STRANGE though the lands had been across which Prince Radiance had journeyed since he left his father’s kingdom, the one through which the flame now led him was the strangest of all. At one time he thought himself to be approaching a great palace, not brilliant and glittering like the Palace of Burning Coals, but looming dark and forbidding before his eyes. He wondered what manner of danger might await him there; yet when at last he stood before it, it dissolved from before[171] his sight as though it had never been. And beyond him, hastening toward a gloomy forest the flame of his Princess still seemed to lead on.

He reached the forest, and it, too, vanished into thin air, while before him the pale flame steadily pursued its way.

A great black cave became visible in the distance. Soon the flame reached it and disappeared into its mouth, yet when the Prince arrived, no cave was there, and flitting on in silence went the unresting flame. Thus he was deceived again and again, for whatever he saw was found to be naught as soon as he reached it.

“Saw I never so curious a land!” murmured the Prince. “Surely but a moment since I seemed to see a strange grey woman close by my side; yet now she is gone.” He turned to assure himself of[172] it, and as he did so, a faint laugh echoed through the air.

“Ah! I was not mistaken after all,” he whispered. “Someone laughed!”

Again, yet farther off, he heard the same echoing laugh, but though he looked sharply in the direction from whence it came, he still saw nothing. Paying no further heed to it Prince Radiance traveled onward with greater speed. Now at last he found that he was truly overtaking the flame. At times it stood still, then went slowly on, but finally, as if it meant to go no further it burned steadily in one spot.

“She waits!” exclaimed Radiance. “My Princess waits!” He ran to her, his heart filled with dread lest she should again take flight. He reached her, and opened his box in haste. He took the magic Veil from its shelter, and shook[173] its transparent folds over the waiting flame. Instantly the flame vanished, and Radiance watched with eager eyes for the appearance of his Princess in her true form.

But moment followed moment, the Veil drooped limp from his hand, and though the flame was gone, the Princess did not become visible.

Perceiving that he had been deceived once more, Prince Radiance cried aloud in his grief, “Alas! This also is nothing! I have followed a false flame!”

Overcome with pain and discouragement, he dropped the Veil unheeded to the ground, and buried his face in his hands.

A long grey shadow crept toward him from the gloom, and once more a faint laugh broke the stillness. It was so near that it startled the Prince, plunged[174] though he was in distress. He took his hands quickly from his eyes, and saw the creeping shadow, saw that with long arms outstretched it sought to reach and steal the mystic Veil that lay unprotected at his feet. Swiftly he bent, and snatched the Veil to himself. He restored it to the golden box, and fastened the box safely beneath his cloak.

“Ah!” breathed a voice from the shadow, “you were too quick for me. I so much longed to see closely this wonderful Veil that Flying Soot tells of.”

Prince Radiance, looking, saw the creeping shadow rise up and up until it became a tall woman, young and beautiful, dressed in long grey robes that swept in trailing webs from her arms and shoulders to her feet. Her black hair fell straight to her knees; her eyes were very dark, and looked as though they[175] never smiled, although even now, the Prince heard that strange laughter floating from her lips that had echoed in his ears as he had pursued the flame that he had believed to be his Princess.

He turned indignant eyes upon her. “Who are you that mock me thus?” he demanded, wondering as he spoke whether this could be the Earth Fairy in disguise.

The woman did not answer, but looked at him intently.

“Speak,” commanded the Prince. “Are you the wicked Earth Fairy, that you laugh so heartlessly?”

“No Earth Fairy am I,” replied the grey woman. “I am the Shadow Witch, and with me are all my servants.” She waved her arms, and out of the gloom, as she herself had done, sprang a host of pale grey figures who stood behind her[176] murmuring, “Yes, we are her servants—her servants the Shadows, who come and go at her behest.”

“And you it is, then, who have so cruelly deceived me, and lured me by your false flame from following my Princess,” cried Prince Radiance to the Shadow Witch.

“True enough,” she declared, “and why should I not?” She tossed her black hair from her face, and continued. “I grow so weary in this Land of Shadows, with none but my creeping servants about me, naught but my own grey magic to fill my hours. Seldom does a stranger cross through my land; more seldom have I a chance to look upon the magic of others. All the tricks of my brother, the Wizard of the Cave, I know by heart. I am tired of watching him play them day after day. Why[177] should I not lure you from your path if it gives me an hour of pleasure?”

“Surely you are the friend of the Earth Fairy,” exclaimed the Prince, “and you have led me here to steal my fairy Veil if you can, but be assured you will never obtain it in spite of all your craft.”

The Shadow Witch, who had bent her eyes upon the ground, raised them now, and turned upon the Prince an earnest gaze as though she rejoiced to look upon him. “I am no friend of the Earth Fairy,” she answered quietly. “She is nothing to me. I will tell you fully if you wish to know, why it is that I have brought you here. Of late as I sat unobserved in a corner of the Wizard’s Cave, where my brother dwells, I saw Flying Soot come in, and heard him say that he had work for my brother to do,[178] if he was willing. What could that mean but mischief? I crept close, yet taking care lest I should be seen, and listened keenly that I might lose nothing. Thus I learned all that Flying Soot had to tell him concerning yourself and Princess White Flame, and about the Veil that the Earth Fairy claims that you have stolen from her.”

“Nay,” interrupted ............