beginGradientFill dynamic color array

I am using actionscript to create a gradient fill which works beautifully until I try to load the colour variables from an XML. The variables load successfully, when I trace the dynamic variables they show whats in the XML file (0xf6e3ba, 0xe9c98d) but the gradient appears white to black. When I use the HEX colour values in the code directly (the gradient works) but the trace returns (15321485, 16180154).

If I use these values in the XML file I still get white to black.

So what am I doing wrong?!