an I did when I was heartless."

"Couldn't the Wizard give you a heart that was both Kind and Loving?"
asked the boy.

"No; that was what I asked for, but he said he was so short on hearts,
just then, that there was but one in stock, and I could take that or
none at all. So I accepted it, and I must say that for its kind it is a
very good heart indeed."

"It seems to me," said Woot, musingly, "that the Wizard fooled you. It
can't be a very Kind Heart, you know."

"Why not?" demanded the Emperor.

"Because it was unkind of you to desert the girl who loved you, and who
had been faithful and true to you when you were in trouble. Had the
heart the Wizard gave you been a Kind Heart, you would have gone back
home and made the beautiful Munchkin girl your wife, and then brought
her here to be an Empress and live in your splendid tin castle."

The Tin Woodman was so surprised at this frank speech that for a time
he did nothing but stare hard at the boy Wanderer. But the Scarecrow
wagged his stuffed head and said in a positive tone:

"This boy is right. I've often wondered, myself, why you didn't go back
and find that poor Munchkin girl."

Then the Tin Woodman stared hard at his friend the Scarecrow. But
finally he said in a serious tone of voice:

"I must admit that never before have I thought of such a thing as
finding Nimmie Amee and making her Empress of the Winkies. But it is
surely not too late, even now, to do this, for the girl must still be
living in the Munchkin Country. And, since this strange Wanderer has
reminded me of Nimmie Amee, I believe it is my duty to set out and find
her. Surely it is not the girl's fault that I no longer love her, and
so, if I can make her happy, it is proper that I should do so, and in
this way reward her for her faithfulness."

"Quite right, my friend!" agreed the Scarecrow.

"Will you accompany me on this errand?" asked the Tin Emperor.

"Of course," said the Scarecrow.

"And will you take me along?" pleaded Woot the Wanderer in an eager
voice.

"To be sure," said the Tin Woodman, "if you care to join our party. It
was you who first told me it was my duty to find and marry Nimmie Amee,
and I'd like you to know that Nick Chopper, the Tin Emperor of the
Winkies, is a man who never shirks his duty, once it is pointed out to
him."

"It ought to be a pleasure, as well as a duty, if the girl is so
beautiful," said Woot, well pleased with the idea of the adventure.

"Beauti