We may be sure that at this moment our friends were allanxious to see the end of the adventure that had causedthem so many trials and troubles. Perhaps the TinWoodman's heart did not beat any faster, because it wasmade of red velvet and stuffed with sawdust, and theTin Soldier's heart was made of tin and reposed in histin bosom without a hint of emotion. However, there islittle doubt that they both knew that a critical momentin their lives had arrived, and that Nimmie Amee'sdecision was destined to influence the future of one orthe other.

As they assumed their natural sizes and the rhubarbleaves that had before towered above their heads nowbarely covered their feet, they looked around thegarden and found that no person was visible savethemselves. No sound of activity came from the house,either, but they walked to the front door, which had alittle porch built before it, and there the two tinmenstood side by side while both knocked upon the doorwith their tin knuckles.

As no one seemed eager to answer the summons theyknocked again; and then again. Finally they heard astir from within and someone coughed.

"Who's there?" called a girl's voice.

"It's I!" cried the tin twins, together.

"How did you get there?" asked the voice.

They hesitated how to reply, so Woot answered forthem:

"By means of magic."

"Oh," said the unseen girl. "Are you friends, orfoes?"

"Friends!" they all exclaimed.

Then they heard footsteps approach the door, whichslowly opened and revealed a very pretty Munchkin girlstanding in the doorway.

"Nimmie Amee!" cried the tin twins.

"That's my name," replied the girl, looking at themin cold surprise. "But who can you be?"

"Don't you know me, Nimmie?" said the Tin Woodman."I'm your old sweetheart, Nick Chopper!"

"Don't you know me, my dear?" said the Tin Soldier."I'm your old sweetheart, Captain Fyter!"

Nimmie Amee smiled at them both. Then she lookedbeyond them at the rest of the party and smiled again.However, she seemed more amused than pleased.

"Come in," she said, leading the way inside. "Evensweethearts are forgotten after a time, but you andyour friends are welcome."

The room they now entered was cosy and comfortable,being neatly furnished and well swept and dusted. Butthey found someone there besides Nimmie Amee. A mandressed in the attractive Munchkin costume was lazilyreclining in an easy chair, and he sat up and turnedhis eves on the visitors with a cold and indifferentstare that was almost insolent. He did not even risefrom his seat to greet the strangers, but after glaringat them he looked away with a scowl, as if they were oftoo little importance to interest him.

The tin men returned this man's stare with interest,but they did not look away from him because neither ofthem seemed able to take his eyes off this Munchkin,who was remarkable in having one tin arm quite liketheir own tin arms.

"Seems to me," said Captain Fyter, in a voice thatsounded harsh and indignant, "that you, sir, are a vileimpostor!"

"Gently -- gently!" cautioned the Scarecrow; "don'tbe rude to strangers, Captain."

"Rude?" shouted the Tin Soldier, now very muchprovoked; "why, he's a scoundrel -- a thief! Thevillain is wearing my own head!"

"Yes," added the Tin Woodman, "and he's wearing myright arm! I can recognize it by the two warts on thelittle finger."

"Good gracious!" exclaimed Woot. "Then this must bethe man whom old Ku-Klip patched together and namedChopfyt."

The man now turned toward them, still scowling.

"Yes, that is my name," he said in a voice like agrowl, "and it is absurd for you tin creatures, or foranyone else, to claim my head, or arm, or any part ofme, for they are my personal property."

"You? You're a Nobody!" shouted Captain Fyter.

"You're just a mix-up," declared the Emperor.

"Now, now, gentlemen," interrupted Nimmie Amee, "Imust ask you to be more respectful to poor Chopfyt.For, being my guests, it is not polite for you toinsult my husband."

"Your husband!" the tin twins exclaimed in dismay.

"Yes," said she. "I married Chopfyt a long time ago,because my other two sweethearts had deserted me."

This reproof embarrassed both Nick Chopper andCaptain Fyter. They looked down, shamefaced, for amoment, and then the Tin Woodman explained in anearnest voice:

"I rusted."

"So did I," said the Tin Soldier.

"I could not know that, of course," asserted NimmieAmee. "All I knew was that neither of you came to marryme, as you had promised to do. But men are not scarcein the Land of Oz. After I came here to live, I met Mr.Chopfyt, and he was the more interesting because hereminded me strongly of both of you, as you were beforeyou became tin. He even had a tin arm, and thatreminded me of you the more.

"No wonder!" remarked the Scarecrow.

"But, listen, Nimmie Amee!" said the astonished Woot;"he really is both of them, for he is made of theircast-off parts."

"Oh, you're quite wrong," declared Polychrome,laughing, for she was greatly enjoying the confusion ofthe others. "The tin men are still themselves, as theywill tell you, and so Chopfyt must be someone else."

They looked at her bewildered, for the facts in thecase were too puzzling to be grasped at once.

"It is all the fault of old Ku-Klip," muttered theTin Woodman. "He had no right to use our castoff partsto make another man with."

"It seems he did it, however," said Nimmie Ameecalmly, "and I married him because he resembled youboth. I won't say he is a husband to be proud of,because he has a mixed nature and isn't always anagreeable companion. There are times when I have tochide him gently, both with my tongue and with mybroomstick. But he is my husband, and I must make thebest of him."

"If you don't like him," suggested the Tin Woodman,"Captain Fyter and I can chop him up with our axe andsword, and each take such parts of the fellow as belongto him. Then we are willing for you to select one ofus as your husband."

"That is a good idea," approved Captain Fyter,drawing his sword.

"No," said Nimmie Amee; "I think I'll keep thehusband I now have. He is now trained to draw the waterand carry in the wood and hoe the cabbages and weed theflower-beds and dust the furniture and perform manytasks of a like character. A new husband would have tobe scolded -- and gently chided -- until he learns myways. So I think it will be better to keep my Chopfyt,and I see no reason why you should object to him. Youtwo gentlemen threw him away when you became tin,because you had no further use for him, so you cannotjustly claim him now. I advise you to go back to yourown homes and forget me, as I have forgotten you."

"Good advice!" laughed Polychrome, dancing.

"Are you happy?" asked the Tin Soldier.

"Of course I am," said Nimmie Amee; "I'm the mistressof all I survey -- the queen of my little domain."

"Wouldn't you like to be the Empress of the Winkies?"asked the Tin Woodman.

"Mercy, no," she answered. "That would be a lot ofbother. I don't care for society, or pomp, or posing.All I ask is to be left alone and not to be annoyed byvisitors."

The Scarecrow nudged Woot the Wanderer.

"That sounds to me like a hint," he said.

"Looks as if we'd had our journey for nothing,"remarked Woot, who was a little ashamed anddisappointed because he had proposed the journey.

"I am glad, however," said the Tin Woodman, "that Ihave found Nimmie Amee, and discovered that she isalready married and happy. It will relieve me of anyfurther anxiety concerning her."

"For my part," said the Tin Soldier, "I am not sorryto be free. The only thing that really annoys me isfinding my head upon Chopfyt's body."

"As for that, I'm pretty sure it is my body, or apart of it, anyway," remarked the Emperor of theWinkies. "But never mind, friend Soldier; let us bewilling to donate our cast-off members to insure thehappiness of Nimmie Amee, and be thankful it is not ourfate to hoe cabbages and draw water --and be chided --in the place of this creature Chopfyt."

"Yes," agreed the Soldier, "we have much to bethankful for."

Polychrome, who had wandered outside, now poked herpretty head through an open window and exclaimed in apleased voice:

"It's getting cloudy. Perhaps it is going to rain!"