"Let's assemble what we've got, adding to our own knowledge the knowledge you've brought us. It seems reasonably certain that knowledge you've brought us. It seems reasonably certain that there is some agency or organization that specializes in what one there is some agency or organization that specializes in what one might call the removal of unwanted persons. There's nothing crude might call the removal of unwanted persons. There's nothing crude about the organization. It doesn't employ ordinary thugs or about the organization. It doesn't employ ordinary thugs or gunmen... there's nothing to show that the victims haven't died a gunmen... there's nothing to show that the victims haven't died a perfectly natural death. I may say that in addition to the three perfectly natural death. I may say that in addition to the three deaths you've mentioned, we've got a certain amount of rather deaths you've mentioned, we've got a certain amount of rather indefinite information about some of the others - deaths were from indefinite information about some of the others - deaths were from natural causes in each instance, but there were those who profited natural causes in each instance, but there were those who profited by these deaths. No evidence, mind you. by these deaths. No evidence, mind you.

"It's clever, damnably clever, Mr Easterbrook. Whoever thought it out - and it's been thought out in great detail - has brains. We've out - and it's been thought out in great detail - has brains. We've only got hold of a few scattered names. Heaven knows how many only got hold of a few scattered names. Heaven knows how many more of them there are - how widespread the whole thing may be. more of them there are - how widespread the whole thing may be. And we've only got the few names we have got, by the accident of a And we've only got the few names we have got, by the accident of a woman knowing herself to be dying, and wanting to make her woman knowing herself to be dying, and wanting to make her peace with heaven." peace with heaven."

He shook his head angrily, and then went on: "This woman, Thyrza Grey; you say she boasted to you about her powers! Well, she can do so with impunity. Charge her with murder, powers! Well, she can do so with impunity. Charge her with murder, put her in the dock, let her trumpet to heaven and a jury that she put her in the dock, let her trumpet to heaven and a jury that she has released people from the toils of this world by willpower or has released people from the toils of this world by willpower or weaving spells - or what have you. She wouldn't be guilty according weaving spells - or what have you. She wouldn't be guilty according to the law. She's never been near the people who died, we've to the law. She's never been near the people who died, we've checked on that, she hasn't sent them poisoned chocolates through checked on that, she hasn't sent them poisoned chocolates through the post or anything of that kind. According to her own account, the post or anything of that kind. According to her own account, she just sits in a room and employs telepathy! Why, the whole thing she just sits in a room and employs telepathy! Why, the whole thing would be laughed out of court!" would be laughed out of court!"

I murmured: "But Lu and Aengus laugh not. Nor any in the high celestial House."

"What's that?"

"Sorry. A quotation from the 'Immortal Hour.'"

"Well, it's true enough. The devils in Hell are laughing but not the Host of Heaven. It's an - an evil business, Mr Easterbrook." Host of Heaven. It's an - an evil business, Mr Easterbrook."

"Yes," I said. "It's a word that we don't use very much nowadays. But it's the only word applicable here. That's why -" But it's the only word applicable here. That's why -"

"Yes?"

Lejeune looked at me inquiringly.

I spoke in a rush. "I think there's a chance - a possible chance - of getting to know a bit more about all this. I, and a friend of mine have getting to know a bit more about all this. I, and a friend of mine have worked out a plan. You may think it very silly -" worked out a plan. You may think it very silly -"

"I'll be the judge of that."

"First of all, I take it from what you've said, that you are sure in your mind that there is such an organization as the one we've been mind that there is such an organization as the one we've been discussing, and that it works?" discussing, and that it works?"

"It certainly works."

"But you don't know how it works? The first steps are already formulated. The individual I call the client hears vaguely about this formulated. The individual I call the client hears vaguely about this organization, gets to know more about it, is sent to Mr Bradley in organization, gets to know more about it, is sent to Mr Bradley in Birmingham, and decides that he will go ahead. He enters into Birmingham, and decides that he will go ahead. He enters into some agreement with Bradley, and then is, or so I presume, sent to some agreement with Bradley, and then is, or so I presume, sent to the Pale Horse. But what happens after that, we don't know! What, the Pale Horse. But what happens after that, we don't know! What, exactly, happens at the Pale Horse? Somebody's got to go and find exactly, happens at the Pale Horse? Somebody's got to go and find out." out."

"Go on."

"Because until we do know, exactly, what Thyrza Grey actually does, we can't get any further. Your police doctor, Jim Corrigan, does, we can't get any further. Your police doctor, Jim Corrigan, says the whole idea is poppycock - but is it, Inspector Lejeune, is says the whole idea is poppycock - but is it, Inspector Lejeune, is it?" it?"

Lejeune sighed.

"You know what I'd answer - what any sane person would answer - the answer would be 'Yes, of course it is!' - but I'm speaking now the answer would be 'Yes, of course it is!' - but I'm speaking now unofficially. Very odd things have happened during the last hundred unofficially. Very odd things have happened during the last hundred years. Would anyone have believed seventy years ago that a person years. Would anyone have believed seventy years ago that a person could hear Big Ben strike twelve on a little box and after it had could hear Big Ben strike twelve on a little box and after it had finished striking, hear it again with his own ears through the finished striking, hear it again with his own ears through the window, from the actual clock itself - and no jiggery pokery? But window, from the actual clock itself - and no jiggery pokery? But Big Ben struck once - not twice - the sound was brought to the ears Big Ben struck once - not twice - the sound was brought to the ears of the person by two different kinds of waves! Would you believe of the person by two different kinds of waves! Would you believe you could hear a man speaking in New York in your own drawing you could hear a man speaking in New York in your own drawing room, without so much as a connecting wire? Would you have room, without so much as a connecting wire? Would you have believed - Oh! a dozen other things - things that are now everyday believed - Oh! a dozen other things - things that are now everyday knowledge that a child gabbles off?" knowledge that a child gabbles off?"

"In other words, anything's possible?"

"That's what I mean. If you ask me if Thyrza Grey can kill someone by rolling her eyes or going into a trance, or projecting her will, I by rolling her eyes or going into a trance, or projecting her will, I still say 'No.' But I'm not sure. How can I be? If she's stumbled on still say 'No.' But I'm not sure. How can I be? If she's stumbled on something -" something -"

"Yes," I said. "The supernatural seems supernatural. But the science of tomorrow is the supernatural of today." science of tomorrow is the supernatural of today."

"I'm not talking officially, mind," Lejeune warned me.

"Man, you're talking sense. And the answer is, someone has got to go and see what actually happens. That's what I propose to do - go go and see what actually happens. That's what I propose to do - go and see." and see."

Lejeune stared at me.

"The way's already paved," I said.

I settled down then, and told him about it. I told him exactly what I and a friend of mine planned to do. and a friend of mine planned to do.

He listened frowning and pulling at his lower lip.

"Mr Easterbrook, I see your point. Circumstances have, so to speak, given you the entr speak, given you the entre. But I don't know whether you fully realize that what you are proposing to do may be dangerous - these realize that what you are proposing to do may be dangerous - these are dangerous people. It may be dangerous for you - but it will are dangerous people. It may be dangerous for you - but it will certainly be dangerous for your friend." certainly be dangerous for your friend."

"I know," I said, "I know... we've been over it a hundred times. I don't like her playing the part she's going to play. But she's don't like her playing the part she's going to play. But she's determined - absolutely determined. Damn it all, she wants to!" determined - absolutely determined. Damn it all, she wants to!"

Lejeune said unexpectedly: "She's a redhead, didn't you say?"

"Yes," I said, startled.

"You can never argue with a redhead," said Lejeune. "Don't I know it!" it!"

I wondered if his wife was one.

Chapter 16.

I felt absolutely no nervousness on my second visit to Bradley. In fact, I enjoyed it. fact, I enjoyed it.

"Think yourself into the part," Ginger urged me, before I set off, and that was exactly what I tried to do. that was exactly what I tried to do.

Mr Bradley greeted me with a welcoming smile.

"Very pleased to see you," he said, advancing a podgy hand. "So you've been thinking your little problem over, have you? Well, as I you've been thinking your little problem over, have you? Well, as I said, no hurry. Take your time." said, no hurry. Take your time."

I said, "That's just what I can't do. It's - well - it's rather urgent..."

Bradley looked me over. He noted my nervous manner, the way I avoided his eyes, the clumsiness of my hands as I dropped my hat. avoided his eyes, the clumsiness of my hands as I dropped my hat.

"Well, well," he said. "Let's see what we can do about things. You want to have a little bet on something, is that it? Nothing like a want to have a little bet on something, is that it? Nothing like a sporting flutter to take one's mind off one's - er - troubles." sporting flutter to take one's mind off one's - er - troubles."

"It's like this -" I said, and came to a dead stop.

I left it to Bradley to do his stuff. He did it.

"I see you're a bit nervous," he said. "Cautious. I approve of caution. Never say anything your mother shouldn't hear about! caution. Never say anything your mother shouldn't hear about!

Now, perhaps you have some idea that this office of mine might have a bug in it?" have a bug in it?"

I didn't understand and my face showed it.

"Slang term for a microphone," he explained. "Tape recorders. All that sort of thing. No, I give you my personal word of honour that that sort of thing. No, I give you my personal word of honour that there's nothing of that sort here. Our conversation will not be there's nothing of that sort here. Our conversation will not be recorded in any way. And if you don't believe me," his candour was recorded in any way. And if you don't believe me," his candour was quite engaging, "and why should you? - you've a perfect right to quite engaging, "and why should you? - you've a perfect right to name a place of your own, a restaurant, the waiting room in one of name a place of your own, a restaurant, the waiting room in one of our dear English railway stations; and we'll discuss the matter there our dear English railway stations; and we'll discuss the matter there instead." instead."

I said that I was sure it was quite all right here.

"Sensible! That sort of thing wouldn't pay us, I assure you. Neither you nor I is going to say a word that, in legal parlance, could be you nor I is going to say a word that, in legal parlance, could be 'used against us.' Now let's start this way. There's something worrying you. You find me sympathetic and you feel you'd like to tell worrying you. You find me sympathetic and you feel you'd like to tell me about it. I'm a man of experience and I might be able to advise me about it. I'm a man of experience and I might be able to advise you. A trouble shared is a trouble halved, as they say. Suppose we you. A trouble shared is a trouble halved, as they say. Suppose we put it like that?" put it like that?"

We put it like that, and I stumbled into my story.

Mr Bradley was very adroit. He prompted, eased over difficult words and phrases. So good was he, that I felt no difficulty at all in words and phrases. So good was he, that I felt no difficulty at all in telling him about my youthful infatuation for Doreen and our telling him about my youthful infatuation for Doreen and our secretive marriage. secretive marriage.

"Happens so often," he said, shaking his head. "So often. Understandable! Young man with ideals. Genuinely pretty girl. And Understandable! Young man with ideals. Genuinely pretty girl. And there you are. Man and wife before you can say Jack Robinson. And there you are. Man and wife before you can say Jack Robinson. And what comes of it?" what comes of it?"

I went on to tell him what came of it.

Here I was purposefully vague over details. The man I was trying to present would not have gone into sordid details. I presented only a present would not have gone into sordid details. I presented only a picture of disillusionment - a young fool realizing that he had been a picture of disillusionment - a young fool realizing that he had been a young fool. young fool.

I let it be assumed that there had been a final quarrel. If Bradley took it that my young wife had gone off with another man, or that took it that my young wife had gone off with another man, or that there had been another man in the offing all along - that was good there had been another man in the offing all along - that was good enough. enough.

"But you know," I said anxiously, "although she wasn't - well, wasn't quite what I thought her, she was really a very sweet girl. I'd never quite what I thought her, she was really a very sweet girl. I'd never have thought that she'd be like this - that she'd behave like this, I have thought that she'd be like this - that she'd behave like this, I mean." mean."

"What exactly has she been doing to you?"

What my "wife" had done to me, I explained, was to come back.

"What did you think had happened to her?"

"I suppose it seems extraordinary - but I really didn't think. Actually, I suppose, I assumed she must be dead." I suppose, I assumed she must be dead."

Bradley shook his head at me.

"Wishful thinking. Wishful thinking. Why should she be dead?"

"She never wrote or anything. I never heard from her."

"The truth is you wanted to forget all about her."

He was a psychologist in his way, this beady-eyed little lawyer.

"Yes," I said gratefully. "You see, it wasn't as though I wanted to marry someone else." marry someone else."

"But you do, now, eh, is that it?"

"Well -" I showed reluctance.

"Come now, tell Papa," said the odious Bradley.

I admitted, shamefacedly, that, yes, lately, I had considered marrying. marrying.

But I stuck my toes in and refused firmly to give him any details about the girl in question. I wasn't going to have her brought into about the girl in question. I wasn't going to have her brought into this. I wasn't going to tell him a thing about her. this. I wasn't going to tell him a thing about her.

Again, I think my reaction here was the correct one. He did not insist. Instead he said: insist. Instead he said: "Quite natural, my dear sir. You've got over your nasty experience in the past. You've found someone, no doubt, thoroughly suited to in the past. You've found someone, no doubt, thoroughly suited to you. Able to share your literary tastes and your way of life. A true you. Able to share your literary tastes and your way of life. A true companion." companion."

I saw then that he knew about Hermia. It would have been easy. Any inquiries made about me would have revealed the fact that I had inquiries made about me would have revealed the fact that I had only one close woman friend. Bradley, since receiving my letter only one close woman friend. Bradley, since receiving my letter making the appointment, must have found out all about me, all making the appointment, must have found out all about me, all about Hermia. He was fully briefed. about Hermia. He was fully briefed.

"What about divorce?" he asked. "Isn't that the natural solution?"

I said: "There's no question of divorce. She - my wife - won't hear of it!" it!"

"Dear, dear. What is her attitude towards you, if I may ask?"

"She - er - she wants to come back to me. She - she's utterly unreasonable. She knows there's someone, and - and -" unreasonable. She knows there's someone, and - and -"

"Acting nasty... I see... doesn't look as though there's any way out, unless of course... but she's quite young..." unless of course... but she's quite young..."

"She'll live for years," I said bitterly.

"Oh, but you never know, Mr Easterbrook. She's been living abroad, you say?" you say?"

"So she tells me. I don't know where she's been."

"May have been out East. Sometimes, you know, you pick up a germ out in those parts - dormant for years! And then you come back out in those parts - dormant for years! And then you come back home, and suddenly it blows up. I've known two or three cases like home, and suddenly it blows up. I've known two or three cases like that. Might happen in this case. If it will cheer you up," he paused, that. Might happen in this case. If it will cheer you up," he paused, "I'd bet a small amount on it."

I shook my head.

"She'll live for years."

"Well, the odds are on your side, I admit... but let's have a wager on it. Fifteen hundred to one the lady dies between now and it. Fifteen hundred to one the lady dies between now and Christmas: how's that?" Christmas: how's that?"

"Sooner! It will have to be sooner. I can't wait. There are things -"

I was purposely incoherent. I don't know whether he thought that matters between Hermia and myself had gone so far that I couldn't matters between Hermia and myself had gone so far that I couldn't stall for time - or that my "wife" threatened to go to Hermia and stall for time - or that my "wife" threatened to go to Hermia and make trouble. He may have thought that there was another man make trouble. He may have thought that there was another man making a play for Hermia. I didn't mind what he thought. I wanted to making a play for Hermia. I didn't mind what he thought. I wanted to stress urgency. stress urgency.

"Alters the odds a bit," he said. "We'll say eighteen hundred to one your wife's a goner in under a month. I've got a sort of feeling about your wife's a goner in under a month. I've got a sort of feeling about it." it."

I thought it was time to bargain - and I bargained. Protested that I hadn't got that amount of money. Bradley was skilful. He knew, by hadn't got that amount of money. Bradley was skilful. He knew, by some means or other, just what sum I could raise in an emergency. some means or other, just what sum I could raise in an emergency. He knew that Hermia had money. His delicate hint that later, when I He knew that Hermia had money. His delicate hint that later, when I was married, I wouldn't feel the loss of my bet, was proof of that. was married, I wouldn't feel the loss of my bet, was proof of that. Moreover, my urgency put him in a fine position. He wouldn't come Moreover, my urgency put him in a fine position. He wouldn't come down. down.

When I left him the fantastic wager was laid and accepted.

I signed some form of I.O.U. The phraseology was too full of legal phrases for me to understand. Actually I very much doubted that it phrases for me to understand. Actually I very much doubted that it had any legal significance whatever. had any legal significance whatever.

"Is this legally binding?" I asked him.

"I don't think," said Mr Bradley, showing his excellent dentures, "that it will ever be put to the test."

His smile was not a very nice one. "A bet's a bet. If a man doesn't pay up -" pay up -"

I looked at him.

"I shouldn't advise it," he said softly. "No, I shouldn't advise it. We don't like welshers." don't like welshers."