diant rags on."

"I know human nature as I do the trees and grass," said the Prince, with
earnest dignity. "I am a master of philosophy, a graduate in art, and I
hold the purse of a Fortunatus. There are few mortal misfortunes that I
cannot alleviate or overcome. I have read your countenance, and found
in it honesty and nobility as well as distress. I beg of you to accept
my advice or aid. Do not belie the intelligence I see in your face by
judging from my appearance of my ability to defeat your troubles."

The young man glanced at the clock again and frowned darkly. When his
gaze strayed from the glowing horologue of time it rested intently upon
a four-story red brick house in the row of dwellings opposite to where
he sat. The shades were drawn, and the lights in many rooms shone dimly
through them.

"Ten minutes to nine!" exclaimed the young man, with an impatient
gesture of despair. He turned his back upon the house and took a rapid
step or two in a contrary direction.

"Remain!" commanded Prince Michael, in so potent a voice that the
disturbed one wheeled around with a somewhat chagrined laugh.

"I'll give her the ten minutes and then I'm off," he muttered, and
then aloud to the Prince: "I'll join you in confounding all clocks, my
friend, and throw in women, too."

"Sit down," said the Prince calmly. "I do not accept your addition.
Women are the natural enemies of clocks, and, therefore, the allies of
those who would seek liberation from these monsters that measure our
follies and limit our pleasures. If you will so far confide in me I
would ask you to relate to me your story."

The young man threw himself upon the bench with a reckless laugh.

"Your Royal Highness, I will," he said, in tones of mock deference. "Do
you see yonder house--the one with three upper windows lighted? Well,
at 6 o'clock I stood in that house with the young lady I am--that is,
I was--engaged to. I had been doing wrong, my dear Prince--I had been
a naughty boy, and she had heard of it. I wanted to be forgiven, of
course--we are always wanting women to forgive us, aren't we, Prince?"

"'I want time to think it over,' said she. 'There is one thing certain;
I will either fully forgive you, or I will never see your face again.
There will be no half-way business. At half-past eight,' she said, 'at
exactly half-past eight you may be watching the middle upper window of
the top floor. If I decide to forgive I will hang out of that window a