English
ItdidnottakethemlongtoregaintheroyalcavernoftheNomeKing,whereKalikoorderedservedtothemthenicestrefreshmentstheplaceafforded.
RuggedohadcometrailingalongaftertherestofthepartyandwhilenoonepaidanyattentiontotheoldKingtheydidnotofferanyobjectiontohispresenceorcommandhimtoleavethem.
Helookedfearfullytoseeiftheeggswerestillguardingtheentrance,buttheyhadnowdisappeared;sohecreptintothecavernaftertheothersandhumblysquatteddowninacorneroftheroom.
ThereBetsydiscoveredhim.Allofthelittlegirl’scompanionswerenowsohappyatthesuccessofShaggy’squestforhisbrother,andthelaughterandmerrimentseemedsogeneral,thatBetsy’sheartsoftenedtowardthefriendlessoldmanwhohadoncebeentheirbitterenemy,andshecarriedtohimsomeofthefoodanddrink.
Ruggedo’seyesfilledwithtearsatthisunexpectedkindness.
Hetookthechild’shandinhisownandpresseditgratefully.
“Lookhere,Kaliko,”saidBetsy,addressingthenewKing,“what’stheuseofbeinghardonRuggedo?
Allhismagicpowerisgone,sohecan’tdoanymoreharm,andI’msurehe’ssorryheactedsobadlytoeverybody.”
“Areyou?”askedKaliko,lookingdownathisformermaster.
“Iam,”saidRuggedo.“Thegirlspeakstruly.I’msorryandI’mharmless.
Idon’twanttowanderthroughthewideworld,ontopoftheground,forI’manome.
Nonomecaneverbehappyanyplacebutunderground.”
“Thatbeingthecase,”saidKaliko,“Iwillletyoustayhereaslongasyoubehaveyourself;but,ifyoutrytoactbadlyagain,Ishalldriveyouout,asTititi-Hoochoohascommanded,andyou’llhavetowander.”
“Neverfear.I’llbehave,”promisedRuggedo.“ItishardworkbeingaKing,andharderstilltobeagoodKing.ButnowthatIamacommonnomeIamsureIcanleadablamelesslife.”
TheywereallpleasedtohearthisandtoknowthatRuggedohadreallyreformed.
“Ihopehe’llkeephisword,”whisperedBetsytoShaggy;“butifhegetsbadagainwewillbefarawayfromtheNomeKingdomandKalikowillhaveto‘tendtotheoldnomehimself.”
Polychromehadbeenalittlerestlessduringthelasthourortwo.
ThelovelyDaughteroftheRainbowknewthatshehadnowdoneallinherpowertoassistherearthfriends,andsoshebegantolongforherskyhome.
“Ithink,”shesaid,afterlisteningintently,“thatitisbeginningtorain.
TheRainKingismyuncle,youknow,andperhapshehasreadmythoughtsandisgoingtohelpme.
AnywayImusttakealookattheskyandmakesure.”
Soshejumpedupandranthroughthepassagetotheouterentrance,andtheyallfollowedafterherandgroupedthemselvesonaledgeofthemountainside.
Sureenough,darkcloudshadfilledtheskyandaslow,drizzlingrainhadsetin.
“Itcan’tlastforlong,”saidShaggy,lookingupward,“andwhenitstopsweshalllosethesweetlittlefairywehavelearnedtolove.
Alas,”hecontinued,afteramoment,“thecloudsarealreadybreakinginthewest,and—see!—isn’tthattheRainbowcoming?”
Betsydidn’tlookatthesky;shelookedatPolychrome,whosehappy,smilingfacesurelyforetoldthecomingofherfathertotakehertotheCloudPalaces.
AmomentlateragleamofsunshinefloodedthemountainandagorgeousRainbowappeared.
WithacryofgladnessPolychromespranguponapointofrockandheldoutherarms.
StraightwaytheRainbowdescendeduntilitsendwasatherveryfeet,whenwithagracefulleapshespranguponitandwasatonceclaspedinthearmsofherradiantsisters,theDaughtersoftheRainbow.
ButPolychromereleasedherselftoleanovertheedgeoftheglowingarchandnod,andsmileandthrowadozenkissestoherlatecomrades.
“Good-bye!”shecalled,andtheyallshouted“Good-bye!”inreturnandwavedtheirhandstotheirprettyfriend.
Slowlythemagnificentbowliftedandmeltedintothesky,untiltheeyesoftheearnestwatcherssawonlyfleecycloudsflittingacrosstheblue.
“I’mdreadfulsorrytoseePolychromego,”saidBetsy,whofeltlikecrying;“butIs’poseshe’llbeagooddealhappierwithhersistersintheskypalaces.”
“Tobesure,”returnedShaggy,noddinggravely.“It’sherhome,youknow,andthosepoorwandererswho,likeourselves,havenohome,canrealizewhatthatmeanstoher.”
“Once,”saidBetsy,“I,too,hadahome.Now,I’veonly—only—dearoldHank!”
Shetwinedherarmsaroundhershaggyfriendwhowasnothuman,andhesaid:“Hee-haw!”
inatonethatshowedheunderstoodhermood.
Andtheshaggyfriendwhowashumanstrokedthechild’sheadtenderlyandsaid:“You’rewrongaboutthat,Betsy,dear.Iwillneverdesertyou.”
“NorI!”exclaimedShaggy’sbrother,inearnesttones.
Thelittlegirllookedupatthemgratefully,andhereyessmiledthroughtheirtears.
“Allright,”shesaid.“It’srainingagain,solet’sgobackintothecavern.”
Rathersoberly,foralllovedPolychromeandwouldmissher,theyreenteredthedominionsoftheNomeKing.
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