clothes that had once been good, but now were sadly
worn and frayed. His silk stockings had holes in them, and his shoes
were stub-toed and needed blackening. "But what can you expect,"
whispered Betsy, "when the poor man has been a prisoner for so many
years?"

Shaggy had darted forward, and embraced his newly found brother with
both his arms. The brother also embraced Shaggy, who then led him
forward and introduced him to all the assembled company.

"This is the new Nome King," he said when he came to Kaliko. "He is our
friend, and has granted you your freedom."

"That is a kindly deed," replied Ugly in a sad voice, "but I dread to
go back to the world in this direful condition. Unless I remain forever
masked, my dreadful face would curdle all the milk and stop all the
clocks."

"Can't the enchantment be broken in some way?" inquired Betsy.

Shaggy looked anxiously at Kaliko, who shook his head.

"I am sure I can't break the enchantment," he said. "Ruggedo was fond
of magic, and learned a good many enchantments that we nomes know
nothing of."

"Perhaps Ruggedo himself might break his own enchantment," suggested
Ann; "but unfortunately we have allowed the old King to escape."

"Never mind, my dear Brother," said Shaggy consolingly; "I am very
happy to have found you again, although I may never see your face. So
let us make the most of this joyful reunion."

The Ugly One was affected to tears by this tender speech, and the tears
began to wet the red handkerchief; so Shaggy gently wiped them away
with his coat sleeve.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Kindly Kisses

"Won't you be dreadful sorry to leave this lovely place?" Betsy asked
the Ugly One.

"No, indeed," said he. "Jewels and gold are cold and heartless things,
and I am sure I would presently have died of loneliness had I not found
the natural forest at the edge of the artificial one. Anyhow, without
these real trees I should soon have starved to death."

Betsy looked around at the quaint trees.

"I don't just understand that," she admitted. "What could you find to
eat here."

"The best food in the world," Ugly answered. "Do you see that grove at
your left?" he added, pointing it out; "well, such trees as those do
not grow in your country, or in any other place but this cavern. I have
named them 'Hotel Trees,' because they bear a certain kind of table
d'hote fruit called 'Three-Course Nuts.'"

"That's funny!" said Betsy. "What are the 'Three-Cou