tle maid who had met with defeat gave a sob and turned away
weeping, for she had expected anything but forgiveness.

And now the Ki-Ki came forward and, bowing their handsome blond heads
before the High Ki, demanded: "Are we forgiven also?"

"Yes," said the girl, "but you are no longer fit to be rulers of my
people. Therefore, you are henceforth deprived of your honorable
offices of Ki-Ki, which I shall now bestow upon these good captains
here," and she indicated the good-natured officers who had first
captured the prince and Nerle.

The people of Twi eagerly applauded this act, for the captains were
more popular with them than the former Ki-Ki; but the blond ones both
flushed with humiliation and anger, and said:

"The captains fought against you, even as we did."

"Yet the captains only obeyed your orders," returned the High Ki. "So
I hold them blameless."

"And what is to become of us now?" asked the former Ki-Ki.

"You will belong to the common people, and earn your living playing
tunes for them to dance by," answered the High Ki. And at this retort
every one laughed, so that the handsome youths turned away with twin
scowls upon their faces and departed amidst the jeers of the crowd.

"Better hang 'em to a tree, little one," shouted Wul-Takim, in his big
voice; "they won't enjoy life much, anyhow."

But the maid shook her pretty head and turned to the prince.

"Will you stay here and help me to rule my kingdom?" she asked.

"I can not do that," replied Prince Marvel, "for I am but a wandering
adventurer and must soon continue my travels. But I believe you will
be able to rule your people without my help."

"It is not so easy a task," she answered, sighing. "For I am singular
and my people are all double."

"Well, let us hold a meeting in your palace," said the prince, "and
then we can decide what is best to be done."

So they dismissed the people, who cheered their High Ki
enthusiastically, returning quietly to their daily tasks and the gossip
that was sure to follow such important events as they had witnessed.

The army of King Terribus and the fifty-nine reformed thieves went to
the twin palaces of the Ki and the Ki-Ki and made merry with feasting
and songs to celebrate their conquest. And the High Ki, followed by
the prince, Nerle, King Terribus and Wul-Takim, as well as by the Ki
and the newly-appointed Ki-Ki, mounted the silver steps and passed over
the wall to the royal palaces. The gre