sesit.”

    “Shemusthavebeentoogreedyandwaomakeitbigasfastaspossibleandsolostmoney.”

    “No”saidMegginn“notreally.Retlythemarkethasbeensovotilethateveryonewhoownsstockshaslostabundle.Noonehasbee.Thismaybetheworstfinancialtsunamisihe1939depression!”

    “Really?”saidDimitri“It’sthatbad?”

    “Yes,itisandithasspreadalroundtheworld.IhavelongsiakeoeWorldBankisimmuosuchdownturns.Infact,itmaystandaloheonlybankthatis......”

    Ah-shakingexplosionfromacrossthekerockedtheroom,followedbysevebststhatshooktheverygrouoodon.Amaliawasstartledfromherdreamsandsatupinbeddazed.Asthebststinued,shegotoutofbedandwithoutbtoputonherslippersdashedbarefootdowairsshouting

    “Runeveryone,run!Theskyisfalling!”Thebeautiesrusheduptoherandfortedhersaying,

    “No,it’sok.Theskywon’tfall.It’sonlythefourthofJulyfireworks.It’sOK.”Megginnwalkedtothebackdoor,opeacradpeeredout.Shesawthatskiesacrossthekewerelitwithscarletfmes.Armswerewailingalround.Policecars,ambundfiretrucksrushedmadlytothese.Thepolitrolledthetraffidevacuatedresidents.Firemenwerebusyputtingouttherfmes,butMr.Kaffeeandhisgrouphadlohesite.Megginnsauffofsmokestreakacrosstheke.Shequicklyletitin.Afteringintothebackyear,thepuffofsmokemadestraightforthehalfemptygssofredwineandgedintoaerlily.Whitefairypanted,

    11

    “All’swell......Everythingisalright......Romihasbeensafelyevacuatedbyus......”

    “Whereisshenow?”askedDimitri.

    “Romihasbeenbadlyhurtbothmentallyandphysically.Mr.Kaffeehastakeoaprivateasylumwhereshecouldrestandrecover.Shesaidthatwhensheisbettershewilletoyou,begyivenessandgiveyouheratofpened.”

    “Solongassheissafethatisallthatmatters.Shehasdonenaoatforanything”Afterashortsilence,DimitriaskedWhiteFairy

    “pened?Howdiditend?Don’tkeepusinsuspense.Pleasetellusiaillthattookpight.Whatcausedthoseviolentexplosions?”

    RichardandJamazeachdroveacartothetemplebythekefollowedbyapuffofsmoke.TheyreyedDimitri’smessagetoMr.Kaffee.BigO,whowasstandingnearbysaid,

    “Ihavetakenanoathostepoutsidethedoorofthetemple,butitseemsthattodayIhavetobreakmyvow.Gettingridofevilpeopleisagooddeed.SiisDimitriwhoasksthisofus,weotjuststandbyuned,doingnothing.”

    “Yht”saidMr.Kaffeenodding.“Thetwoofususedtobeverybad,butoncewediscardedtheevilinourheartswehavebeenewpersons.”HethenaskedWhitefairyabouthowthingswerewithHawknoseandhisgang.ThoughthiswasthefirsttimehesawWhiteFairy,hefeltfortablewithher.HeknewalboutthemembersintheKingdomofDreamsandwasknowledgeableaboutthehappeningsthere.ThatwasonlytobeexpectedasthetraitorIleenhadbriefedhimiaibouteverythingandeveryoheKingdomofDreams.HeonceevensaoftheKingdom.

    “Timeisoftheessence”hesaid.“Thereisnotamiospareorallmightbelost.Let’sgetthevictimoutfirstwhiletheirdey.”Sothefourofthemplusthepuffofsmokesetoffatonce.BigOledthewayinMegginn’staxicabwithMr.KaffeeandWhitefairyattheback,followedcloselybyRichardandJamazintheirdipidatedtruck.Mr.Kaffe’sbrainswerewhirlingatrecordspeed,calghowtodeamortalblowattheehatwouldbesteady,precise,ruthlessandswift.Thebeginningwouldalsobetheend,

sesit.”

    “Shemusthavebeentoogreedyandwaomakeitbigasfastaspossibleandsolostmoney.”

    “No”saidMegginn“notreally.Retlythemarkethasbeensovotilethateveryonewhoownsstockshaslostabundle.Noonehasbee.Thismaybetheworstfinancialtsunamisihe1939depression!”

    “Really?”saidDimitri“It’sthatbad?”

    “Yes,itisandithasspreadalroundtheworld.IhavelongsiakeoeWorldBankisimmuosuchdownturns.Infact,itmaystandaloheonlybankthatis......”

    Ah-shakingexplosionfromacrossthekerockedtheroom,followedbysevebststhatshooktheverygrouoodon.Amaliawasstartledfromherdreamsandsatupinbeddazed.Asthebststinued,shegotoutofbedandwithoutbtoputonherslippersdashedbarefootdowairsshouting

    “Runeveryone,run!Theskyisfalling!”Thebeautiesrusheduptoherandfortedhersaying,

    “No,it’sok.Theskywon’tfall.It’sonlythefourthofJulyfireworks.It’sOK.”Megginnwalkedtothebackdoor,opeacradpeeredout.Shesawthatskiesacrossthekewerelitwithscarletfmes.Armswerewailingalround.Policecars,ambundfiretrucksrushedmadlytothese.Thepolitrolledthetraffidevacuatedresidents.Firemenwerebusyputtingouttherfmes,butMr.Kaffeeandhisgrouphadlohesite.Megginnsauffofsmokestreakacrosstheke.Shequicklyletitin.Afteringintothebackyear,thepuffofsmokemadestraightforthehalfemptygssofredwineandgedintoaerlily.Whitefairypanted,

    11

    “All’swell......Everythingisalright......Romihasbeensafelyevacuatedbyus......”

    “Whereisshenow?”askedDimitri.

    “Romihasbeenbadlyhurtbothmentallyandphysically.Mr.Kaffeehastakeoaprivateasylumwhereshecouldrestandrecover.Shesaidthatwhensheisbettershewilletoyou,begyivenessandgiveyouheratofpened.”

    “Solongassheissafethatisallthatmatters.Shehasdonenaoatforanything”Afterashortsilence,DimitriaskedWhiteFairy

    “pened?Howdiditend?Don’tkeepusinsuspense.Pleasetellusiaillthattookpight.Whatcausedthoseviolentexplosions?”

    RichardandJamazeachdroveacartothetemplebythekefollowedbyapuffofsmoke.TheyreyedDimitri’smessagetoMr.Kaffee.BigO,whowasstandingnearbysaid,

    “Ihavetakenanoathostepoutsidethedoorofthetemple,butitseemsthattodayIhavetobreakmyvow.Gettingridofevilpeopleisagooddeed.SiisDimitriwhoasksthisofus,weotjuststandbyuned,doingnothing.”

    “Yht”saidMr.Kaffeenodding.“Thetwoofususedtobeverybad,butoncewediscardedtheevilinourheartswehavebeenewpersons.”HethenaskedWhitefairyabouthowthingswerewithHawknoseandhisgang.ThoughthiswasthefirsttimehesawWhiteFairy,hefeltfortablewithher.HeknewalboutthemembersintheKingdomofDreamsandwasknowledgeableaboutthehappeningsthere.ThatwasonlytobeexpectedasthetraitorIleenhadbriefedhimiaibouteverythingandeveryoheKingdomofDreams.HeonceevensaoftheKingdom.

    “Timeisoftheessence”hesaid.“Thereisnotamiospareorallmightbelost.Let’sgetthevictimoutfirstwhiletheirdey.”Sothefourofthemplusthepuffofsmokesetoffatonce.BigOledthewayinMegginn’staxicabwithMr.KaffeeandWhitefairyattheback,followedcloselybyRichardandJamazintheirdipidatedtruck.Mr.Kaffe’sbrainswerewhirlingatrecordspeed,calghowtodeamortalblowattheehatwouldbesteady,precise,ruthlessandswift.Thebeginningwouldalsobetheend,