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the good Sorceress was amazed to discover that her Great Book of Records
had mysteriously disappeared.
Advancing to the table, she found the chains had been cut with some sharp
instrument, and this must have been done while all in the castle slept. Glinda
was shocked and grieved. Who could have done this wicked, bold thing? And
who could wish to deprive her of her Great Book of Records?
The Sorceress was thoughtful for a time, considering the consequences of her
loss. Then she went to her Room of Magic to prepare a charm that would tell
her who had stolen the Record Book. But when she unlocked her cupboard
and threw open the doors, all of her magical instruments and rare chemical
compounds had been removed from the shelves. The Sorceress has now both
angry and alarmed. She sat down in a chair and tried to think how this
extraordinary robbery could have taken place. It was evident that the thief
was some person of very great power, or the theft could not have been
accomplished without her knowledge. But who, in all the Land of Oz, was
powerful and skillful enough to do this awful thing? And who, having the
power, could also have an object in defying the wisest and most talented
Sorceress the world has ever known?
Glinda thought over the perplexing matter for a full hour, at the end of which
time she was still puzzled how to explain it. But although her instruments
and chemicals were gone, her KNOWLEDGE of magic had not been stolen, by
any means, since no thief, however skillful, can rob one of knowledge, and
that is why knowledge is the best and safest treasure to acquire. Glinda
believed that when she had time to gather more magical herbs and elixirs and
to manufacture more magical instruments, she would be able to discover who
the robber was and what had become of her precious Book of Records.
"
Whoever has done this," she said to her maidens, "is a very foolish person, for
in time he is sure to be found out and will then be severely punished."
She now made a list of the things she needed and dispatched messengers to
every part of Oz with instructions to obtain them and bring them to her as
soon as possible. And one of her messengers met the little Wizard of Oz, who
was seated on the back of the famous live Sawhorse and was clinging to its
neck with both his arms, for the Sawhorse was speeding to Glinda's castle
with the velocity of the wind, bearing the news that Royal Ozma, Ruler of all
the great Land of Oz, had suddenly disappeared and no one in the Emerald
City knew what had become of her.
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