Озма из страны Оз

           Sadlytheyreturnedtothethroneroom,wheretheKing,seeingthattheyhadmetwithfailure,jeeredatDorothy,saying:

           "Youdonotknowhowtousemybelt,soitisofnousetoyou.GiveitbacktomeandIwillletyougofree--youandallthepeoplewhocamewithyou.AsfortheroyalfamilyofEv,theyaremyslaves,andshallremainhere."

           "Ishallkeepthebelt,"saidDorothy.

           "Buthowcanyouescape,withoutmyconsent?"askedtheKing.

           "Easilyenough,"answeredthegirl."Allweneedtodoistowalkoutthewaythatwecamein."

           "Oh,that’sall,isit?"sneeredtheKing."Well,whereisthepassagethroughwhichyouenteredthisroom?"

           Theyalllookedaround,butcouldnotdiscovertheplace,forithadlongsincebeenclosed.Dorothy,however,wouldnotbedismayed.Shewavedherhandtowardtheseeminglysolidwallofthecavernandsaid:

           "Icommandthepassagetoopen!"

           Instantlytheorderwasobeyed;theopeningappearedandthepassagelayplainlybeforethem.

           TheKingwasamazed,andalltheothersoverjoyed.

           "Why,then,ifthebeltobeysyou,wereweunabletodiscovertheTinWoodman?"askedOzma.

           "Ican’timagine,"saidDorothy.

           "Seehere,girl,"proposedtheKing,eagerly;"givemethebelt,andIwilltellyouwhatshapetheTinWoodmanwaschangedinto,andthenyoucaneasilyfindhim."

           Dorothyhesitated,butBillinacriedout:

           "Don’tyoudoit!IftheNomeKinggetsthebeltagainhewillmakeeveryoneofusprisoners,forwewillbeinhispower.Onlybykeepingthebelt,Dorothy,willyoueverbeabletoleavethisplaceinsafety."

           "Ithinkthatistrue,"saidtheScarecrow.