Princess Ozma was a very busy
little ruler, for she looked
carefully after the comfort and
welfare of her people and tried
to make them happy. If any quarrels
arose she decided them justly;
if any one needed counsel or
advice she was ready and willing
to listen to them.
For a day or two after Dorothy
and her companions had started
on their trip, Ozma was occupied
with the affairs of her kingdom.
Then she began to think of some
manner of occupation for Uncle
Henry and Aunt Em that would
be light and easy and yet give
the old people something to do.
She soon decided to make Uncle
Henry the Keeper of the Jewels,
for some one really was needed
to count and look after the bins
and barrels of emeralds, diamonds,
rubies and other precious stones
that were in the Royal Storehouses.
That would keep Uncle Henry busy
enough, but it was harder to
find something for Aunt Em to
do. The palace was full of servants,
so there was no detail of housework
that Aunt Em could look after.
While Ozma sat in her pretty
room engaged in thought she happened
to glance at her Magic Picture.
This was one of the most important
treasures in all the Land of
Oz. It was a large picture, set
in a beautiful gold frame, and
it hung in a prominent place
upon a wall of Ozma's private
room.
Usually this picture seemed
merely a country scene, but whenever
Ozma looked at it and wished
to know what any of her friends
or acquaintances were doing,
the magic of this wonderful picture
was straightway disclosed. For
the country scene would gradually
fade away and in its place would
appear the likeness of the person
or persons Ozma might wish to
see, surrounded by the actual
scenes in which they were then
placed. In this way the Princess
could view any part of the world
she wished, and watch the actions
of any one in whom she was interested.
Ozma had often seen Dorothy
in her Kansas home by this means,
and now, having a little leisure,
she expressed a desire to see
her little friend again. It was
while the travelers were at Fuddlecumjig,
and Ozma laughed merrily as she
watched in the picture her friends
trying to match the pieces of
Grandmother Gnit.
"They seem happy and are doubtless
having a good time," the girl
Ruler said to herself; and then
she began to think of the many
adventures she herself had encountered
with Dorothy.
The image of her friends now
faded from the Magic Picture
and the old landscape slowly
reappeared.
Ozma was thinking of the time
when with Dorothy and her army
she marched to the Nome King's
underground cavern, beyond the
Land of Ev, and forced the old
monarch to liberate his captives,
who belonged to the Royal Family
of Ev. That was the time when
the Scarecrow nearly frightened
the Nome King into fits by throwing
one of Billina's eggs at him,
and Dorothy had captured King
Roquat's Magic Belt and brought
it away with her to the Land
of Oz.
The pretty Princess smiled
at the recollection of this adventure,
and then she wondered what had
become of the Nome King since
then. Merely because she was
curious and had nothing better
to do, Ozma glanced at the Magic
Picture and wished to see in
it the King of the Nomes.
Roquat the Red went every day
into his tunnel to see how the
work was getting along and to
hurry his workmen as much as
possible. He was there now, and
Ozma saw him plainly in the Magic
Picture.
She saw the underground tunnel,
reaching far underneath the Deadly
Desert which separated the Land
of Oz from the mountains beneath
which the Nome King had his extensive
caverns. She saw that the tunnel
was being made in the direction
of the Emerald City, and knew
at once it was being dug so that
the army of Nomes could march
through it and attack her own
beautiful and peaceful country.
"I suppose King Roquat is planning
revenge against us," she said,
musingly, "and thinks he can
surprise us and make us his captives
and slaves. How sad it is that
any one can have such wicked
thoughts! But I must not blame
King Roquat too severely, for
he is a Nome, and his nature
is not so gentle as my own."
Then she dismissed from her
mind further thought of the tunnel,
for that time, and began to wonder
if Aunt Em would not be happy
as Royal Mender of the Stockings
of the Ruler of Oz. Ozma wore
few holes in her stockings; still,
they sometimes needed mending.
Aunt Em ought to be able to do
that very nicely.
Next day, the Princess watched
the tunnel again in her Magic
Picture, and every day afterward
she devoted a few minutes to
inspecting the work. It was not
especially interesting, but she
felt that it was her duty.
Slowly but surely the big,
arched hole crept through the
rocks underneath the deadly desert,
and day by day it drew nearer
and nearer to the Emerald City.
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