"Are you really a soldier?" asked Woot, when they hadall watched this strange tin person parade up and downthe path and proudly flourish his sword.

"I was a soldier," was the reply, "but I've been aprisoner to Mr. Rust so long that I don't know exactlywhat I am."

"But -- dear me!" cried the Tin Woodman, sadlyperplexed; "how came you to be made of tin?"

"That," answered the Soldier, "is a sad, sad story Iwas in love with a beautiful Munchkin girl, who livedwith a Wicked Witch. The Witch did not wish me to marrythe girl, so she enchanted my sword, which beganhacking me to pieces. When I lost my legs I went to thetinsmith, Ku-Klip, and he made me some tin legs. When Ilost my arms, Ku-Klip made me tin arms, and when I lostmy head he made me this fine one out of tin. It was thesame way with my body, and finally I was all tin. But Iwas not unhappy, for Ku-Klip made a good job of me,having had experience in making another tin man beforeme."

"Yes," observed the Tin Woodman, "it was Ku-Klip whomade me. But, tell me, what was the name of theMunchkin girl you were in love with?"

"She is called Nimmie Amee," said the Tin Soldier.

Hearing this, they were all so astonished that theywere silent for a time, regarding the stranger withwondering looks. Finally the Tin Woodman ventured toask:

"And did Nimmie Amee return your love?"

"Not at first," admitted the Soldier. "When first Imarched into the forest and met her, she was weepingover the loss of her former sweetheart, a woodman whosename was Nick Chopper."

"That is me," said the Tin Woodman.

"She told me he was nicer than a soldier, because hewas all made of tin and shone beautifully in the sun.She said a tin man appealed to her artistic instinctsmore than an ordinary meat man, as I was then. But Idid not despair, because her tin sweetheart haddisappeared, and could not be found. And finally NimmieAmee permitted me to call upon her and we becamefriends. It was then that the Wicked Witch discoveredme and became furiously angry when I said I wanted tomarry the girl. She enchanted my sword, as I said, andthen my troubles began. When I got my tin legs, NimmieAmee began to take an interest in me; when I got my tinarms, she began to like me better than ever, and when Iwas all made of tin, she said I looked like her dearNick Chopper and she would be willing to marry me.

"The day of our wedding was set, and it turned out tobe a rainy day. Nevertheless I started out to getNimmie Amee, because the Witch had been absent for sometime, and we meant to elope before she got back. As Itraveled the forest paths the rain wetted my joints,but I paid no attention to this because my thoughtswere all on my wedding with beautiful Nimmie Amee and Icould think of nothing else until suddenly my legsstopped moving. Then my arms rusted at the joints and Ibecame frightened and cried for help, for now I wasunable to oil myself. No one heard my calls and beforelong my jaws rusted, and I was unable to utter anothersound. So I stood helpless in this spot, hoping somewanderer would come my way and save me. But this forestpath is seldom used, and I have been standing here solong that I have lost all track of time. In my mind Icomposed poetry and sang songs, but not a sound have Ibeen able to utter. But this desperate condition hasnow been relieved by your coming my way and I mustthank you for my rescue."

"This is wonderful!" said the Scarecrow, heaving astuffy, long sigh. "I think Ku-Klip was wrong to maketwo tin men, just alike, and the strangest thing of allis that both you tin men fell in love with the samegirl."

"As for that," returned the Soldier, seriously, "Imust admit I lost my ability to love when I lost mymeat heart. Ku-Klip gave me a tin heart, to be sure,but it doesn't love anything, as far as I can discover,and merely rattles against my tin ribs, which makes mewish I had no heart at all."

"Yet, in spite of this condition, you were going tomarry Nimmie Amee?"

"Well, you see I had promised to marry her, and I aman honest man and always try to keep my promises. Ididn't like to disappoint the poor girl, who had beendisappointed by one tin man already."

"That was not my fault," declared the Emperor of theWinkies, and then he related how he, also, had rustedin the forest and after a long time had been rescued byDorothy and the Scarecrow and had traveled with them tothe Emerald City in search of a heart that could love.

"If you have found such a heart, sir," said theSoldier, "I will gladly allow you to marry Nimmie Ameein my place."

"If she loves you best, sir," answered the Woodman,"I shall not interfere with your wedding her. For, tobe quite frank with you, I cannot yet love Nimmie Ameeas I did before I became tin."

"Still, one of you ought to marry the poor girl,"remarked Woot; "and, if she likes tin men, there is notmuch choice between you. Why don't you draw lots forher?"

"That wouldn't be right," said the Scarecrow.

"The girl should be permitted to choose her ownhusband," asserted Polychrome. "You should both go toher and allow her to take her choice. Then she willsurely be happy."

"That, to me, seems a very fair arrangement," saidthe Tin Soldier.

"I agree to it," said the Tin Woodman, shaking thehand of his twin to show the matter was settled. "May Iask your name, sir?" he continued.

"Before I was so cut up," replied the other, "I wasknown as Captain Fyter, but afterward I was merelycalled 'The Tin Soldier.'"

"Well, Captain, if you are agreeable, let us now goto Nimmie Amee's house and let her choose between us."

"Very well; and if we meet the Witch, we will bothfight her -- you with your axe and I with my sword."

"The Witch is destroyed," announced the Scarecrow,and as they walked away he told the Tin Soldier of muchthat had happened in the Land of Oz since he had stoodrusted in the forest.

"I must have stood there longer than I had imagined,"he said thoughtfully