when Polychrome, exquisitely
beautiful and dancing like a ray of light, entered the cavern.

"Oho!" cried the King; "a Rainbow under ground, eh?" and then he stared
hard at Polychrome, and still harder, and then he sat up and pulled the
wrinkles out of his robe and arranged his whiskers. "On my word," said
he, "you are a very captivating creature; moreover, I perceive you are
a fairy."

"I am Polychrome, the Rainbow's Daughter," she said proudly.

"Well," replied Ruggedo, "I like you. The others I hate. I hate
everybody--but you! Wouldn't you like to live always in this beautiful
cavern, Polychrome? See! the jewels that stud the walls have every tint
and color of your Rainbow--and they are not so elusive. I'll have fresh
dewdrops gathered for your feasting every day and you shall be Queen of
all my nomes and pull Kaliko's nose whenever you like."

"No, thank you," laughed Polychrome. "My home is in the sky, and I'm
only on a visit to this solid, sordid earth. But tell me, Ruggedo, why
my friends have been wound with cords and bound with chains?"

"They threatened me," answered Ruggedo. "The fools did not know how
powerful I am."

"Then, since they are now helpless, why not release them and send them
back to the earth's surface?"

"Because I hate 'em and mean to make 'em suffer for their invasion. But
I'll make a bargain with you, sweet Polly. Remain here and live with me
and I'll set all these people free. You shall be my daughter or my wife
or my aunt or grandmother--whichever you like--only stay here to
brighten my gloomy kingdom and make me happy!"

Polychrome looked at him wonderingly. Then she turned to Shaggy and
asked:

"Are you sure he hasn't seen the Love Magnet?"

"I'm positive," answered Shaggy. "But you seem to be something of a
Love Magnet yourself, Polychrome."

She laughed again and said to Ruggedo: "Not even to rescue my friends
would I live in your kingdom. Nor could I endure for long the society
of such a wicked monster as you."

"You forget," retorted the King, scowling darkly, "that you also are in
my power."

"Not so, Ruggedo. The Rainbow's Daughter is beyond the reach of your
spite or malice."

"Seize her!" suddenly shouted the King, and General Guph sprang forward
to obey. Polychrome stood quite still, yet when Guph attempted to
clutch her his hands met in air, and now the Rainbow's Daughter was in
another part of the room, as smiling and composed as before.

Several times Gup