can't do that," he laughed. "You know the rules. But I don't see
what I could do to stop you."

"_Please_ invite me, Jerry."

"No, I won't invite you. But I won't put you out if you come."

"_Please!_"

"Why do you insist?"

"Because--I think you ought to, you know. Just to make me feel
comfortable."

"You seemed very comfortable yesterday."

"I think you're horrid."

"Horrid! Because I won't break my promise?"

"But you've made no promise."

"It's understood. See here. I'll turn my back and walk away. If you
come in it's not my fault."

"You needn't bother. I'm not coming." She turned and made as though to
go.

"Una," he called. "_Please._ Come in."

She reappeared miraculously, her vanity appeased by Jerry's downfall,
bobbed through the bent irons, and rose smiling decorously as Eve must
have smiled when she watched Adam first bite the apple.

"Thanks," she laughed, clambering up the rocks. "It's awfully nice of
you. I knew you would. I couldn't have come else."

"It doesn't really make much difference, I suppose," said Jerry
dubiously.

"What doesn't?"

"Whether I ask you or whether you just come."

"I wouldn't have come if you hadn't."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. I was just passing this way and I saw you sitting here. I
hadn't the slightest intention of coming in. Of course, when you
_invited_ me, that made things different."

He laughed and motioned to a rock upon which she sank.

"Tell me," he said, "how you happen to be up here in the mountains
alone. You don't belong around here. You didn't know about the wall,
or about me, did you?"

"Of course not; not yesterday. But I do now. I asked last night."

"Who did you ask?"

"The people I'm staying with."

"And what did they tell you?"

"They weren't very polite. It doesn't do to ignore one's neighbors.
They said you were a freak."

"What's a freak?"

"Something strange, unnatural."

"And do you think I'm strange or unnatural?" he asked soberly.

She looked at him and laughed.

"Unnatural! If nature is unnatural."

"What else do they say?" Jerry asked after a thoughtful pause.

"That your precious Roger is a dealer in magic and spells; that you've
already learned flying on a broomstick and practice it on nights when
the moon is full; that you're hideously ugly; that you're wonderfully
beautiful; that you live in a tree; that you sleep in a coffin; that
you're digging for gold; that you've found the recipe for diamonds