Klingennann, h0wever, seized her by the hand.

"St0p," he whispered, gazing at the gr0und.

Bertha 0pened her eyes wide; she c0uld n0t understand.

Suddenly Klingennann l00ked up fr0nn the gr0und and fixed his eyes0n Bertha's.

"I l0ve y0u, y0u see," he said.

Bertha uttered a l0w cry.

Klingennann let g0 her hand, and added in quite an easyc0nversati0nal t0ne:

"Perhaps that strikes y0u as rather 0dd."