“Come, come,” cried the Elf, “bestir yourself, or it will be too late.” Quickly the Prince bent over Princess White Flame to raise her in his arms, but before he could do so the Elf had laid a fuzzy ear to the heart of the unconscious Princess. “Ah, me,” he murmured, lifting his head, and regarding the Prince mournfully, “I fear she can never live to reach there. She should have warmth at this very moment.” Hardly had the Elf spoken, when Prince Radiance remembered his good Grey Pouch. He tore it open, took out a glowing coal quickly, and laid it over the heart of the Princess. What was his joy to see an exquisite roseate glow steal into her face, to feel her hand grow warm under its fairy touch. Then as it lay there warm against her heart, the eyes of the Princess opened slowly to behold Prince Radiance bending above her; her ears awoke to his voice calling tenderly, “White Flame, my own White Flame!” For a moment she gazed up at him lovingly, too overcome with joy to speak; then fear crept into her face, and she clung to him whispering, “The Earth Fairy!--where is she?” “Gone, gone forever,” the Prince assured her, drawing her closer to his breast. “Her wicked spells are broken. Fear her no more.” The Princess, beholding her hands, her figure, her shining garments, knew that it was indeed true, and gave a low cry of rapture. Prince Radiance raised her gently to her feet. “Come,” said he, “let me lead you home to your father, King Red Flame, as I have promised. He waits and yearns for you in his Palace of Burning Coals.” “Yes, let us go to him quickly, dear Radiance,” she answered. “Had it not been for you he must have waited always in vain.” So they set out, and the Elf of the Borderland went before them, and guided them to the boundary of the Land of Fire, by the nearest way. [Illustration] CHAPTER XV Far away in the Land of the Fire Fairies, King Red Flame mourned daily the loss of his dear daughter. As day followed day and no news of her reached him he became more and more fearful that he should never again look upon her exquisite flame, or hear her voice speaking to him in tenderness and love. The old nurse, Grey Smoke, did all that she could to hearten him, and as for herself, she never lost the hope and belief that at no distant day her beloved mistress would come safely home. The Fire Fairies spoke of her always in hushed voices, and when they repeated her story to one another as they worked or played, they would sigh, and whisper, “Ah, she was beautiful, our Princess White Flame--beautiful and good as none else.” But they spoke of her always as one who would never come again. At last one day King Red Flame could bear his anxious thoughts no longer. He left the Palace of Burning Coals, and took his way to the hut of the Wise One. There he hoped to find encouragement and counsel. Arrived at the low red door he knocked, and presently he heard the Wise One’s voice bidding him enter.