She went over to what I had taken to be a radio cabinet. It opened up and I saw that it was a large electrical contrivance of some up and I saw that it was a large electrical contrivance of some complicated kind. complicated kind.

It moved like a trolley and she wheeled it slowly and carefully to a position near the divan. position near the divan.

She bent over it, adjusting the controls, murmuring to herself: "Compass, north-northeast... degrees... that's about right." She took the glove and adjusted it in a particular position, switching on took the glove and adjusted it in a particular position, switching on a small violet light beside it. a small violet light beside it.

Then she spoke to the inert figure on the divan.

"Sybil Diana Helen, you are set free from your mortal sheath which the spirit Macandal guards safely for you. You are free to be at one the spirit Macandal guards safely for you. You are free to be at one with the owner of this glove. Like all human beings, her goal in life is with the owner of this glove. Like all human beings, her goal in life is towards death. There is no final satisfaction but death. Only death towards death. There is no final satisfaction but death. Only death solves all problems. Only death gives true peace. All great ones solves all problems. Only death gives true peace. All great ones have known it. Remember Macbeth, 'After life's fitful fever he sleeps have known it. Remember Macbeth, 'After life's fitful fever he sleeps well.' Remember the ecstasy of Tristan and Isolde. Love and death. well.' Remember the ecstasy of Tristan and Isolde. Love and death. Love and death. But the greatest of these is death..." Love and death. But the greatest of these is death..."

The words rang out, echoing, repeating - the big boxlike machine had started to emit a low hum, the bulbs in it glowed - I felt dazed, had started to emit a low hum, the bulbs in it glowed - I felt dazed, carried away. This I felt, was no longer something at which I could carried away. This I felt, was no longer something at which I could mock. Thyrza, her power unleashed, was holding that prone figure mock. Thyrza, her power unleashed, was holding that prone figure on the divan completely enslaved. She was using her. Using her for on the divan completely enslaved. She was using her. Using her for a definite end. I realised vaguely why Mrs Oliver had been a definite end. I realised vaguely why Mrs Oliver had been frightened, not of Thyrza but of the seemingly silly Sybil. Sybil had a frightened, not of Thyrza but of the seemingly silly Sybil. Sybil had a power, a natural gift, nothing to do with mind or intellect; it was a power, a natural gift, nothing to do with mind or intellect; it was a physical power, the power to separate herself from her body. And, physical power, the power to separate herself from her body. And, so separated, her mind was not hers, but Thyrza's. And Thyrza was so separated, her mind was not hers, but Thyrza's. And Thyrza was using her temporary possession. using her temporary possession.

Yes, but the box? Where did the box come in?

And suddenly all my fear was transferred to the box! What devilish secret was being practised through its agency? Could there be secret was being practised through its agency? Could there be physically produced rays of some kind that acted on the cells of the physically produced rays of some kind that acted on the cells of the mind? Of a particular mind? mind? Of a particular mind?

Thyrza's voice went on: "The weak spot... there is always a weak spot... deep in the tissues of the flesh... through weakness comes strength - the strength and of the flesh... through weakness comes strength - the strength and peace of death... towards death - slowly, naturally, towards death - peace of death... towards death - slowly, naturally, towards death - the true way, the natural way. The tissues of the body obey the the true way, the natural way. The tissues of the body obey the mind... command them - command them... towards death... death, mind... command them - command them... towards death... death, the Conqueror... death... soon... very soon... Death... Death... the Conqueror... death... soon... very soon... Death... Death... DEATH!" DEATH!"

Her voice rose in a great swelling cry... and another horrible animal cry came from Bella. She rose up, a knife flashed... there was a cry came from Bella. She rose up, a knife flashed... there was a horrible strangled squawk from the cockerel... blood dripped into horrible strangled squawk from the cockerel... blood dripped into the copper bowl. Bella came running, the bowl held out... the copper bowl. Bella came running, the bowl held out...

She screamed out: "Blood... the blood... BLOOD!"

Thyrza whipped out the glove from the machine. Bella took it, dipped it in the blood, returned it to Thyrza who replaced it dipped it in the blood, returned it to Thyrza who replaced it Bella's voice rose again in that high ecstatic call...

"The blood... the blood... the blood...!"

She ran round and round the brazier, then dropped twitching to the floor. The brazier flickered and went out. floor. The brazier flickered and went out.

I felt horribly sick. Unseeing, clutching the arms of my chair, my head seemed to be whirling in space... head seemed to be whirling in space...

I heard a click, the hum of the machine ceased.

Then Thyrza's voice rose, clear and composed: "The old magic and the new. The old knowledge of belief, the new knowledge of science. Together, they will prevail..." knowledge of science. Together, they will prevail..."

Chapter 18.

"Well, what was it like?" demanded Rhoda eagerly at the breakfast table. table.

"Oh, the usual stuff," I said nonchalantly.

I was uneasily conscious of Despard's eye on me. A perceptive man. man.

"Pentagrams drawn on the floor?"

"Lots of them."

"Any white cocks?"

"Naturally. That was Bella's part of the fun and games."

"And trances and things?"

"As you say, trances and things."

Rhoda looked disappointed.

"You seem to have found it rather dull," she said in an aggrieved voice. voice.

I said that these things were all much of a sameness. At any rate, I'd satisfied my curiosity. satisfied my curiosity.

Later when Rhoda had departed to the kitchen, Despard said to me: "Shook you up a bit, didn't it?"

"Well -"

I was anxious to make light of the whole thing, but Despard was not an easy man to deceive. an easy man to deceive.

I said slowly, "It was - in a way - rather beastly."

He nodded.

"One doesn't really believe in it," said Despard. "Not with one's reasoning mind - but these things have their effect. I've seen a good reasoning mind - but these things have their effect. I've seen a good deal of it in East Africa. The witch doctors there have a terrific hold deal of it in East Africa. The witch doctors there have a terrific hold on the people, and one has to admit that odd things happen which on the people, and one has to admit that odd things happen which can't be explained in any rational manner." can't be explained in any rational manner."

"Deaths?"

"Oh, yes. If a man knows he's been marked down to die, he dies."

"The power of suggestion, I suppose."

"Presumably. "

"But that doesn't quite satisfy you?"

"No - not quite. There are cases difficult of explanation by any of our glib Western scientific theories. The stuff doesn't usually work our glib Western scientific theories. The stuff doesn't usually work on Europeans (though I have known cases). But if the belief is there on Europeans (though I have known cases). But if the belief is there in your blood, you've had it!" He left it there. in your blood, you've had it!" He left it there.

I said thoughtfully: "I agree with you that one can't be too didactic. Odd things happen even in this country. I was at a hospital one day Odd things happen even in this country. I was at a hospital one day in London. A girl had come in - neurotic subject, complaining of in London. A girl had come in - neurotic subject, complaining of terrible pain in bones, arms, etc. Nothing to account for it. They terrible pain in bones, arms, etc. Nothing to account for it. They suspected she was a victim of hysteria. Doctor told her cure could suspected she was a victim of hysteria. Doctor told her cure could be effected by a red-hot rod being drawn down the arm. Would she be effected by a red-hot rod being drawn down the arm. Would she agree to try it? She did. agree to try it? She did.

"The girl turned her head away and screwed up her eyes. The doctor dipped a glass rod in cold water and drew it down the inside doctor dipped a glass rod in cold water and drew it down the inside of her arm. The girl screamed with agony. He said 'You'll be all right of her arm. The girl screamed with agony. He said 'You'll be all right now.' She said 'I expect so, but it was awful. It burned.' The queer now.' She said 'I expect so, but it was awful. It burned.' The queer thing to me was - not that she believed that she had been burned, thing to me was - not that she believed that she had been burned, but that her arm actually was burned. The flesh was actually but that her arm actually was burned. The flesh was actually blistered everywhere the rod had touched it." blistered everywhere the rod had touched it."

"Was she cured?" Despard asked curiously.

"Oh, yes. The neuritis, or whatever it was, never reappeared. She had to be treated for the burned arm, though." had to be treated for the burned arm, though."

"Extraordinary," said Despard. "It goes to show, doesn't it?"

"The doctor was startled himself."

"I bet he was..." He looked at me curiously.

"Why were you really so keen to go to that sance last night?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Those three women intrigue me. I wanted to see what sort of show they would put up." they would put up."

Despard said no more. I don't think he believed me. As I have said, he was a perceptive man. he was a perceptive man.

Presently I went along to the vicarage. The door was open but there seemed to be no one in the house. seemed to be no one in the house.

I went to the little room where the telephone was, and rang up Ginger. Ginger.

It seemed an eternity before I heard her voice.

"Hallo!"

"Ginger!"

"Oh, it's you. What happened?"

"You're all right?"

"Of course I'm all right. Why shouldn't I be?"

Waves of relief swept over me.

There was nothing wrong with Ginger; the familiar challenge of her manner did me a world of good. How could I ever have believed that manner did me a world of good. How could I ever have believed that a lot of mumbo jumbo could hurt so normal a creature as Ginger? a lot of mumbo jumbo could hurt so normal a creature as Ginger?

"I just thought you might have had bad dreams or something," I said rather lamely. rather lamely.

"Well, I didn't. I expected to have, but all that happened was that I kept waking up and wondering if I felt anything peculiar happening kept waking up and wondering if I felt anything peculiar happening to me. I really felt almost indignant because nothing did happen to to me. I really felt almost indignant because nothing did happen to me." me."

I laughed.

"But go on - tell me," said Ginger. "What's it all about?"

"Nothing much out of the ordinary. Sybil lay on a purple couch and went into a trance." went into a trance."

Ginger gave a spurt of laughter.

"Did she? How wonderful! Was it a black velvet one and did she have nothing on?" have nothing on?"

"Sybil is no Madame de Montespan. And it wasn't a black mass. Actually Sybil wore quite a lot of clothes, peacock blue, and lots of Actually Sybil wore quite a lot of clothes, peacock blue, and lots of embroidered symbols." embroidered symbols."

"Sounds most appropriate and Sybil-like. What did Bella do?"

"That really was rather beastly. She killed a white cock and then they dipped your glove in the blood." they dipped your glove in the blood."

"Oo - nasty... what else?"

"Lots of things," I said.

I thought that I was doing quite well. I went on: "Thyrza gave me the whole bag of tricks. Summoned up a spirit - Macandal was, I think, the name. And there were coloured lights Macandal was, I think, the name. And there were coloured lights and chanting. The whole thing would have been quite impressive to and chanting. The whole thing would have been quite impressive to some people - scared 'em out of their wits." some people - scared 'em out of their wits."

"But it didn't scare you?"

"Bella did scare me a bit," I said. "She had a very nasty-looking knife, and I thought she might lose her head and add me to the cock knife, and I thought she might lose her head and add me to the cock as a second victim." as a second victim."

Ginger persisted: "Nothing else frightened you?"

"I'm not influenced by that sort of thing."

"Then why did you sound so thankful to hear I was all right?"

"Well, because -" I stopped.

"All right," said Ginger obligingly. "You needn't answer that one. And you needn't go out of your way to play down the whole thing. And you needn't go out of your way to play down the whole thing. Something about it impressed you." Something about it impressed you."

"Only, I think, because they - Thyrza, I mean - seemed so calmly confident of the result." confident of the result."

"Confident that what you've been telling me about could actually kill a person?" a person?"

Ginger's voice was incredulous.

"It's daft," I agreed.

"Wasn't Bella confident, too?"

I considered. I said: "I think Bella was just enjoying herself killing cocks and working herself up into a kind of orgy of ill wishing. To hear her moaning out herself up into a kind of orgy of ill wishing. To hear her moaning out 'The Blood... he blood' was really something."

"I wish I'd heard it," said Ginger regretfully.

"I wish you had," I said. "Frankly, the whole thing was quite a performance." performance."

"You're all right now, aren't you?" said Ginger.

"What do you mean - all right?"

"You weren't when you rang me up, but you are now."

She was quite correct in her assumption. The sound of her cheerful normal voice had done wonders for me. Secretly, though, I took off normal voice had done wonders for me. Secretly, though, I took off my hat to Thyrza Grey. Bogus though the whole business might my hat to Thyrza Grey. Bogus though the whole business might have been, it had infected my mind with doubt and apprehension. have been, it had infected my mind with doubt and apprehension. But nothing mattered now, Ginger was all right. She hadn't had so But nothing mattered now, Ginger was all right. She hadn't had so much as a bad dream. much as a bad dream.

"And what do we do next?" demanded Ginger. "Have I got to stay put for another week or so?" put for another week or so?"