That which so moved the heart of the Prince to compa.s.sion, awoke only malicious delight in the Wizard's breast.

"Ah, my sister," he said mockingly, drawing near to her, "I find you less confident today than when we last met. Hope fades I see."

His voice aroused her. She lifted her head and raised herself slowly to her feet, and as she turned herself toward the Wizard, Prince Ember beheld her face for the first time.

He looked upon its wondrous beauty, he saw upon it the marks of the pain that she had endured, he gazed into the splendor of her great dark eyes, and love for her rose within him like a flood, a love so warm, so strong, that he knew instantly, and for a certainty, that in her he had found his true Princess, she whom he could not choose but love with his whole heart. Thrilled with joy because of it, he waited for her voice.

Silvery calm it fell upon his ear as she answered the Wizard. "Though hope may seem to fade for a moment, brother, it rises fast and soon, for there is that within my breast that tells me that you cannot always hold me thus."

She would have given much had the Wizard not found her sunken in despair, but since he had done so, she was determined that he should not guess how deep that despair had been.

The Wizard smiled contemptuously at her words, and added taunt to taunt.

"It tells you, perchance, of that Prince, then, who lingers near the Cave Mouth, seeking entrance, in the belief, no doubt, that he can succeed in s.n.a.t.c.hing you from this prison, and from my power. But let him not deceive himself. My guards are many and watchful-my friends without are strong and clever. He will never be able to escape all of these, try how he may."

The Shadow Witch started violently at such unexpected words. The help that she had yearned for had come! Prince Radiance, to whom she had been so true a friend, had not forsaken her in her need! That hope, of which she had boasted, and which had so nearly faded from her heart, sprang again to fulness of life. She threw up her arms in uncontrollable rejoicing, and her voice rang sweet and high and clear as she exclaimed: "Ah, he has come at last, the good Prince Radiance! He has not failed me! Think not that your guards can stay him. Think not that your evil friends are able to destroy him. He has conquered them once-he will conquer again. Already you yourself have felt his mystic power. You shall feel it once more, my brother, when he returns. I have done well to hope!"

"Nay, not so fast," the Wizard flung at her scornfully. "He who comes is not Prince Radiance, but some stranger prince. One who owes you no friendship, whose power is untested, who has no cause to brave great dangers for your sake-grey woman that you are. From the perils that he must meet he will soon turn back, if indeed he live to do so."

Undismayed, undiscouraged, the Shadow Witch bent her dark eyes upon him.

"What matter that he is a stranger?" she cried confidently. "They who come from that bright land count themselves no strangers to the weak and the defenceless. They have, too, their own n.o.ble magic, before which ours is powerless. In a moment when you think not it will be upon you, and its spell will overcome you. This prince is my friend! I know it well! The hour of my deliverance is at hand!"

Loud rang the laughter of the Wizard. Harsh and vibrant it filled all the room and echoed back from the gloomy walls. "Think you I would tell you of this prince, did I not know that he cannot reach you? Far hid from him are you, my sister," he triumphed, "so deep within this Cave, and behind such walls as he can never penetrate, whatever be his magic.

The secret that unlocks your dungeon lies with me only, and with those to whom I choose to entrust it. The spell that holds it fast is the all-potent spell of the Wizard of the Cave."

Proudly and boastfully he spoke, but all that he might say had no power to dim the hope and confidence of his sister. She deigned him no reply, but by her bearing he knew that she feared him not at all.

"When I come again," he jeered at her, "I will bring you further news of this good prince, and how his adventure fares. It will give you food for thought, perchance, as you sit here in your darkness."

"It will indeed sustain me, brother," she replied.

Prince Ember, near to her, though unseen, listening to her dauntless words, loved her yet more for her high courage and for her sorrowful beauty.

Still smiling scornfully, the Wizard turned away. The Imps knowing that he was now ready to depart, raised their lanterns. Their master touched the wall. It opened wide, and in an instant master and slaves were gone, and the walls met silently and grimly together behind them. Beyond its barrier their retreating footsteps grew fainter and yet fainter until soon they could no longer be heard.

Alone, as she believed herself now to be, in the imprisoning darkness, the Shadow Witch let fall her head and sighed deeply. "Ah, that the time may not be long," she murmured. "Ah, that this prince might hasten his coming, for I am very weary, even though I hope."

Then from the darkness near her came a voice. "Princess of the Shadows,"

it breathed, "I, Prince Ember am here."

At the words her heart leapt within her breast. She raised her head quickly, thinking to pierce the blackness that surrounded her and behold the one who spoke. As she did so the gloom melted, and in its place a soft warm glow flooded all her prison. By its rich light she saw before her a glorious figure, clad all in deepest rose-Prince Ember, freed from his dark disguise. The radiant brightness of his ruddy garments made warmth and light about him. His eyes, ardent and glowing, were bent upon her, filled with a tenderness of sympathy and compa.s.sion, with a fulness of love, that struck to her soul. His hands were stretched to her, his spirit drew her.

[Ill.u.s.tration: She saw before her a glorious figure, Prince Ember.]

A cry of wonder broke from the lips of the Shadow Witch. With her large eyes fixed upon him, sorrow fled from her face, and in its stead came joy where joy had never dwelt before. How had he come to her? she asked herself, to her in this dark prison? How had he pierced the thickness of those cruel walls? Why should his eyes rest with love upon her, the grey Shadow Witch? And yet it was true-he was here, this glorious prince-come to save her!

Her face dropped suddenly to her quivering hands, lest it should betray to him too plainly how her heart went out to him, in love and grat.i.tude.

Radiance, that first bright prince, had awaked her to keenest longings for a n.o.bler life, a truer magic. But he who stood before her now gave this, and more-gave love, brought happiness.

The Prince came nearer till he was close beside her, and as he did so, her cheek, till now so pale, flushed to a crimson glory against the dusky splendor of her hair. Gently he drew away her shielding hands and looked into her lovely face, bright as none but he had ever seen it.

Gently he raised her drooping head and looked into the sweetness of her eyes. "Dear Shadow Witch," he whispered tenderly, "come, ah, come with me, and leave behind forever the darkness of this evil place."

Low was her voice and soft as she made answer: "Happy, thrice happy am I, Prince Ember, that I may leave it with you."

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CHAPTER X

When the Wizard parted from his sister, he believed that she was hopelessly in his power, but as he proceeded on his way, he began to recall to himself how defiantly she had borne herself at the last, and with what confidence she had spoken. He remembered, too, how often she had baffled and eluded him before he had imprisoned her, and he knew that it was not entirely impossible that she might do so again. Could she but release herself from the deep darkness that surrounded her, all her own magic would return to her, and then, in spite of all his guards, she might be able by means of one of her clever tricks, to make her way to liberty.

Thinking of these things, he reached a bend in the corridor where two ways met. The one went directly on to the Cave Hall, but the other led away into that remote and dangerous part of the cavern where lay the Pit of Fumes. Thither he was wont to go to practice his most secret arts. No Imps ever dared to tread that way, for it was well known that none but himself could pa.s.s over it in safety.

He paused, for he suddenly bethought himself of how easily he could, by a stroke of enchantment, close with a wall the way to the Cave Hall and leave only that one open which led to the Pit of Fumes. Then if by some strange means his sister should contrive to escape from her dungeon, she would unsuspectingly go on to the Pit of Fumes. This she would be unable to pa.s.s, and would, therefore, be forced to return to the prison that she had left.

The Wizard laughed aloud, for the thought pleased him well. He determined to prepare this trap for her at once. Abruptly he bade the Imps to rest their lanterns. They did so and stood motionless with eyes fixed on their master. The Wizard bent on them his sternest gaze. "Let none dare to look upon that which I am about to do," he commanded.

Immediately his slaves fell upon their knees, and with eyes fast shut and heads bowed to the dust, meekly awaited his pleasure. It was as if they held their very breath, so deep was the silence of the Cave.

From beneath his cloak the Wizard drew his jet black wand. He waved it toward the walls and repeated, in a voice so low that none but himself could hear them, strange words of enchantment. Under their spell, the Cave walls began to draw slowly together, and before long they stood firmly closed across the way by whence he had come.

Replacing his wand, the Wizard turned to where his servants still knelt with guarded eyes. "Arise, and go forward," he commanded them.

With one accord they sprang to their feet, and without one glance behind to discover what their master had done, they went rapidly ahead of him.

While the Wizard departed in content, Prince Ember made ready to open the dungeon of the Shadow Witch so that she might go free. With her at his side he stood before the thick wall that barred the way to the corridor. He laid his hand upon his fairy sword, and unsheathed it. It glowed and burned with living fire.

With its bright point he touched the wall in that selfsame place where the Wizard was wont to pa.s.s through, and on its blackness he traced the scarlet outline of a door.

Breathlessly the Shadow Witch followed with her eyes the moving point of fire, followed it till the outline was complete, and the sword fell back into its sheath. Without a word, but with swiftly beating heart, she waited in her place by Prince Ember's side to see what wondrous thing that sword could do.

Wondrous indeed, for silently and of itself the door swung open, and the corridor that led to freedom was before her.

Prince Ember took her hand, and together they crossed the threshold, but when they had pa.s.sed it he paused, and spoke one charmed word. As silently as it had opened, the door closed behind them at its creator's command, and its outlines vanished, leaving the wall the grim unbroken barrier that it had been before.

"Ah, my good Prince!" whispered the Shadow Witch looking upon it. "What magic is yours!"

He spoke no word in answer, but raised her hand to his lips and kissed it.

Then they began their journey along the windings of the corridor, that stretched away and away into a gloom that seemed to have no end. Yet the place where they trod was bright about them, made so by the ruddy glow which streamed from the figure of Prince Ember. In the warmth and cheer of it the Shadow Witch glided happily, and as they left her prison farther and farther behind, she became more and more her former self, and again felt stirring to life within her that old-time power of magic of which she had been so long deprived.

They came at length to the wall which the Wizard had set to mislead his sister. Seeing nothing to arouse their suspicions, they went straight on. After traveling for some distance, however, Prince Ember all at once became aware that it was not the way over which he had gone with the Wizard and his servants. He stopped, and began to look sharply about him. On every hand it was unfamiliar to him.

The Shadow Witch saw that he was troubled, but she could not guess the reason. "What is it?" she asked anxiously.

"When we left the prison," he answered, "we took the way by which I had come to you. There was no other. But now it is not the same."