think about me as to talk to me?"

"Almost!" He said it quite cheerfully, and through her pique she had to
laugh.

"What do you think, playmate?"

"I make a world and I put yo