He arrived at the foot of the cliff and began to mount the steep path that led to the Cave's mouth. Up and up he went, still on his guard, but still seeing no foe and hearing no sound. Now on this side, now on that, deep and dark crevices yawned, but his feet went surely and safely on.

In one of these same crevices, Curling Smoke lay hidden, peering out with watchful eyes across the grey expanse, to catch the first glimpse of the ruddy stranger of whom Black Shadow had told him, yet under his very eyes the Prince was traveling and he saw him not.

At length Prince Ember reached the entrance to the Wizard's Cave.

Standing there, he looked first across the Plain and then into the gloom of the cavern, but no enemy was in sight. Quickly he removed the Cloak of Ash and then, as fairy raiment always may when fairy fingers press it, it became as small as a kerchief in his hand. He thrust it to a place of safety in his belt.

If Curling Smoke had but leaned a little farther out at that moment from the dark hollow in the cliff-side where he lay, he must surely have seen him, but crouching low, so that he might not be seen by the one for whom he watched, he saw nothing and did not guess that the Prince was actually within reach of his giant arms.

So, guarded from all his enemies, Prince Ember pa.s.sed into the Cave of Darkness, not knowing how well the Elf's good gift had already served him.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CHAPTER IX

Close to the mouth of the Cave of Darkness, but cleverly hidden from the view of any pa.s.serby, sat a company of Imps. They had been commanded to keep ceaseless watch at that point for the stranger Prince who was expected soon to appear, and they were instructed to seize him as soon as he attempted to enter the Cave and to bring him bound to their master.

The time had been long, and they were now yawning for very weariness, yet they dared not relax their vigilance, knowing, as they did, that they would be severely punished by the Wizard if they allowed the Prince to slip by them un.o.bserved.

At last one of the Imps arose and stretched himself, for his limbs were cramped and stiff. "I go to spy out over the Plain," he said. "I shall be absent but a moment."

His companions nodded indifferently, and he strolled slowly toward the entrance of the cavern. All at once, he stopped, transfixed with surprise, for at the Cave Mouth he saw for a single instant a richly glowing figure standing, one who could be no other than the stranger Prince, he for whom they waited. Scarcely had he seen it, however, than it disappeared.

He rushed back to his fellows. "The Prince is here!" he whispered hoa.r.s.ely. "I saw him at the Cave Mouth. To be sure he has vanished, but I know he is close by."

The Imps started to their feet, and stood ready, the ropes of darkness with which they were to bind the Prince clutched firmly in their hands.

But no one appeared, and when they searched the Cave Mouth, they did so in vain.

Presently they began to scoff at their companion. "Your eyes are wearied with long watching," they told him. "They have played you false. Come not to us with such idle tales."

"Nay, but I saw him," the Imp insisted. "Without doubt this Prince has the power to make himself invisible. Even now he may have slipped past us unseen. If this be so, and I fail to tell the Wizard what I saw, I shall surely be punished. I go to warn him."

The others shrugged their shoulders. "Go if you choose," they said. "For our own part, we think it not impossible that he lurks in some near-by hiding-place, from whence he steals forth at times, watching his opportunity to slip in un.o.bserved. He saw you, and has retreated to it.

We will keep close watch as before. He will return, and then we will secure him. If, on the other hand, he has power to make himself invisible, and pa.s.ses us unseen, we are not to blame."

Even as they spoke thus, Prince Ember stood near them, listening to their words. It was as the first Imp had suspected. On pa.s.sing into the Cave of Darkness, he had, by his own power of enchantment, made himself invisible, and having overheard the watchers talking together, he had paused, so that the Imp who had seen him might go before him and without being aware of it, would guide him directly to the Wizard.

The Imp did not stop to argue longer with his companions, but s.n.a.t.c.hed up a lantern, and sped off at once, and close behind him went the unseen Prince. As they went onward, Prince Ember saw opening to either side of them many hushed and gloomy pa.s.sageways, down which, without his guide, he might easily have strayed, but by his unexpected good fortune, and far sooner than, at the beginning of his journey, he had dared to hope, he came suddenly into the great Cave Hall. Its grim walls rose high on all sides, close hung with their swaying curtains of soot. The glistening fragments of charcoal that covered its floor, lay like a thick carpet beneath the feet.

In the centre of the vast room stood the Wizard, quite alone. Forbidding enough in himself, clad as he was in long black robes, over which his dingy beard fell from his grim face almost to his feet, he seemed yet more so because of the huge black urns that were ranged about him in a circle. The sides of the urns were covered with curious inscriptions, and only the Wizard knew by these signs what deadly mists and vapors were confined under their ponderous lids.

On a table at his side his case of evil wands stood open, and as he needed the one or the other for his enchantments, he lifted it out and waved it over the urn which he chose, muttering strange words meanwhile in an unknown tongue. His Book of Craft, also, lay open before him, so that he might diligently consult it before the working of each new spell. At this moment he was bending above it, wand in hand, reading intently.

Even in his zeal to disclose to his master what had happened at the entrance to the cavern, the Imp dared not tread within that circle of enchantment. He cast himself upon his knees without it, bowed low his head, and cried aloud, "Sir Wizard, oh, Sir Wizard! Harken!"

Interrupted in such unexpected fashion while he was in the midst of his wicked task, the Wizard turned abruptly and bent upon his servant a glance of dark displeasure. "How dare you disturb me in the working of my spells?" he thundered. "Have I not strictly forbidden any to tread within this Hall during the Hour of Enchantments?"

"Alas, that I should have ventured to disobey you, my master!"

stammered the Imp with trembling voice. He knew well the punishment that waited on disobedience, yet he feared far more what might be meted out to him if he should withhold that which he had come to say. "Only the news I bring," he continued humbly, "could have made me disobey your commands."

The Wizard perceived that this was a matter of real importance. He laid down his wand, therefore, and prepared to listen. "What is it that you have come to tell?" he demanded.

Encouraged thus, the Imp began. "As I stood near the Cave Mouth, I had a sudden vision of a stranger in ruddy garments. He stood at the entrance for an instant only, but plain to be seen against the light, and then vanished, I know not whither. It may be that my eyes deceived me, for when we made diligent search we could find no trace, but it may be, also, that he has made himself invisible, and is even now among us. Lest it might be this stranger Prince, perchance, for whom you bade us watch, I have left my companions on guard as before, while I came to tell you what I believe that I beheld. I dared not do otherwise."

"You have done wisely," commended the Wizard. "Without doubt it is the Prince of whom Black Shadow has told me, for she said that we may know him by his ruddy garments. Whether or not he has made himself invisible, he shall not escape me. If he is here, I shall surely find him out. Rise now, and return to your watch with the rest."

Silently the Imp arose and obeyed. Prince Ember standing but a little distance from the mystic urns, heard his swift footfalls echo down the corridor.

The Wizard stood for a moment wrapped in thought, but presently he laid down the wand which he held in his hand and chose another from the case.

He raised it aloft and waved it in a great circle above his head. "By the power of this wand," he exclaimed, "I bid any who stand invisible within this Cave Hall to become visible at once."

As he heard the words, Prince Ember's heart stood still. He knew not the power of the Wizard's wand, nor whether his own magic would surely be proof against it. But his own spell held firm, and he remained invisible.

So certain was the Wizard of the potency of his wand, that he smiled grimly and confidently when he saw none appear. Leaving the circle of his urns, he stepped to the entrance to the corridor, and drew his wand across it. "Let none pa.s.s this threshold unseen," he cried in a loud voice.

Satisfied that he now had made all secure, he returned, Prince Ember watching him meanwhile. He took his place amid the urns and replaced his wand in the box with its fellows. He dropped the lid and turned the key.

He closed and locked his Book of Craft, also.

Then he smote his hands together sharply and, at the signal, the Chief Imp came rushing to learn his desire.

"Take away these urns," the Wizard commanded, "and place my wands and book in safe-keeping."

The Chief Imp raised the Book of Craft from the table and bearing it carefully in his outstretched hands, disappeared with it from the Hall.

A moment later he returned and carried away the box of wands in the same manner. With him came many Imps, who laid hands upon the ponderous urns and with heavy rumblings rolled them slowly away out of the Cave Hall.

In the meanwhile Prince Ember stood still watchful beside the wall, waiting for some clue which would guide him to where the Shadow Witch lay imprisoned, for he knew well that without this he must surely go astray. He had not long to wait, for when presently the Imps came flocking back to the Cave Hall, as they were always free to do when the Hour of Enchantment was done, the Wizard gave a sign to his lantern-bearers.

"I go to visit my sister, the Shadow Witch," he said.

Immediately they s.n.a.t.c.hed up their lights and stood ready.

The Wizard crossed to the farther end of the Cave Hall and touched the wall with his wand. Prince Ember saw the wall part instantly in twain, revealing the dim corridor beyond it.

The Imps plunged quickly into it holding aloft their flickering lanterns that gave out but a feeble light in the gloom. The Wizard strode after them, and at his very side stole the Prince, overjoyed at this sudden and unexpected opportunity.

The Wizard paused and touched the wall again, and it closed soundlessly behind them. Then they went forward.

Deep and yet deeper, into the very heart of the Cave they penetrated, following its dark and winding ways. The Prince observed each turn closely, so that when he should return bringing with him the Shadow Witch, he might find his way out without error.

At length they reached the wall that barred her dungeon, and the Wizard struck upon it as he had the other. It yawned apart in its turn, and with such impetuous zeal did Prince Ember hasten toward the opening that he entered before the rest the sombre prison that lay within.

In the first moment he saw nothing, but as the Imps pressed into the room and ranged themselves along the walls, he was enabled, by the light of their glimmering lanterns to descry a dim bowed figure seated there.

It was the Shadow Witch. Her face was buried in her delicate hands. Her long black hair hung loose over her drooped shoulders and grey garments, and fell in ma.s.ses upon the ground. Plunged as she was in deep despair, even the opening of the wall had failed as yet to make her sensible of the coming of her brother and his servants.

Beholding her thus, Prince Ember was stirred to deepest pity, and his heart burned to speak some instant word of comfort. With a powerful effort he restrained himself, for to betray his presence to the Wizard now would be to encounter he knew not what evil power, to endanger his chance of delivering her whom he had come to save.