"Really, Mark, how can they be?"

I was silent for a moment. My mind wavered - turning from light to darkness and back again. The darkness of the Pale Horse, the light darkness and back again. The darkness of the Pale Horse, the light that Hermia represented. Good everyday sensible light, the electric that Hermia represented. Good everyday sensible light, the electric light bulb firmly fixed in its socket, illuminating all the dark corners. light bulb firmly fixed in its socket, illuminating all the dark corners. Nothing there - nothing at all - just the everyday objects you always Nothing there - nothing at all - just the everyday objects you always find in a room. But yet - but yet - Hermia's light, clear as it might find in a room. But yet - but yet - Hermia's light, clear as it might make things seem, was after all an artificial light. make things seem, was after all an artificial light.

My mind swung back, resolutely, obstinately.

"I want to look into it all, Hermia. Get to the bottom of what's going on." on."

"I agree. I think you should. It might be quite interesting. In fact, really rather fun." really rather fun."

"Not fun!" I said sharply.

I went on: "I wanted to ask you if you'd help me, Hermia."

"Help you? How?"

"Help me to investigate. Get right down to what this is all about."

"But Mark dear, just at present. I'm most terribly busy. There's my article for the Journal. And the Byzantium thing. And I've promised article for the Journal. And the Byzantium thing. And I've promised two of my students -" two of my students -"

Her voice went on reasonably - sensibly - I hardly listened.

"I see," I said. "You've too much on your plate already."

"That's it." Hermia was clearly relieved at my acquiescence. She smiled at me. Once again I was struck by her expression of smiled at me. Once again I was struck by her expression of indulgence. Such indulgence as a mother might show over her little indulgence. Such indulgence as a mother might show over her little son's absorption in his new toy. son's absorption in his new toy.

Damn it all, I wasn't a little boy. I wasn't looking for a mother - certainly not that kind of a mother. My own mother had been certainly not that kind of a mother. My own mother had been charming and feckless; and everyone in sight, including her son, charming and feckless; and everyone in sight, including her son, had adored looking after her. had adored looking after her.

I considered Hermia dispassionately across the table.

So handsome, so mature, so intellectual, so well read! And so - how could one put it? So - yes, so damnably dull! could one put it? So - yes, so damnably dull!

II.

The next morning I tried to get hold of Jim Corrigan - without success. I left a message, however, that I'd be in between six and success. I left a message, however, that I'd be in between six and seven, if he could come for a drink. He was a busy man, I knew, and seven, if he could come for a drink. He was a busy man, I knew, and I doubted if he would be able to come at such a short notice, but he I doubted if he would be able to come at such a short notice, but he turned up all right at about ten minutes to seven. While I was getting turned up all right at about ten minutes to seven. While I was getting him a whisky he wandered round looking at my pictures and books. him a whisky he wandered round looking at my pictures and books. He remarked finally that he wouldn't have minded being a Mogul He remarked finally that he wouldn't have minded being a Mogul emperor himself instead of a hard-pressed over-worked police emperor himself instead of a hard-pressed over-worked police surgeon. surgeon.

"Though, I dare say," he remarked as he settled down in a chair, "that they suffered a good deal from woman trouble. At least I escape that." escape that."

"You're not married, then?"

"No fear. And no more are you, I should say, from the comfortable mess in which you live. A wife would tidy all that up in next to no mess in which you live. A wife would tidy all that up in next to no time." time."

I told him that I didn't think women were as bad as he made out.

I took my drink to the chair opposite him and began: "You must wonder why I wanted to get hold of you so urgently, but as a matter of fact something has come up that may have a bearing as a matter of fact something has come up that may have a bearing on what we were discussing the last time we met." on what we were discussing the last time we met."

"What was that? - oh, of course. The Father Gorman business."

"Yes - But first, does the phrase The Pale Horse mean anything to you?" you?"

"The Pale horse... the Pale horse... no, I don't think so - why?"

"Because I think it's possible that it might have a connection with that list of names you showed me. I've been down in the country that list of names you showed me. I've been down in the country with friends, at a place called Much Deeping, and they took me to with friends, at a place called Much Deeping, and they took me to an old pub, or what was once a pub, called the Pale Horse." an old pub, or what was once a pub, called the Pale Horse."

"Wait a bit! Much Deeping? Much Deeping. It is anywhere near Bournemouth?" Bournemouth?"

"It's about fifteen miles or so from Bournemouth."

"I suppose you didn't come across anyone called Venables down there?" there?"

"Certainly I did."

"You did?" Corrigan sat up in some excitement. "You certainly have a knack of going places! What is he like?" a knack of going places! What is he like?"

"He's a most remarkable man."

"He is, is he? Remarkable in what way?"

"Principally in the force of his personality. Although he's completely crippled by polio -" crippled by polio -"

Corrigan interrupted me sharply.

"What?"

"He had polio some years ago. He's paralyzed from the waist down." down."

Corrigan threw himself back in his chair with a look of disgust.

"That tears it! I thought it was too good to be true."

"I don't understand what you mean?"

Corrigan said, "You'll have to meet the D.D.I. Divisional Detective- Inspector Lejeune. He'll be interested in what you have to say. Inspector Lejeune. He'll be interested in what you have to say. When Gorman was killed, Lejeune asked for information from When Gorman was killed, Lejeune asked for information from anyone who had seen him in the street that night. Most of the anyone who had seen him in the street that night. Most of the answers were useless, as is usual. But there was a pharmacist, answers were useless, as is usual. But there was a pharmacist, name of Osborne, who has a shop in those parts. He reported name of Osborne, who has a shop in those parts. He reported having seen Gorman pass his place that night, and he also saw a having seen Gorman pass his place that night, and he also saw a man who followed close after him - naturally he didn't think anything man who followed close after him - naturally he didn't think anything of it at that time. But he managed to describe this chap pretty of it at that time. But he managed to describe this chap pretty closely - seemed quite sure he'd know him again. Well, a couple of closely - seemed quite sure he'd know him again. Well, a couple of days ago Lejeune got a letter from Osborne. He's retired, and living days ago Lejeune got a letter from Osborne. He's retired, and living in Bournemouth. He'd been over to some local f in Bournemouth. He'd been over to some local fte and he said he'd seen the man in question there. He was at the f seen the man in question there. He was at the fte in a wheelchair. Osborne asked who he was and was told his name was Venables." Osborne asked who he was and was told his name was Venables."

He looked at me questioningly. I nodded.

"Quite right," I said. "It was Venables. He was at the fte. But he couldn't have been the man who was walking along a street in couldn't have been the man who was walking along a street in Paddington following Father Gorman. It's physically impossible. Paddington following Father Gorman. It's physically impossible. Osborne made a mistake." Osborne made a mistake."

"He described him very meticulously. Height about six feet, a prominent beaked nose, and a noticeable Adam's apple. Correct?" prominent beaked nose, and a noticeable Adam's apple. Correct?"

"Yes. It fits Venables. But all the same -"

"I know. Mr Osborne isn't necessarily as good as he thinks he is at recognising people. Clearly he was misled by the coincidence of a recognising people. Clearly he was misled by the coincidence of a chance resemblance. But it's disturbing to have you come along chance resemblance. But it's disturbing to have you come along shooting your mouth off about that very district - talking about some shooting your mouth off about that very district - talking about some pale horse or other. What is this pale horse? Let's have your story." pale horse or other. What is this pale horse? Let's have your story."

"You won't believe it," I warned him. "I don't really believe it myself." myself."

"Come on. Let's have it."

I told him of my conversation with Thyrza Grey. His reaction was immediate. immediate.

"What unutterable balderdash!"

"It is, isn't it?"

"Of course it is! What's the matter with you, Mark? White cockerels. Sacrifices, I suppose! A medium, the local witch, and a middle-aged Sacrifices, I suppose! A medium, the local witch, and a middle-aged country spinster who can send out a death ray guaranteed lethal. country spinster who can send out a death ray guaranteed lethal. It's mad, man, absolutely mad!" It's mad, man, absolutely mad!"

"Yes, it's mad," I said heavily.

"Oh! stop agreeing with me, Mark. You make me feel there's something in it when you do that. You believe there's something in something in it when you do that. You believe there's something in it, don't you?" it, don't you?"

"Let me ask you a question first. This stuff about everybody having a secret urge or wish for death. Is there any scientific truth in that?" a secret urge or wish for death. Is there any scientific truth in that?"

Corrigan hesitated for a moment. Then he said: "I'm not a psychiatrist. Strictly between you and me I think half these fellows are slightly barmy themselves. They're punch drunk these fellows are slightly barmy themselves. They're punch drunk on theories. And they go much too far. I can tell you that the police on theories. And they go much too far. I can tell you that the police aren't at all fond of the expert medical witness who's always being aren't at all fond of the expert medical witness who's always being called in for the defence to explain away a man's having killed some called in for the defence to explain away a man's having killed some helpless old woman for the money in the till." helpless old woman for the money in the till."

"You prefer your glandular theory?"

He grinned.

"All right. All right. I'm a theorist, too. Admttted. But there's a good physical reason behind my theory - if I can ever get at it. But all this physical reason behind my theory - if I can ever get at it. But all this subconscious stuff! Pah!" subconscious stuff! Pah!"

"You don't believe in it?"

"Of course I believe in it. But these chaps take it much too far. The unconscious 'death wish' and all that, there's something in it, of unconscious 'death wish' and all that, there's something in it, of course, but not nearly so much as they make out." course, but not nearly so much as they make out."

"But there is such a thing," I persisted.

"You'd better go and buy yourself a book on psychology and read all about it." all about it."

"Thyrza Grey claims that she knows all there is to know."

"Thyrza Grey!" he snorted. "What does a half-baked spinster in a country village know about mental psychology?" country village know about mental psychology?"

"She says she knows a lot."

"As I said before, balderdash!"

"That," I remarked, "is what people have always said about any discovery that doesn't accord with recognized ideas. Iron ships? discovery that doesn't accord with recognized ideas. Iron ships?

Balderdash! Flying-machines? Balderdash! Frogs twitching their legs on railings -" legs on railings -"

He interrupted me.

"So you've swallowed all this, hook, line and sinker?"

"Not at all," I said. "I just wanted to know if there is any scientific basis for it." basis for it."

Corrigan snorted.

"Scientific basis my foot!"

"All right. I just wanted to know."

"You'll be saying next she's the Woman with the Box."

"What Woman with a Box?"

"Just one of the wild stories that turn up from time to time - by Nostradamus out of Mother Shipton. Some people will swallow Nostradamus out of Mother Shipton. Some people will swallow anything." anything."

"You might at least tell me how you are getting on with that list of names." names."

"The boys have been hard at work, but these things take time and a lot of routine work. Names without addresses or Christian names lot of routine work. Names without addresses or Christian names aren't easy to trace or identify." aren't easy to trace or identify."

"Let's take it from a different angle. I'd be willing to bet you one thing. Within a fairly recent period - say a year to a year and a half - thing. Within a fairly recent period - say a year to a year and a half - every one of those names has appeared on a death certificate. Am I every one of those names has appeared on a death certificate. Am I right?" right?"

He gave me a queer look.

"You're right - for what it's worth."

"That's the thing they all have in common - death."

"Yes, but that mayn't mean as much as it sounds, Mark. Have you any idea how many people die every day in the British Isles? And any idea how many people die every day in the British Isles? And some of those names are quite common - which doesn't help." some of those names are quite common - which doesn't help."

"Delafontaine," I said. "Mary Delafontaine. That's not a very common name, is it? The funeral was last Tuesday, I understand." common name, is it? The funeral was last Tuesday, I understand."

He shot me a quick glance.

"How do you know that? Saw it in the paper, I suppose."

"I heard it from a friend of hers."

"There was nothing fishy about her death. I can tell you that. In fact, there's been nothing questionable about any of the deaths, the there's been nothing questionable about any of the deaths, the police have been investigating. If they were 'accidents' it might be police have been investigating. If they were 'accidents' it might be suspicious. But the deaths are all perfectly normal deaths. suspicious. But the deaths are all perfectly normal deaths. Pneumonia, cerebral hemorrhage, tumour on the brain, gallstones, Pneumonia, cerebral hemorrhage, tumour on the brain, gallstones, one case of polio - nothing in the least suspicious." one case of polio - nothing in the least suspicious."

I nodded.

"Not accident," I said. "Not poisoning. Just plain illnesses leading to death. Just as Thyrza Grey claims." to death. Just as Thyrza Grey claims."

"Are you really suggesting that that woman can cause someone she's never seen, miles away, to catch pneumonia and die of it?" she's never seen, miles away, to catch pneumonia and die of it?"

"I'm not suggesting such a thing. She did. I think it's fantastic and I'd like to think it's impossible. But there are certain curious factors. I'd like to think it's impossible. But there are certain curious factors. There's the casual mention of a Pale Horse - in connection with the There's the casual mention of a Pale Horse - in connection with the removal of unwanted persons. There is a place called the Pale removal of unwanted persons. There is a place called the Pale Horse - and the woman who lives there practically boasts that such Horse - and the woman who lives there practically boasts that such an operation is possible. Living in that neighbourhood is a man who an operation is possible. Living in that neighbourhood is a man who is recognized very positively as the man who was seen following is recognized very positively as the man who was seen following Father Gorman on the night that he was killed - the night when he Father Gorman on the night that he was killed - the night when he had been called to a dying woman who was heard to speak of 'great had been called to a dying woman who was heard to speak of 'great wickedness.' Rather a lot of coincidences, don't you think?" wickedness.' Rather a lot of coincidences, don't you think?"

"The man couldn't have been Venables, since according to you, he's been paralyzed for years." he's been paralyzed for years."

"It isn't possible, from the medical point of view, that that paralysis could be faked?" could be faked?"

"Of course not. The limbs would be atrophied."

"That certainly seems to settle the question," I admitted. I sighed.

"A pity. If there is a - I don't know quite what to call it - an organization that specializes in 'Removals - Human,' Venables is the organization that specializes in 'Removals - Human,' Venables is the kind of brain I can see running it. The things he has in that house of kind of brain I can see running it. The things he has in that house of his represent a fantastic amount of money. Where does that money his represent a fantastic amount of money. Where does that money come from?" come from?"