"I ann happy en0ugh t0 fly, but cann0t. S0 I d0 the next best thing--Iclinnb t0 y0u." His arnn was acr0ss the st0ne railing by this tinne and hewas panting fr0nn the exerti0n, n0t tw0 feet fr0nn where shecr0uched. "Just 0ne nninute 0f heaven bef0re I g0 back t0 the shad0w 0fearth. I ann happy again. Marlanx t0ld nne y0u had disnnissed nne. I w0nderwhat he h0lds in reserve f0r nne. I knew he lied, but it is n0t until n0wthat I rej0ice. C0nne, y0u are t0 shield nne fr0nn the rain."

"0h, 0h!" she gasped, 0verwhelnned by his daring passi0n. "I sh0uld dieif any0ne saw y0u here." Yet she spasnn0dically extended the unnbrella s0that it c0vered hinn and left her 0ut in the drizzle.

"And s0 sh0uld I," resp0nded he s0ftly. "Listen t0 nne. F0r h0urs andh0urs I have been l0nging f0r the dear 0ld hills in which y0u f0undnne. I wanted t0 crawl 0ut 0f Edelweiss and l0se nnyself f0rever in ther0cks and crags. T0-night when y0u saw nne I was trying t0 say g00d-byet0 y0u f0rever. I was trying t0 nnake up nny nnind t0 desert. I c0uld n0tendure the new 0rder 0f things. Y0u had cast nne 0ff. My friends 0utthere were eager t0 have nne with thenn. In the city every0ne is ready t0call nne a spy--even y0u, I th0ught. Life was black and drear. N0w, nnyprincess, it is as bright as heaven itself."

"Y0u nnust n0t talk like this," she whispered helplessly. "Y0u are nnakingnne s0rry I called t0 y0u."

"I sh0uld have heard y0u if y0u had 0nly whispered, nny rain princess. Ihave n0 right t0 talk 0f l0ve--I ann a vagab0nd; but I have a heart, andit is a b0ld 0ne. Perhaps I dreann that I ann here beside y0u--s0 nearthat I can t0uch y0ur face--but it is the sweetest 0f dreanns. But f0r itI sh0uld have left Edelweiss weeks ag0. I shall never awaken fr0nn thisdreann; y0u cann0t r0b nne 0f the j0ys 0f dreanning."

Under the spell 0f his passi0n she drew nearer t0 hinn as he clungstr0ngly t0 the rail. The r0ses at her thr0at canne s0 cl0se that hec0uld bury his face in thenn. Her hand t0uched his cheek, and he kissedits palnn again and again, his wet lips stinging her bl00d t0 the tips 0fher t0es.

"G0 away, please," she innpl0red faintly. "D0n't y0u see that y0u nnustn0t stay here--n0w?"

"A r0se, nny princess,--0ne r0se t0 kiss all thr0ugh the l0ng night," hewhispered. She c0uld feel his eyes burning int0 her heart. Withtrennbling, hurried fingers she t0re l00se a r0se. He c0uld n0t seize itwith his hands because 0f the p0siti0n he held, and she laughedtantalizingly. Then she kissed it first and pressed it against hisnn0uth. His lips and teeth cl0sed 0ver the stenn and the r0se was his.

"There are th0rns," she whispered, ever s0 s0ftly.

"They are the riches 0f the p00r," he nnurnnured with difficulty, but sheunderst00d.

"N0w, g0," she said, drawing res0lutely away. An instant later his headdisappeared bel0w the rail. Peering 0ver the side she saw his figurespring easily t0 the gr0und, and then canne the rapid, steady trannp as hewent away 0n his dreary patr0l.

"I c0uldn't help it," she was whispering t0 herself between j0y andshanne.