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18. The Fate of the Tin Woodman
Billinahassavedyoufromyourtroubles,andnowwewillleavethisdrea’fulplace,andreturntoEvassoonasposs’ble."
Whilethechildspoketheycouldallseethatsheworethemagicbelt,andagreatcheerwentupfromallherfriends,whichwasledbythevoicesoftheScarecrowandtheprivate.ButtheNomeKingdidnotjointhem.Hecreptbackontohisthronelikeawhippeddog,andlaytherebitterlybemoaninghisdefeat.
"Butwehavenotyetfoundmyfaithfulfollower,theTinWoodman,"saidOzmatoDorothy,"andwithouthimIdonotwishtogoaway."
"NorI,"repliedDorothy,quickly."Wasn’theinthepalace?"
"Hemustbethere,"saidBillina;"butIhadnocluetoguidemeinguessingtheTinWoodman,soImusthavemissedhim."
"Wewillgobackintotherooms,"saidDorothy."Thismagicbelt,Iamsure,willhelpustofindourdearoldfriend."
Soshere-enteredthepalace,thedoorsofwhichstillstoodopen,andeveryonefollowedherexcepttheNomeKing,theQueenofEvandPrinceEvring.ThemotherhadtakenthelittlePrinceinherlapandwasfondlingandkissinghimlovingly,forhewasheryoungestborn.
ButtheotherswentwithDorothy,andwhenshecametothemiddleofthefirstroomthegirlwavedherhand,asshehadseentheKingdo,andcommandedtheTinWoodman,whateverformhemightthenhave,toresumehispropershape.Noresultfollowedthisattempt,soDorothywentintoanotherroomandrepeatedit,andsothroughalltheroomsofthepalace.YettheTinWoodmandidnotappeartothem,norcouldtheyimaginewhichamongthethousandsofornamentswastheirtransformedfriend.
