The [sland Lady's Preson. 69

drew from her girdle a golden clam-shell closed in the form of
a bottle, which contained a perfumed liquid. With this she
bathed her companion’s face, and they dived together into the
lake, where the Indian found that she could breathe as easily
as in upper air.

“ Nothing could exceed the beauty of the prison where the
lady lived ; certainly Mulkgraub had given her a handsome resi-
dence, if he was harsh in other respects. It was a large glass
box, with a bell-shaped roof; a broad hall extended from one
entrance to the other, but there was not a dark corner in the
place where one could hide from the King’s searching eye.

“«He is coming,’ cried the lady, hiding the witch-child in the
folds of her robe. Then, as Mulkgraub entered one door, she
darted out of the other, and rising to the lake surface as far
as her chain would allow, placed the Indian on shore safely.
Once out of harm’s way the witch-child began to think of re-
leasing the lady from prison. She must ask King Rapp about
the matter. Accordingly she clapped her wings thrice, and a
Gnome stood at her elbow.

“Is King Rapp well?’ she asked, politely.

“*Of course,’ said the: Gnome, gruffly. ‘He is made of
metal.’

“Then he stamped on the ground, and away they went down
dark passages, through caves, past silent pools where the sun
never shone—down, down, until it ‘seemed as if they must
come out the other side of the world. Here she peeped into
vast treasure-houses of rich ore; there she paused before walls
of. mineral salt; and finally they reached the Gnome palace,

where the atmosphere was hot enough to bake one.