With a very firm voice Father Time replied:  “You may, and with it you shall prevail!”

Oddly enough, Everychild forgot for the moment that he was in peril.  He drew near to the Masked Lady, and he could see that she was smiling.  She placed the sword in his hand.

At first he held it awkwardly, yet he looked at it with shining eyes.  Then he turned about, holding the sword forward, as the Masked Lady had held it.  He could feel that the hilt of the sword was beginning to fit snugly into his hand.

Gradually a strange transformation occurred.  His body straightened, his eyes shone more than ever.  He took a step forward, and he knew that his knees were no longer trembling.  In a clear voice he cried out to the Giant Fear: 

“Defend yourself!”

But the giant reeled and trembled.  He tried to hold his bludgeon aloft, but his hands shook so that it nearly fell.  He became as pale as death, and it was quite impossible for him to meet Everychild’s eye.  He retreated with stumbling steps.  It seemed that he would fall.  His power had deserted him.

He made a last, terrible effort to lift his bludgeon; but Everychild darted forward with the speed of lightning, holding his sword before him.  It was a very sharp sword, and it pierced the giant’s body as easily as if the great creature had been made of paper.

The Giant Fear tottered.  His bludgeon slipped from his grasp and his eyes became dim.  He fell with a crash.  He was dead!

At that very moment a sound of distant music could be heard.  It was all very wonderful.  The music drew nearer; it sounded more loudly.

Everychild turned and restored the slim sword to the Masked Lady.

“Do you not wish to keep it?” she asked.

But it seemed to Everychild that he had no need of the sword, now that the Giant Fear was dead.  “Thank you, I shall not need it again,” he said.

She said, in a strange, sad voice, “Alas, the greatest need of my sword arises after fear is gone!”

But he scarcely heeded her now.  The sound of music was heard much nearer.  He lifted his eyes and beheld the door which had always stood between him and the world.  He drew nearer to the door.  It was wide open.

He heard the voice of Father Time:  “The moment has arrived for you to go, Everychild!”

He caught step with the music, which was very loud now.

He marched valiantly away.

CHAPTER III

EVERYCHILD ENCOUNTERS ALADDIN OF THE WONDERFUL LAMP

He knew he could go wherever he pleased, and so with very little delay he entered a deep forest.  It was evening and the wind was sighing in the great trees.  A winding road stretched before him like a gray ribbon.