firmly maintained that the slave should face danger before the mistress. The Scarecrow agreed with him in that, so the Nome King opened the door for the machine man, who tramped into the palace to meet his fate. Then his Majesty returned to his throne and puffed his pipe so contentedly that a small cloud of smoke formed above his head. Bye and bye he said: "I'm sorry there are so few of you left. Very soon, now, my fun will be over, and then for amusement I shall have nothing to do but admire my new ornaments." "It seems to me," said Dorothy, "that you are not so honest as you pretend to be." "How's that?" asked the King. "Why, you made us think it would be easy to guess what ornaments the people of Ev were changed into." "It IS easy," declared the monarch, "if one is a good guesser. But it appears that the members of your party are all poor guessers." "What is Tiktok doing now?" asked the girl, uneasily. "Nothing," replied the King, with a frown. "He is standing perfectly still, in the middle of a room." "Oh, I expect he's run down," said Dorothy. "I forgot to wind him up this morning. How many guesses has he made?" "All that he is allowed except one," answered the King. "Suppose you go in and wind him up, and then you can stay there and make your own guesses." "All right," said Dorothy. "It is my turn next," declared the Scarecrow. "Why, you don't want to go away and leave me all alone, do you?" asked the girl. "Besides, if I go now I can wind up Tiktok, so that he can make his last guess." "Very well, then," said the Scarecrow, with a sigh. "Run along, little Dorothy, and may good luck go with you!" So Dorothy, trying to be brave in spite of her fears, passed through the doorway into the gorgeous rooms of the palace. The stillness of the place awed her, at first, and the child drew short breaths, and pressed her hand to her heart, and looked all around with wondering eyes.