ition," added the Nome King, his eyes twinkling.

"What is it?" she enquired.

"If none of the eleven objects you touch proves to be the transformation
of any of the royal family of Ev, then, instead of freeing them, you
will yourself become enchanted, and transformed into an article of
bric-a-brac or an ornament. This is only fair and just, and is the risk
you declared you were willing to take."

[Illustration]

The Eleven Guesses

[Illustration]

Hearing this condition imposed by the Nome King, Ozma became silent and
thoughtful, and all her friends looked at her uneasily.

"Don't you do it!" exclaimed Dorothy. "If you guess wrong, you will be
enslaved yourself."

"But I shall have eleven guesses," answered Ozma. "Surely I ought to
guess one object in eleven correctly; and, if I do, I shall rescue one
of the royal family and be safe myself. Then the rest of you may attempt
it, and soon we shall free all those who are enslaved."

"What if we fail?" enquired the Scarecrow. "I'd look nice as a piece of
bric-a-brac, wouldn't I?"

"We must not fail!" cried Ozma, courageously. "Having come all this
distance to free these poor people, it would be weak and cowardly in us
to abandon the adventure. Therefore I will accept the Nome King's offer,
and go at once into the royal palace."

"Come along, then, my dear," said the King, climbing down from his
throne with some difficulty, because he was so fat; "I'll show you the
way."

He approached a wall of the cave and waved his hand. Instantly an
opening appeared, through which Ozma, after a smiling farewell to her
friends, boldly passed.

She found herself in a splendid hall that was more beautiful and grand
than anything she had ever beheld. The ceilings were composed of great
arches that rose far above her head, and all the walls and floors were
of polished marble exquisitely tinted in many colors. Thick velvet
carpets were on the floor and heavy silken draperies covered the arches
leading to the various rooms of the palace. The furniture was made of
rare old woods richly carved and covered with delicate satins, and the
entire palace was lighted by a mysterious rosy glow that seemed to come
from no particular place but flooded each apartment with its soft and
pleasing radiance.

Ozma passed from one room to another, greatly delighted by all she saw.
The lovely palace had no other occupant, for the Nome King had left her
at the entrance, which closed behin