" ! "

" ? " asked the Scarecrow

"The machine man He won't need wound up any more, for he has now become very neat ornament Very neat, indeed "

"How about Dorothy ? " the Scarecrow enquired

"Oh, she will begin to guess, pretty soon," said the King, cheerfully "And then she will join my collection, and your turn "

The good Scarecrow was much distressed thought that his little friend was about to suffer the fate of Ozma rest party; but while he sat in gloomy reverie shrill voice suddenly cried:

"Kut, kut, kut--ka-daw-kutt ! Kut, kut, kut--ka-daw-kutt ! "

The Nome King nearly jumped off his seat, so startled

"Good gracious ! What's that ? " he yelled

"Why, it's Billina," said the Scarecrow

"What by making noise like that ? " shouted the King, angrily, yellow hen came from under the throne and strutted proudly room

"I've got right to cackle, I guess," replied Billina "I've just laid my egg "

"What ! Laid an egg ! In my throne room ! How dare such thing ? " asked the King, in voice of fury

"I lay eggs wherever I happen ," said the hen, ruffling her feathers and then shaking them into place

"But--thunder-ation ! Don't that eggs are poison ? " roared the King, while his rock-colored eyes stuck out in great terror

"Poison ! well, I declare," said Billina, indignantly "I'll have all my eggs are warranted strictly fresh and Poison, indeed ! "

"You don't understand," retorted the little monarch, nervously "Eggs belong only outside world-- world earth's surface, where you came from Here, in my underground kingdom, rank poison, as , and we Nomes can't bear them around "

"Well, you'll have to bear around," declared Billina; "for I've laid it "

"Where ? " asked the King

"Under your throne," said the hen

The King jumped three feet air, so anxious was he away throne

"Take it away ! Take it away at once ! " he shouted

" 't," said Billina "I haven't any hands "

"I'll egg," said the Scarecrow "I'm making collection of Billina's eggs There's one in my pocket now, that she laid yesterday "

Hearing this, the monarch hastened good distance between himself Scarecrow, who was about to reach under the throne egg hen suddenly cried:

"Stop ! "

"What's wrong ? " asked the Scarecrow

"Don't egg unless the King will allow me to enter the palace and guess others ," said Billina

"Pshaw ! " returned the King "You're only hen How could you guess my enchantments ? "

" try, I suppose," said Billina "And, if I fail, another ornament "

"A pretty ornament you'd make, wouldn't you ? " growled the King "But your way properly punish you for daring to lay an egg in my presence Scarecrow is enchanted you shall follow him palace But how touch the objects ? "

"With my claws," said the hen; "and speak the word 'Ev' as plainly as anyone Also the right to guess the enchantments friends, and to release them if I succeed "

" ," said the King " my promise "

"Then," said Billina Scarecrow, " get the egg "

He knelt down and reached underneath the throne and found the egg, which he placed in another pocket jacket, fearing that if both eggs were in one pocket knock together and get broken

Just then bell above the throne rang briskly, King gave another nervous jump

"Well, well ! " said he, with rueful face; "the girl has actually done it "

"Done what ? " asked the Scarecrow

"She one guess right, and broken one neatest enchantments By ricketty, it's too bad ! I never thought "

"Do I understand that she will now return in safety ? " enquired the Scarecrow, joyfully wrinkling his painted face into broad smile

" ," said the King, fretfully pacing up and down the room "I always keep my promises, no matter how foolish But an ornament yellow hen to replace the one just lost "

"Perhaps , and perhaps you won't," murmured Billina, calmly " surprise you by guessing right "

"Guessing right ? " snapped the King "How could you guess right, where your betters have failed, you stupid fowl ? "

Billina care to answer this question, and moment later the doors flew open and Dorothy entered, leading the little Prince Evring hand

The Scarecrow welcomed the girl with close embrace, and embraced Evring, too, delight But the little Prince was shy, and shrank away painted Scarecrow because yet know his many excellent qualities

But little time friends , because the Scarecrow must now enter the palace Dorothy's success had greatly encouraged him, both hoped manage one correct guess

However, he proved as unfortunate others except Dorothy, and although to select his objects, not one did the poor Scarecrow guess aright

So he became solid gold card-receiver, beautiful but terrible palace awaited its next visitor

"It's all over," remarked the King, with sigh of satisfaction; "and very amusing performance, except one good guess the Kansas girl made richer by pretty ornaments "

" my turn, now," said Billina, briskly

"Oh, I'd forgotten you," said the King "But you needn't go don't wish to generous, and let you off "

"No you won't," replied the hen "I insist upon having my guesses, promised "

"Then go ahead, you absurd feathered fool ! " grumbled the King, and he caused the opening that led palace to appear once more

"Don't go, Billina," said Dorothy, earnestly "It isn't easy to guess those orn'ments, and only luck saved me from being one myself Stay with me and we'll go back Land of Ev together I'm sure this little Prince will home "

"Indeed ," said Evring, with much dignity

"Don't worry, my dear," cried Billina, with cluck that was meant for laugh " not be human, but I'm no fool, if chicken "

"Oh, Billina ! " said Dorothy, "you haven't been chicken in Not since you--you've been--grown up "

"Perhaps that's true," answered Billina, thoughtfully "But if Kansas farmer sold me to some one, what would he call me ? --a hen or chicken ! "

" Kansas farmer, Billina," replied the girl, "and you said--"

"Never mind that, Dorothy I'm going I won't say good-bye, because I'm coming back Keep up your courage, for I'll see you little later "

Then Billina gave several loud "cluck-clucks" that seemed to fat little King MORE nervous than ever, and marched entrance enchanted palace

" I've seen the last bird," declared the monarch, seating himself again throne and mopping the perspiration forehead rock-colored handkerchief "Hens are bothersome enough at their best, but can talk they're simply dreadful "

"Billina's my friend," said Dorothy quietly "She may not always be 'zactly polite; but she MEANS well, I'm sure "

16 Purple, Green, and Gold

The yellow hen, stepping high and with an air of vast importance, walked slowly over the rich velvet carpets splendid palace, examining everything she met with her sharp little eyes

Billina had right important; for she alone shared the Nome King's secret and knew how the objects that were transformations from those that had never been alive She was very sure that her guesses correct, but before she began them she was curious to behold all the magnificence underground palace, perhaps splendid and beautiful places in any fairyland

As she went rooms she counted the purple ornaments; and although some were small and hidden in queer places, Billina spied them all, and found the entire ten scattered various rooms The green ornaments she bother to count, for she thought find them all time came

Finally, having made survey entire palace and enjoyed its splendor, the yellow hen returned to rooms where she had noticed large purple footstool She placed claw and said "Ev," and at once the footstool vanished and lovely lady, tall and slender and most beautifully robed, stood before her

The lady's eyes were round with astonishment for moment, for remember her transformation, nor imagine what had restored her to life

"Good morning, ma'am," said Billina, in her sharp voice "You're looking quite well, considering your age "

"Who speaks ? " demanded the Queen of Ev, drawing herself up proudly

"Why, my name's Bill, by rights," answered the hen, who was now perched back of chair; "although Dorothy has put scollops and made it Billina But the name doesn't matter I've saved you Nome King, and slave no longer "

"Then gracious favor," said the Queen, with graceful courtesy "But, my children--tell me, I beg of you--where are my children ? " and she clasped her hands in anxious entreaty

"Don't worry," advised Billina, pecking at tiny bug that was crawling over the chair back "Just at present out of mischief and perfectly safe, for 't even wiggle "

"What mean you, O kindly stranger ? " asked the Queen, striving to repress her anxiety

"They're enchanted," said Billina, "just as --all, , except the little fellow Dorothy picked out chances are good boys and girls for , because they couldn't help it "

"Oh, my poor darlings ! " cried the Queen, with sob of anguish

"Not at all," returned the hen "Don't let their condition make you unhappy, ma'am, because I'll soon have them crowding 'round to bother and worry you as naturally as ever Come with me, please, and I'll show you how pretty they look "