"I was walking through a wood, and you were following to kill me, and I hid behind some bushes. But you saw me, and came after me, and I heard you falling into a pit. I looked into the pit, and you were lying there. Then I awoke." "Go on--go on! Tell me about yourself. Don't say any more about that." "Ah, yes, myself! Well, I grew up. Gretel died three years ago; and when she was dying she told me I was a girl. She told me all, and gave me the choice of going through life as what I am now, or as a man." "And you?" "Chose to be a man." She laughed deliciously, and under her breath. "These things"--and she plucked at her dress--"feel strange on me even now. Oh, yes, I chose to be a man. Who would not, if the choice were given them? And no one knew. The Baron Carl von Lichtenberg was quite a great person. He was admired by all the ladies. He was so ornamental that he was sent as attaché to the Embassy at Paris. Yes; and he went to the ball at the Marquis d'Harmonville's----" "Ah, that night!" I muttered. "It was the beginning----" "Of your tribulations," she laughed softly, and went on: "When I saw you I was nearly as startled as you were yourself. I had all my life determined that I would avoid you; but that night--ah! that night----" "Well?" "I don't know. I could not sleep. I cursed my man's clothes; and I would have given all I possessed to speak to you dressed as I am now. Then I sought you, and you avoided me. You insulted me, monsieur, at the Mirlitons." "Ah! why--why did you not declare yourself then?" I muttered, speaking into the warmth of her delicious neck. "Think what we have lost--a whole year nearly of life and love!" "Why, indeed! Just, I suppose, because I was a woman, filled with a woman's caprice; and the masquerade amused me, and I had my duties to perform--and how you evaded me! I was invited to meet you at dinner----" "And I dined at the Café de Paris with a fool." "Just so. And you ran away to Nice. Then the idea came to me--ah, yes, it was a fine idea!--I will _make_ him meet me. And I slapped you on the shoulder with a glove." "Yes; when I was seated in the box at the opera with a lady." "Yes. Who was the lady? I was too excited to see anyone but you." "She was----" Then I paused. And then I said--why, I can never tell--"She was a friend of my guardian." "Next morning I received your challenge. How I laughed to myself!" "But tell me one thing. Why did you stipulate for a delay of three months before the duel?" She laughed again. "Shall I tell you?" "Yes." "Because I wanted time--to--to----" "Yes?" "To let my hair grow. Do you like it?" She drew a long pin from her hat, removed her hat, and showed her perfect head and the coils of night-black hair. "Oh! Do I like it?" "Well--kiss it." * * * * * "We must never part again."