“Thatwasbetterthanfighting,”saidOzma,whenallourfriendswereassembledinthepalaceaftertheexcitingeventsofthemorning;andeachandeveryoneagreedwithher. “Noonewashurt,”saidtheWizard,delightedly. “Andnoonehurtus,”addedAuntEm. “But,bestofall,”saidDorothy,“thewickedpeoplehaveallforgottentheirwickedness,andwillnotwishtohurtanyoneafterthis.” “True,Princess,”declaredtheShaggyMan.“ItseemstomethattohavereformedallthoseevilcharactersismoreimportantthantohavesavedOz.” “Nevertheless,”remarkedtheScarecrow,“IamgladOzissaved.Icannowgobacktomynewmansionandlivehappily.” “AndIamgladandgratefulthatmypumpkinfarmissaved,”saidJack. “Formypart,”addedtheTinWoodman,“Icannotexpressmyjoythatmylovelytincastleisnottobedemolishedbywickedenemies.” “Still,”saidTik-Tok,“o-theren-e-miesmaycometoOzsomeday.” “Whydoyouallowyourclock-workbrainstointerruptourjoy?”askedOmbyAmby,frowningatthemachineman. “IsaywhatIamwounduptosay,”answeredTik-Tok. “Andyouareright,”declaredOzma.“Imyselfhavebeenthinkingofthisveryidea,anditseemstomethereareentirelytoomanywaysforpeopletogettotheLandofOz. Weusedtothinkthedeadlydesertthatsurroundsuswasenoughprotection;butthatisnolongerthecase. TheWizardandDorothyhavebothcomeherethroughtheair,andIamtoldtheearthpeoplehaveinventedairshipsthatcanflyanywheretheywishthemtogo.” “Why,sometimestheydo,andsometimestheydon’t,”assertedDorothy. “Butintimetheairshipsmaycauseustrouble,”continuedOzma,“foriftheearthfolklearnhowtomanagethemwewouldbeoverrunwithvisitorswhowouldruinourlovely,secludedfairyland.” “Thatistrueenough,”agreedtheWizard. “Alsothedesertfailstoprotectusinotherways,”Ozmawenton,thoughtfully. “JohnnyDooitoncemadeasand-boatthatsailedacrossit,andtheNomeKingmadeatunnelunderit. SoIbelievesomethingoughttobedonetocutusofffromtherestoftheworldentirely,sothatnooneinthefuturewilleverbeabletointrudeuponus.” “Howwillyoudothat?”askedtheScarecrow. “Idonotknow;butinsomewayIamsureitcanbeaccomplished.TomorrowIwillmakeajourneytothecastleofGlindatheGood,andaskheradvice.” “MayIgowithyou?”askedDorothy,eagerly. “Ofcourse,mydearPrincess;andIalsoinviteanyofourfriendsherewhowouldliketoundertakethejourney.” TheyalldeclaredtheywishedtoaccompanytheirgirlRuler,forthiswasindeedanimportantmission,sincethefutureoftheLandofOztoagreatextentdependeduponit. SoOzmagaveorderstoherservantstoprepareforthejourneyonthemorrow. ThatdayshewatchedherMagicPicture,andwhenitshowedherthatalltheNomeshadreturnedthroughthetunneltotheirundergroundcaverns,OzmausedtheMagicBelttocloseupthetunnel,sothattheearthunderneaththedesertsandsbecameassolidasitwasbeforetheNomesbegantodig. EarlythefollowingmorningafestivecavalcadesetouttovisitthefamousSorceress,GlindatheGood. OzmaandDorothyrodeinachariotdrawnbytheCowardlyLionandtheHungryTiger,whiletheSawhorsedrewtheredwagoninwhichrodetherestoftheparty. WithheartslightandfreefromcaretheytraveledmerrilyalongthroughthelovelyandfascinatingLandofOz,andingoodseasonreachedthestatelycastleinwhichresidedtheSorceress. Glindaknewthattheywerecoming. “IhavebeenreadingaboutyouinmyMagicBook,”shesaid,asshegreetedtheminhergraciousway. “WhatisyourMagicBooklike?”inquiredAuntEm,curiously. “Itisarecordofeverythingthathappens,”repliedtheSorceress. “Assoonasaneventtakesplace,anywhereintheworld,itisimmediatelyfoundprintedinmyMagicBook. SowhenIreaditspagesIamwellinformed.” “DidittellyouhowourenemiesdranktheWaterof‘Blivion?”askedDorothy. “Yes,mydear;ittoldallaboutit.Andalsoittoldmeyouwereallcomingtomycastle,andwhy.” “Then,”saidOzma,“Isupposeyouknowwhatisinmymind,andthatIamseekingawaytopreventanyoneinthefuturefromdiscoveringtheLandofOz.” “Yes;Iknowthat.AndwhileyouwereonyourjourneyIhavethoughtofawaytoaccomplishyourdesire. Foritseemstomeunwisetoallowtoomanyoutsidepeopletocomehere. Dorothy,withheruncleandaunt,hasnowreturnedtoOztolivealways,andthereisnoreasonwhyweshouldleaveanywayopenforotherstotraveluninvitedtoourfairyland. Letusmakeitimpossibleforanyoneevertocommunicatewithusinanyway,afterthis. Thenwemaylivepeacefullyandcontentedly.” “Youradviceiswise,”returnedOzma.“Ithankyou,Glinda,foryourpromisetoassistme.” “Buthowcanyoudoit?”askedDorothy.“HowcanyoukeepeveryonefromeverfindingOz?” “Bymakingourcountryinvisibletoalleyesbutourown,”repliedtheSorceress,smiling. “Ihaveamagiccharmpowerfulenoughtoaccomplishthatwonderfulfeat,andnowthatwehavebeenwarnedofourdangerbytheNomeKing’sinvasion,Ibelievewemustnothesitatetoseparateourselvesforeverfromalltherestoftheworld.” “Iagreewithyou,”saidtheRulerofOz. “Won’titmakeanydifferencetous?”askedDorothy,doubtfully. “No,mydear,”Glindaanswered,assuringly. “WeshallstillbeabletoseeeachotherandeverythingintheLandofOz. Itwon’taffectusatall;butthosewhoflythroughtheairoverourcountrywilllookdownandseenothingatall. Thosewhocometotheedgeofthedesert,ortrytocrossit,willcatchnoglimpseofOz,orknowinwhatdirectionitlies. Noonewilltrytotunneltousagainbecausewecannotbeseenandthereforecannotbefound. Inotherwords,theLandofOzwillentirelydisappearfromtheknowledgeoftherestoftheworld.” “That’sallright,”saidDorothy,cheerfully.“YoumaymakeOzinvis’bleassoonasyouplease,forallIcare.” “Itisalreadyinvisible,”Glindastated.“IknewOzma’swishes,andperformedtheMagicSpellbeforeyouarrived.” OzmaseizedthehandoftheSorceressandpresseditgratefully. 
