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"Now for it, Norah," said Karl getting up and offering her a hand, "the way down into dwarfland must be quite near here!" "Of course I know, I can find it at once," she answered. They searched carefully around for the great crack in the rocks, but could find nothing in the least resembling it. "How absurd; how can we miss it when it is certainly not more than a yard or two away," said Norah.
Some weeks passed. Karl and Norah became better friends every day. All Karl's previous notions of the universe had been knocked on the head by his visit to dwarfland. He had thought that he knew almost everything that there was to be known, but now he was always on the look-out for surprises. Moreover his love for Norah had opened his eyes.
So he fetched some large flat stones, placed them dexterously in the stream, and sprang across himself, then he held out a hand to Norah who stepped over as quickly and gracefully as a young deer. "Now I will tell you how it was you found me in dwarfland," said Karl as they walked on together. "I was at work on the new tunnel " "You'll not be telling me that you are a working man?" said Norah.
"I am no fairy princess, alas," said Norah, "but only a poor landlord's daughter. My father and I have the new hotel in Elm!" "O you must be the pretty innkeeper's daughter then of whom I have heard so much," said Karl. "Now isn't it funny, I had meant to stay the night at your hotel on the chance of seeing you, and now we meet under the earth in dwarfland romantic I call that!
He had never been to dwarfland before, and might never have the chance of visiting it again, and he did not wish to lose the opportunity of seeing all he could. "Are there any more of you?" he asked the dwarfs. "I should think so," they answered. "Hundreds and thousands of us live under this mountain."
The light of dawn shone on her wonderful hair; she had taken off her apron, and had on a white dress trimmed with gold, that fluttered as she mounted the steps. At the top she waited to take breath, and Karl easily caught her up. They gazed down into the depths beneath them, but no trace of dwarfland could they see.
"Why, the same way as we came out through the rocky gap; I know the way as well as anything, I have been there frequently," said Norah. It was early autumn; the evenings had begun to close in. Karl had managed to get off earlier than usual; still it was almost dusk as the two set out to go to dwarfland.
"I tell you what," she said, "we will go together to dwarfland. You can arrange about the electric light, and I will do some metal polishing; we will meet afterwards and come home again together, it will be splendid fun!" "How can we get there?" asked Karl somewhat dubiously.
Norah looked over his shoulder. On the parchment was written the following: WE, KARL HAMMERSTEIN, NORAH O'BRIAN, pledge our solemn oath Christmas Tree, that we will not attempt to visit dwarfland again, or molest the dwarfs in any way, by offering them modern inventions for which they have no use, etc., etc., or by revealing their secret chambers to the glaring light of day.
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