ough the walls of the
bubble and waved his hands in return as he smiled down upon them. The
band played bravely while every one watched the bubble until it was
completely out of sight.

"How 'bout you, Polly?" Dorothy asked her friend. "Are you 'fraid of
bubbles, too?"

"No," answered Polychrome, smiling; "but Santa Claus promised to speak
to my father as he passed through the sky. So perhaps I shall get home
an easier way."

Indeed, the little maid had scarcely made this speech when a sudden
radiance filled the air, and while the people looked on in wonder the
end of a gorgeous rainbow slowly settled down upon the platform.

With a glad cry the Rainbow's Daughter sprang from her seat and danced
along the curve of the bow, mounting gradually upward, while the folds
of her gauzy gown whirled and floated around her like a cloud and
blended with the colors of the rainbow itself.

[Illustration: "GOOD-BYE, OZMA! GOOD-BYE, DOROTHY!"]

"Good-bye, Ozma! Good-bye, Dorothy!" cried a voice they knew belonged
to Polychrome; but now the little maiden's form had melted wholly into
the rainbow, and their eyes could no longer see her.

Suddenly the end of the rainbow lifted and its colors slowly faded like
mist before a breeze. Dorothy sighed deeply and turned to Ozma.

"I'm sorry to lose Polly," she said; "but I guess she's better off with
her father; 'cause even the Land of Oz couldn't be like home to a cloud
fairy."

"No, indeed," replied the Princess; "but it has been delightful for us
to know Polychrome for a little while, and--who knows?--perhaps we may
meet the Rainbow's daughter again, some day."

The entertainment being now ended, all left the pavilion and formed
their gay procession back to the Emerald City again. Of Dorothy's recent
traveling companions only Toto and the shaggy man remained, and Ozma had
decided to allow the latter to live in Oz for a time, at least. If he
proved honest and true she promised to let him live there always, and
the shaggy man was anxious to earn this reward.

They had a nice quiet dinner together and passed a pleasant evening with
the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, Tik-tok, and the Yellow Hen for company.

When Dorothy bade them good-night she kissed them all good-bye at the
same time. For Ozma had agreed that while Dorothy slept she and Toto
should be transported by means of the Magic Belt to her own little bed
in the Kansas farmhouse and the little girl laughed as she thought how