n she crept from side to side of her prison, groping her way
with her hands, for she could see nothing. She felt the heavy soot
curtains sway beneath her fingers; she felt the walls of charcoal, hard
and unyielding, behind them. It was as if the room were sealed. Thus she
learned that there was no faintest hope for her of escape--that she was,
as the Wizard had said, completely in his power.

Yet she did not give way to despair, for she knew that her servants were
many and faithful. "I will wait patiently," she whispered to herself.
"It cannot be long, for Creeping Shadow will not forget what I told
her--will not fail to come to my help."

[Illustration]

CHAPTER II

Creeping Shadow bore constantly in mind the parting words of her
mistress, and when she had waited patiently until many hours had passed
and still the Shadow Witch did not return, she knew the time had come to
go in search of her. Saying nothing to her fellow-servants of her
errand, she set out without further delay.

As she went through the garden and out into the dim stretches of the
Land of Shadows, she kept careful watch, that she might not overlook
her dear mistress, in case she should be approaching on her homeward
way.

She reached the Plain of Ash and stood for a moment to scan it far and
wide. Only the grey expanse, dotted with low hills and mounds of ash lay
before her. Not a living creature moved upon its surface.

Sure then that mischief had indeed befallen the Shadow Witch, she sped
away across the Plain, and with an anxiously beating heart arrived at
the entrance to the Cave of Darkness. She plunged into it. In the long
corridor that led to the Cave Hall, she met, from time to time, Imps
coming and going upon their master's business, and she hoped that they
might give her some news of her mistress.

"Tell me," she cried to one, "Is my mistress, the Shadow Witch still in
the Cave?" But the Imp laughed jeeringly in her face and disappeared,
making no answer.

A second servant of the Wizard passed her, and when she asked him the
same question, he gave her an impertinent reply and vanished also.

More uneasy, then, than ever, because of their behavior, she went on her
way in silence and came to the great Cave Hall. Never before had she
entered it alone. In a huge chair, near to the farther wall, she saw the
Wizard sitting. His shaggy brows were bent over a Book of Craft,