satisfy my desire or set me free--prove yourself
priceless or worthless! To satisfy the hunger of my love, you must
follow me, looking for nothing, not gratitude, not even pity in
return!--follow and find me, and be content with merest presence, with
scantest forbearance!--I, not you, have failed; I yield the contest."

She looked at me tenderly, and hid her face in her hands. But I had
caught a flash and a sparkle behind the tenderness, and did not believe
her. She laid herself out to secure and enslave me; she only fascinated
me!

"Beautiful princess," I said, "let me understand how you came to be
found in such evil plight."

"There are things I cannot explain," she replied, "until you have become
capable of understanding them--which can only be when love is grown
perfect. There are many things so hidden from you that you cannot even
wish to know them; but any question you can put, I can in some measure
answer.

"I had set out to visit a part of my dominions occupied by a savage
dwarf-people, strong and fierce, enemies to law and order, opposed to
every kind of progress--an evil race. I went alone, fearing nothing,
unaware of the least necessity for precaution. I did not know that upon
the hot stream beside which you found me, a certain woman, by no means
so powerful as myself, not being immortal, had cast what you call a
spell--which is merely the setting in motion of a force as natural as
any other, but operating primarily in a region beyond the ken of the
mortal who makes use of the force.

"I set out on my journey, reached the stream, bounded across it,----"

A shadow of embarrassment darkened her cheek: I understood it, but
showed no sign. Checked for the merest moment, she went on:

"--you know what a step it is in parts!--But in the very act, an
indescribable cold invaded me. I recognised at once the nature of the
assault, and knew it could affect me but temporarily. By sheer force of
will I dragged myself to the wood--nor knew anything more until I saw
you asleep, and the horrible worm at your neck. I crept out, dragged the
monster from you, and laid my lips to the wound. You began to wake; I
buried myself among the leaves."

She rose, her eyes flashing as never human eyes flashed, and threw her
arms high over her head.

"What you have made me is yours!" she cried. "I will repay you as never
yet did woman! My power, my beauty, my love are your own: take them."

She dropt kneeling beside me, laid he