uickly, so skilfully, that the Wizard did not guess what
had happened. He snatched at the image but when he had almost grasped
it, it withdrew from him swiftly. When he pursued it, it darted now to
this side, now to that, with marvelous agility, always seeming just
within reach of his fingers, yet always just eluding them as they began
to close upon it, and each time he failed he heard the laughter that so
mocked him.

A triumphant smile stole over the face of the Shadow Witch, for she saw
plainly that she was still able to defend herself against him. Knowing
how easily she could escape now from the Cave Hall with Prince Ember,
she was about to beckon to him, but she was too late, for in that moment
the Wizard snatched more swiftly than he had yet done at the gliding
figure before the curtain, and this time not in vain. His hands closed
upon it, indeed, but closed on nothingness, and thus he learned that he
had once more been cheated by his sister's art.

Filled with wrath, he shouted words of enchantment, in a voice loud and
compelling, and in answer to them dense darkness descended swiftly over
all the Cave Hall, making it as black as the prison from whence the
Shadow Witch had escaped. That which she had not believed that he could
do here, he had done. Before the darkness her shadow curtain dissolved,
and she herself, crying aloud, sank down helpless to the Cave floor.

Now at last the Wizard was certain that she was utterly in his power,
was certain that there was none near to hear or answer the sharp cry for
help which she had given when she fell. He bent down through the gloom
to seize her, but as he did so, the darkness broke and fled, and in its
place a rich warm light came flooding through the Cave Hall. It shone
upon the evil face of the Wizard stooping there; it made plain the form
of the Shadow Witch where she lay.

Startled by this strange light, the Wizard threw back his head to
discover from whence it came, and beheld in the doorway the figure of
Prince Ember, standing with the Sword of Fire upraised.

It was from the Sword that this ruddy glow streamed forth, and as the
Prince advanced rapidly into the Cave Hall, the light grew more intense,
so that the Wizard could not bear to look upon its beauty, nor could he
bear the strong pure heat that flowed from the Sword as it drew nearer
and more near.

Anguish seized him, and a weakness greater even than he had felt before
the Sword of Flames in the han