WHEN Ojo entered the room he ran quickly to
the statue of Unc Nunkie and kissed the marble
face affectionately.
"I did my best, Unc," he said, with a sob, "but
it was no use!"
Then he drew back and looked around the room,
and the sight of the assembled company quite
amazed him.
Aside from the marble statues of Unc Nunkie and
Margolotte, the Glass Cat was there, curled up on
a rug; and the Woozy was there, sitting on its
square hind legs and looking on the scene with
solemn interest; and there was the Shaggy Man, in
a suit of shaggy pea-green satin, and at a table
sat the little Wizard, looking quite important and
as if he knew much more than he cared to tell.
Last of all, Dr. Pipt was there, and the
Crooked Magician sat humped up in a chair,
seeming very dejected but keeping his eyes fixed
on the lifeless form of his wife Margolotte,
whom he fondly loved but whom he now feared
was lost to him forever.
Ozma took a chair which Jellia Jamb wheeled
forward for the Ruler, and back of her stood the
Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and Dorothy, as
well as the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry
Tiger. The Wizard now arose and made a low
bow to Ozma and another less deferent bow to
the assembled company.
"Ladies and gentlemen and beasts," he said,
"I beg to announce that our Gracious Ruler has
permitted me to obey the commands of the great
Sorceress, Glinda the Good, whose humble Assistant
I am proud to be. We have discovered that the
Crooked Magician has been indulging in his magical
arts contrary to Law, and therefore, by Royal
Edict, I hereby deprive him of all power to work
magic in the future. He is no longer a crooked
magician, but a simple Munchkin; he is no longer
even crooked, but a man like other men."
As he pronounced these words the Wizard
waved his hand toward Dr. Pipt and instantly
every crooked limb straightened out and became
perfect. The former magician, with a cry of joy,
sprang to his feet, looked at himself in wonder,
and then fell back in his chair and watched the
Wizard with fascinated interest.
"The Glass Cat, which Dr. Pipt lawlessly
made," continued the Wizard, "is a pretty cat,
but its pink brains made it so conceited that it
was a disagreeable companion to everyone. So
the other day I took away the pink brains and
replaced them with transparent ones, and now
the Glass Cat is so modest and well behaved
that Ozma has decided to keep her in the palace
as a pet."
"I thank you," said the cat, in a soft voice.
"The Woozy has proved himself a good Woozy and a
faithful friend," the Wizard went on, "so we will
send him to the Royal Menagerie, where he will
have good care and plenty to eat all his life."
"Much obliged," said the Woozy. "That beats
being fenced up in a lonely forest and starved."
"As for the Patchwork Girl," resumed the Wizard,
"she is so remarkable in appearance, and so clever
and good tempered, that our Gracious Ruler intends
to preserve her carefully, as one of the
curiosities of the curious Land of Oz. Scraps may
live in the palace, or wherever she pleases, and
be nobody's servant but her own."
"That's all right," said Scraps.
"We have all been interested in Ojo," the little
Wizard continued, "because his love for his
unfortunate uncle has led him bravely to face all
sorts of dangers, in order that he might rescue
him. The Munchkin boy has a loyal and generous
heart and has done his best to restore Unc Nunkie
to life. He has failed, but there are others more
powerful than the Crooked Magician, and there are
more ways than Dr. Pipt knew of to destroy the
charm of the Liquid of Petrifaction. Glinda the
Good has told me of one way, and you shall now
learn how great is the knowledge and power of our
peerless Sorceress."
As he said this the Wizard advanced to the
statue of Margolote and made a magic pass, at
the same time muttering a magic word that
none could hear distinctly. At once the woman
moved, turned her head wonderingly this way
and that, to note all who stood before her, and
seeing Dr. Pipt, ran forward and threw herself
into her husband's outstretched arms.
Then the Wizard made the magic pass and
spoke the magic word before the statue of Unc
Nunkie. The old Munchkin immediately came
to life and with a low bow to the Wizard said:
"Thanks."
But now Ojo rushed up and threw his arms
joyfully about his uncle, and the old man
hugged his little nephew tenderly and stroked
his hair and wiped away the boy's tears with a
handkerchief, for Ojo was crying from pure
happiness.
Ozma came forward to congratulate them.
"I have given to you, my dear Ojo and Unc
Nunkie, a nice house just outside the walls of
the Emerald City," she said, "and there you
shall make your future home and be under my
protection."
"Didn't I say you were Ojo the Lucky?"
asked the Tin Woodman, as everyone crowded
around to shake Ojo's hand.
"Yes; and it is true!" replied Ojo, gratefully.
THE END
