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"Especially when he learns that she is a princess!" said she, her voice so cold and repellent that his eyes closed, involuntarily, as if an unexpected horror had come before them "You must not tell me that you came to see hness the Princess Yetive of Graustark stark Hoas I to know?" he cried inorant," she said, looking froht you said you were a mere woman!"

"I a her eyes back to him Then she abruptly sank to theseat near his head "That is the trouble, I say A woh she be a princess Don't you understand why you s to me?"

"Because you are a princess," he said, bitterly

"No; because I am a woman As a woman I want to hear them, as, a princess I cannot Now, have I h?" Her face was burning

"You--you don'thi

"Ach! What have I said?"

"You have said enough to driveher hand, which she withdrew instantly, rising to her feet

"I have only said that I wanted to hear you say you had co for a woman's vanity to value? I am sorry you have presuain, but he was not to be baffled

"Then be a woet that you are a princess until I tell you why I came," he cried

"I cannot! Iabout helplessly, yet standing still within the danger circle

"I caht of you and dreamed of you since the day you sailed froet that day!"

"Please do not recall--" she began, blushing and turning to the

"The kiss you threw to me? Were you a princess then?" She did not answer, and he paused for ahim which at first he did not dare to voice Then he blurted it out "If you do not want to hear s, why do you stand there?"

"Oh," she faltered

"Don't leave me noant to say what I cao back to your throne and your royal reserve, and I can go back to the land from which you drewa man to the end of the world? I caenslocker to me Then you ithin my reach, but not now! I can only love a princess!" He stopped because she had dropped to the couch beside hiers clasping his hands fiercely