“Cruelty,” remarked the monarch, puffing out wreathes of smoke and watching them float into the air, “is a thing I can’t abide.  So, as slaves must work hard, and the Queen of Ev and her children were delicate and tender, I transformed them all into articles of ornament and bric-a-brac and scattered them around the various rooms of my palace.  Instead of being obliged to labor, they merely decorate my apartments, and I really think I have treated them with great kindness.”

“But what a dreadful fate is theirs!” exclaimed Ozma, earnestly.  “And the Kingdom of Ev is in great need of its royal family to govern it.  If you will liberate them, and restore them to their proper forms, I will give you ten ornaments to replace each one you lose.”

The Nome King looked grave.

“Suppose I refuse?” he asked.

“Then,” said Ozma, firmly, “I am here with my friends and my army to conquer your kingdom and oblige you to obey my wishes.”

The Nome King laughed until he choked; and he choked until he coughed; and he coughed until his face turned from grayish-brown to bright red.  And then he wiped his eyes with a rock-colored handkerchief and grew grave again.

“You are as brave as you are pretty, my dear,” he said to Ozma.  “But you have little idea of the extent of the task you have undertaken.  Come with me for a moment.”

He arose and took Ozma’s hand, leading her to a little door at one side of the room.  This he opened and they stepped out upon a balcony, from whence they obtained a wonderful view of the Underground World.

A vast cave extended for miles and miles under the mountain, and in every direction were furnaces and forges glowing brightly and Nomes hammering upon precious metals or polishing gleaming jewels.  All around the walls of the cave were thousands of doors of silver and gold, built into the solid rock, and these extended in rows far away into the distance, as far as Ozma’s eyes could follow them.

While the little maid from Oz gazed wonderingly upon this scene the Nome King uttered a shrill whistle, and at once all the silver and gold doors flew open and solid ranks of Nome soldiers marched out from every one.  So great were their numbers that they quickly filled the immense underground cavern and forced the busy workmen to abandon their tasks.

Although this tremendous army consisted of rock-colored Nomes, all squat and fat, they were clothed in glittering armor of polished steel, inlaid with beautiful gems.  Upon his brow each wore a brilliant electric light, and they bore sharp spears and swords and battle-axes of solid bronze.  It was evident they were perfectly trained, for they stood in straight rows, rank after rank, with their weapons held erect and true, as if awaiting but the word of command to level them upon their foes.

“This,” said the Nome King, “is but a small part of my army.  No ruler upon Earth has ever dared to fight me, and no ruler ever will, for I am too powerful to oppose.”