d the house before he saw
them. Away he marched, up the road, followed by his men, heartlessly
leaving Gloria to the mercies of old Blinkie.

When they again crept up to the window, Trot and Pon saw Blinkie
gloating over her victim. Although nearly fainting from fear, the proud
Princess gazed with haughty defiance into the face of the wicked
creature; but she was bound so tightly to the post that she could do no
more to express her loathing.

Pretty soon Blinkie went to a kettle that was swinging by a chain over
the fire and tossed into it several magical compounds. The kettle gave
three flashes, and at every flash another witch appeared in the room.

These hags were very ugly but when one-eyed Blinkie whispered her
orders to them they grinned with joy as they began dancing around
Gloria. First one and then another cast something into the kettle, when
to the astonishment of the watchers at the window all three of the old
women were instantly transformed into maidens of exquisite beauty,
dressed in the daintiest costumes imaginable. Only their eyes could not
be disguised, and an evil glare still shone in their depths. But if the
eyes were cast down or hidden, one could not help but admire these
beautiful creatures, even with the knowledge that they were mere
illusions of witchcraft.

Trot certainly admired them, for she had never seen anything so dainty
and bewitching, but her attention was quickly drawn to their deeds
instead of their persons, and then horror replaced admiration. Into the
kettle old Blinkie poured another mess from a big brass bottle she took
from a chest, and this made the kettle begin to bubble and smoke
violently. One by one the beautiful witches approached to stir the
contents of the kettle and to mutter a magic charm. Their movements
were graceful and rhythmic and the Wicked Witch who had called them to
her aid watched them with an evil grin upon her wrinkled face.

Finally the incantation was complete. The kettle ceased bubbling and
together the witches lifted it from the fire. Then Blinkie brought a
wooden ladle and filled it from the contents of the kettle. Going with
the spoon to Princess Gloria she cried:

"Love no more! Magic art Now will freeze your mortal heart!"

With this she dashed the contents of the ladle full upon Gloria's
breast.

Trot saw the body of the Princess become transparent, so that her
beating heart showed plainly. But now the heart turned from a vivid red
to gray