all prisoners!

That was indeed a dreadful moment; for the heart of the Mountain of
Reality was a great gloomy cavern in which everything seemed quite
terrible. Nor would there have seemed any way of escaping from the
place. The light was but dim, so that objects were only obscurely
revealed. But it could be seen that the top of the cavern was very
high, while the walls were steep and formidable.

A weird sound arose. The high walls echoed it, the dark ceiling flung
it back. It went trembling into far places and returned, shattered yet
with its weird quality unabated.

It was the children weeping!

It seemed their hearts would break, because of the dreary place into
which they had been brought. And during this time the Masked Lady only
stood and looked upon the children silently.

Everychild could scarcely believe his own eyes, and he began a more
careful examination of the cavern.

He came upon water in half-hidden pools. "But," he reflected, "we
could not drink of this water if we were thirsty. It is quite black."

He examined the paths which led from one place to another. "We could
not walk in these paths," he mused, "because they are too rough."

He examined the natural stairways which led to the upper chambers of
the cavern. "But we could not climb those stairways," he decided,
"since they are too steep."

He came upon beds which had been spread for himself and his companions.
"We could not sleep in these," was his conclusion, "because they are
too hard."

And as he continued his examination he became aware that he was
standing close to Will o'Dreams; and something in his friend's manner
caused him to pause and observe him more closely.

Because of the fulness of his heart he put forth a hand and touched his
friend's arm. The arm trembled. And then the sad truth became known.
The scenes he had been called upon to witness here in the cavern had
been too much for Will o'Dreams. He had been stricken with blindness!

It did not seem strange to Everychild that he should wish to run
immediately and tell the Masked Lady of what had befallen the giant.
Surely he must have felt a certain confidence in her, after all!

But when she had been informed of the giant's plight she only said,
"Let us be patient."

And then she began to speak to all the children, calling their
attention to this matter or that. "Do not be afraid to drink of the
water," she said. "It seems black. That is only because i