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Who put the air wall around the house?" was the Scarecrow's question.

Nimmie Amee did that."

Nimmie Amee!" they all exclaimed in surprise.

Yes," answered the rabbit. "She used to live with an old Witch, who was

suddenly destroyed, and when Nimmie Amee ran away from the Witch's

house, she took with her just one magic formula--pure sorcery it was--which

enabled her to build this air wall around her house--the house yonder. It

was quite a clever idea, I think, for it doesn't mar the beauty of the

landscape, solid air being invisible, and yet it keeps all strangers away from

the house."

Does Nimmie Amee live there now?" asked the Tin Woodman anxiously.

Yes, indeed," said the rabbit.

And does she weep and wail from morning till night?" continued the

Emperor.

No; she seems quite happy," asserted the rabbit.

The Tin Woodman seemed quite disappointed to hear this report of his old

sweetheart, but the Scarecrow reassured his friend, saying:

"Never mind, your Majesty; however happy Nimmie Amee is now, I'm sure

she will be much happier as Empress of the Winkies."

"Perhaps," said Captain Fyter, somewhat stiffly, "she will be still more happy

to become the bride of a Tin Soldier."

"She shall choose between us, as we have agreed," the Tin Woodman

promised; "but how shall we get to the poor girl?"

Polychrome, although dancing lightly back and forth, had listened to every

word of the conversation. Now she came forward and sat herself down just

in front of the Blue Rabbit, her many-hued draperies giving her the

appearance of some beautiful flower. The rabbit didn't back away an inch.

Instead, he gazed at the Rainbow's Daughter admiringly.

Does your burrow go underneath this Wall of Air?" asked Polychrome.

To be sure," answered the Blue Rabbit; "I dug it that way so I could roam in

these broad fields, by going out one way, or eat the cabbages in Nimmie

Amee's garden by leaving my burrow at the other end. I don't think Nimmie

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The Tin Woodman of Oz