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〃Fear　nothing；　your　Highness。　　My　friend　and　I　are　not　so　helpless　as　you　think。　　We　consider　it　our　privilege　to　protect　and　save　you；　instead　of　your　saving　us；　and　we　are　really　able　to　do　this　in　spite　of　the　other　High　Ki　and　her　entire　army。〃

So　they　remained　quietly　in　the　palace　the　rest　of　that　day；　and　no　one　molested　them　in　the　least。　　In　the　evening　the　girl　played　and　sang　for　them；　and　the　ancient　pair　of　Ki　danced　a　double…shuffle　for　their　amusement　that　nearly　convulsed　them　with　laughter。　　For　one　danced　exactly　like　the　other；　and　the　old　men's　legs　were　still　very　nimble；　although　their　wrinkled　faces　remained　anxiously　grave　throughout　their　antics。　　Nerle　also　sang　a　song　about　the　King　of　Thieves　whom　Prince　Marvel　had　conquered；　and　another　about　the　Red　Rogue　of　Dawna；　so　that　altogether　the　evening　passed　pleasantly　enough；　and　they　managed　to　forget　all　their　uneasy　doubts　of　the　morrow。

When　at　last　they　separated　for　the　night；　Prince　Marvel　alone　did　not　seek　his　bed；　there　was　still　some　business　he　wished　to　transact。　　So　he　shut　himself　up　in　his　room　and　summoned　before　him；　by　means　of　his　fairy　knowledge；　the　Prince　of　the　Knooks；　the　King　of　the　Ryls　and　the　Governor　of　the　Goblins。　　These　were　all　three　his　especial　friends；　and　he　soon　told　them　the　story　of　the　quarrel　and　separation　of　the　twin　High　Ki；　and　claimed　their　assistance。　　Then　he　told　them　how　they　might　aid　him；　and　afterward　dismissed　them。　　Having　thus　accomplished　his　task；　the　fairy　prince　went　to　bed　and　slept　peacefully　the　remainder　of　the　night。

The　next　morning　the　blond　Ki…Ki　and　all　the　army　of　Twi；　which　had　been　won　to　their　cause；　came　climbing　up　the　silver　steps　and　over　the　wall　to　the　palace　of　the　green　High　Ki；　but　what　was　their　amazement　to　find　the　twin　palaces　separated　by　a　wall　so　high　that　no　ladders　nor　steps　they　possessed　could　reach　to　the　top！　　It　had　been　built　in　a　single　night；　and　only　Prince　Marvel　and　his　fairy　friends　knew　how　the　work　had　been　done　so　quickly。

The　yellow　High　Ki；　coming　downstairs　to　breakfast　with　her　friends；　found　herself　securely　shut　in　from　her　enemies；　and　the　bald…headed　old　Ki　were　so　pleased　to　escape　that　they　danced　another　jig　from　pure　joy。

Over　the　wall　could　be　heard　the　shouts　and　threats　of　the　army　of　Twi；　who　were　seeking　a　way　to　get　at　the　fugitives；　but　for　the　present　our　friends　knew　themselves　to　be　perfectly　safe；　and　they　could　afford　to　laugh　at　the　fury　of　the　entire　population　of　Twi。



18。　　The　Rescue　of　the　High　Ki


After　several　days　of　siege　Prince　Marvel　began　to　feel　less　confident　of　the　safety　of　his　little　party。　　The　frantic　Ki…Ki　had　built　double　battering…rams　and　were　trying　to　batter　down　the　high　wall；　and　they　had　built　several　pairs　of　long　ladders　with　which　to　climb　over　the　wall；　and　their　soldiers　were　digging　two　tunnels　in　the　ground　in　order　to　crawl　under　the　wall。

Not　at　once　could　they　succeed；　for　the　wall　was　strong　and　it　would　take　long　to　batter　it　down；　and　Nerle　stood　on　top　of　the　wall　and　kicked　over　the　ladders　as　fast　as　the　soldiers　of　Twi　set　them　up；　and　the　gray…bearded　Ki　stood　in　the　garden　holding　two　big　flat　boards　with　which　to　whack　the　heads　of　any　who　might　come　through　the　tunnels。

But　Prince　Marvel　realized　that　the　perseverance　of　his　foes　might　win　in　the　end；　unless　he　took　measures　to　defeat　them　effectually。　　So　he　summoned　swift　messengers　from　among　the　Sound　Elves；　who　are　accustomed　to　travel　quickly；　and　they　carried　messages　from　him　to　Wul…Takim；　the　King　of　the　Reformed　Thieves；　and　to　King　Terribus　of　Spor；　who　had　both　promised　him　their　assistance　in　case　he　needed　it。　The　prince　did　not　tell　his　friends　of　this　action；　but　after　the　messengers　had　been　dispatched　he　felt　easier　in　his　mind。

The　little　High　Ki　remained　as　sweet　and　brave　and　lovable　as　ever；　striving　constantly　to　cheer　and　encourage　her　little　band　of　defenders。　　But　none　of　them　was　very　much　worried；　and　Nerle　confided　to　the　maiden　in　yellow　the　fact　that　he　expected　to　suffer　quite　agreeably　when　the　Ki…Ki　at　last　got　him　in　their　clutches。

Finally　a　day　came　when　two　big　holes　were　battered　through　the　wall；　and　then　the　twin　soldiers　of　Twi　poured　through　the　holes　and　began　to　pound　on　the　doors　of　the　palace　itself；　in　which　Prince　Marvel　and　Nerle；　the　Ki　and　the　yellow　High　Ki　had　locked　themselves　as　securely　as　possible。

The　prince　now　decided　it　was　high　time　for　his　friends　to　come　to　their　rescue；　but　they　did　not　appear；　and　before　long　the　doors　of　the　palace　gave　way　and　the　soldiers　rushed　upon　them　in　a　vast　throng。

Nerle　wanted　to　fight；　and　to　slay　as　many　of　the　Twi　people　as　possible；　but　the　prince　would　not　let　him。

〃These　poor　soldiers　are　but　doing　what　they　consider　their　duty；〃　he　said；　〃and　it　would　be　cruel　to　cut　them　down　with　our　swords。　　Have　patience；　I　pray　you。　　Our　triumph　will　come　in　good　time。〃

The　Ki…Ki；　who　came　into　the　palace　accompanied　by　the　green　High　Ki；　ordered　the　twin　soldiers　to　bind　all　the　prisoners　with　cords。　　So　one　pair　of　soldiers　bound　the　Ki　and　another　pair　Nerle　and　the　prince；　using　exactly　the　same　motions　in　the　operation。　　But　when　it　came　to　binding　the　yellow　High　Ki　the　scene　was　very　funny。　　For　twin　soldiers　tried　to　do　the　binding；　and　there　was　only　one　to　bind；　so　that　one　soldier　went　through　the　same　motions　as　his　twin　on　empty　air；　and　when　his　other　half　had　firmly　bound　the　girl；　his　own　rope　fell　harmless　to　the　ground。　　But　it　seemed　impossible　for　one　of　the　twins　to　do　anything　different　from　the　other；　so　that　was　the　only　way　the　act　could　be　accomplished。

Then　the　green…robed　High　Ki　walked　up　to　the　one　in　yellow　and　laughed　in　her　face；　saying：

〃You　now　see　which　of　us　is　the　most　powerful；　and　therefore　the　most　worthy　to　rule。　　Had　you　remained　faithful　to　our　handsome　Ki…Ki；　as　I　did；　you　would　not　now　be　defeated　and　disgraced。〃

〃There　is　no　disgrace　in　losing　one　battle；〃　returned　the　other　girl；　proudly。　　〃You　are　mistaken　if　you　think　you　have　conquered　me；　and　you　are　wrong　to　insult　one　who　is；　for　the　time　being；　your　captive。〃

The　maiden　in　green　looked　for　an　instant　confused　and　ashamed；　then　she　tossed　her　pretty　head　and　walked　away。

They　led　all　the　prisoners　out　into　the　garden　and　then　through　the　broken　wall；　and　up　and　down　the　silver　steps；　into　the　great　square　of　the　cities　of　Twi。　　And　here　all　the　population　crowded　around　them；　for　this　was　the　first　time　any　of　them　had　seen　their　High　Ki；　or　even　known　that　they　were　girls；　and　the　news　of　their　quarrel　and　separation　had　aroused　a　great　deal　of　excitement。

〃Let　the　executioners　come　forward！〃　cried　the　Ki…Ki；　gleefully；　and　in　answer　to　the　command　the　twin　executioners　stepped　up　to　the　prisoners。

They　were　big　men；　these　executioners；　each　having　a　squint　in　one　eye　and　a　scar　on　the　left　cheek。　　They　polished　their　axes　a　moment　on　their　coat…sleeves；　and　then　said　to　Prince　Marvel　and　Nerle；　who　were　to　be　the　first　victims：

〃Don't　dodge；　please；　or　our　axes　may　not　strike　the　right　place。　　And　do　not　be　afraid；　for　the　blows　will　only　hurt　you　an　instant。　　In　the　Land　of　Twi　it　is　usually　considered　a　pleasure　to　be　executed　by　us；　we　are　so　exceedingly　skillful。〃

〃I　can　well　believe　that；〃　replied　Nerle；　although　his　teeth　were　chattering。

But　at　this　instant　a　loud　shout　was　heard；　and　the　twin　people　of　Twi　all　turned　their　heads　to　find　themselves　surrounded　by　throngs　of　fierce　enemies。

Prince　Marvel　smiled；　for　he　saw　among　the　new…comers　the　giants　and　dwarfs　and　the　stern　Gray　Men　of　King　Terribus；　with　their　monarch　calmly　directing　their　movements；　and　on　the　other　side　of　the　circle　were　the　jolly　faces　and　bushy　whiskers　of　the　fifty…nine　reformed　thieves；　with　burly　Wul…Takim　at　their　head。



19。　　The　Reunion　of　the　High　Ki


The　twins　of　Twi　were　too　startled　and　amazed　to　offer　to　fight　with　the　odd　people　surrounding　them。　　Even　the　executioners　allowed　their　axes　to　fall　harmlessly　to　the　ground；　and　the　double　people；　soldiers　and　citizens　alike；　turned　to　stare　at　the　strangers　in　wonder。

〃We're　here；　Prince！〃　yelled　Wul…Takim；　his　bristly　beard　showing　over　the　heads　of　those　who　stood　between。

〃Thank　you；〃　answered　Prince　Marvel。

〃And　the　men　of　Spor　are　here！〃　added　King　Terribus；　who　was　mounted　on　a　fine　milk…white　charger；　richly　caparisoned。

〃I　thank　the　men　of　Spor；〃　returned　Prince　Marvel；　graciously。

〃Shall　we　cut　your　foes　into　small　pieces；　or　would　you　prefer　to　hang　them？〃　questioned　the　King　of　the　Reformed　Thieves；　loudly　enough　to　set　most　of　his　hearers　shivering。

But　now　the　little　maid　in　yellow　stepped　up　to　Prince　Marvel　and；　regarding　the　youthful　knight　with　considerable　awe；　said　sweetly：

〃I　beg　you　will　pardon　my　people　and　spare　them。　　They　are　usually　good　and　loyal　subjects；　and　if　they　fought　against　metheir　lawful　High　Kiit　was　only　because　they　were　misled　by　my　separation　from　my　other　half。〃

〃That　is　true；〃　replied　the　prince；　〃and　as　you　are　still　the　lawful　High　Ki　of　Twi；　I　will　leave　you　to　deal　with　your　own　people　as　you　see　fit。　　For　those　who　have　conquered　your　pe