"Death. There's always been a greater trade in that than there ever has been in love potions. And yet - how childish it all was in the has been in love potions. And yet - how childish it all was in the past! The Borgias and their famous secret poisons. Do you know past! The Borgias and their famous secret poisons. Do you know what they really used? Ordinary white arsenic! Just the same as what they really used? Ordinary white arsenic! Just the same as any little wife poisoner in the back streets. But we've progressed a any little wife poisoner in the back streets. But we've progressed a long way beyond that nowadays. Science has enlarged our long way beyond that nowadays. Science has enlarged our frontiers." frontiers."

"With untraceable poisons?" My voice was sceptical.

"Poisons! That's vieux jeu. Childish stuff. There are new horizons."

"Such as?"

"The mind. Knowledge of what the mind is - what it can do - what it can be made to do." can be made to do."

"Please go on. This is most interesting."

"The principle is well known. Medicine men have used it in primitive communities for centuries. You don't need to kill your victim. All you communities for centuries. You don't need to kill your victim. All you need do is - tell him to die." need do is - tell him to die."

"Suggestion? But it won't work unless the victim believes in it."

"It doesn't work on Europeans, you mean," she corrected me. "It does sometimes. But that's not the point. We've gone farther ahead does sometimes. But that's not the point. We've gone farther ahead than the witch doctor has ever gone. The psychologists have shown than the witch doctor has ever gone. The psychologists have shown the way. The desire for death! It's there in everyone. Work on that! the way. The desire for death! It's there in everyone. Work on that!

Work on the death wish."

"It's an interesting idea." I spoke with a muted scientific interest.

"Influence your subject to commit suicide? Is that it?"

"You're still lagging behind. You've heard of traumatic illnesses?"

"Of course."

"People who, because of an unconscious wish to avoid returning to work, develop real ailments. Not malingering - real illnesses with work, develop real ailments. Not malingering - real illnesses with symptoms, with actual pain. It's been a puzzle to doctors for a long symptoms, with actual pain. It's been a puzzle to doctors for a long time." time."

"I'm beginning to get the hang of what you mean," I said slowly.

"To destroy your subject, power must be exerted on his secret unconscious self. The death wish that exists in all of us must be unconscious self. The death wish that exists in all of us must be stimulated, heightened." stimulated, heightened."

Her excitement was growing. "Don't you see? A real illness will be induced, caused by that death-seeking self. You wish to be ill, you induced, caused by that death-seeking self. You wish to be ill, you wish to die - and so - you do get ill, and die." wish to die - and so - you do get ill, and die."

She had flung her head up now, triumphantly. I felt suddenly very cold. All nonsense, of course. This woman was slightly mad. And cold. All nonsense, of course. This woman was slightly mad. And yet - yet - Thyrza Grey laughed suddenly.

"You don't believe me, do you?"

"It's a fascinating theory, Miss Grey - quite in line with modern thought, I'll admit. But how do you propose to stimulate this death thought, I'll admit. But how do you propose to stimulate this death wish that we all possess?" wish that we all possess?"

"That's my secret. The way! The means! There are communications without contact. You've only to think of wireless, radar, television. without contact. You've only to think of wireless, radar, television. Experiments in extrasensory perception haven't gone ahead as Experiments in extrasensory perception haven't gone ahead as people hoped, but that's because they haven't grasped the first people hoped, but that's because they haven't grasped the first simple principle. You can accomplish it sometimes by accident - but simple principle. You can accomplish it sometimes by accident - but once you know how it works, you could do it every time..." once you know how it works, you could do it every time..."

"Can you do it?"

She didn't answer at once - then she said, moving away: "You mustn't ask me, Mr Easterbrook, to give all my secrets away." mustn't ask me, Mr Easterbrook, to give all my secrets away."

I followed her towards the garden door.

"Why have you told me all this?" I asked.

"You understand my books. One needs sometimes to - to - well - talk to someone. And besides -" to someone. And besides -"

"Yes?"

"I had the idea - Bella has it, too - that you - may need us."

"Need you?"

"Bella thinks you came here - to find us. She is seldom at fault."

"Why should I want to 'find you,' as you put it?"

"That," said Thyrza Grey softly, "I do not know - yet."

Chapter 7.

"So there you are! We wondered where you were." Rhoda came through the open door, the others behind her. She looked round through the open door, the others behind her. She looked round her. "This is where you hold your s her. "This is where you hold your sances, isn't it?"

"You're well informed." Thyrza Grey laughed breezily. "In a village everyone knows your business better than you do. We've a splendid everyone knows your business better than you do. We've a splendid sinister reputation, so I've heard. A hundred years ago it would sinister reputation, so I've heard. A hundred years ago it would have been sink or swim or the funeral pyre. My great-great-aunt - or have been sink or swim or the funeral pyre. My great-great-aunt - or one or two more greats - was burned as a witch, I believe, in one or two more greats - was burned as a witch, I believe, in Ireland. Those were the days!" Ireland. Those were the days!"

"I always thought you were Scottish?"

"On my father's side - hence the second sight. Irish on my mother's. Sybil is our pythoness, originally of Greek extraction. Bella Sybil is our pythoness, originally of Greek extraction. Bella represents Old English." represents Old English."

"A macabre human cocktail," remarked Colonel Despard.

"As you say."

"Fun!" said Ginger.

Thyrza shot her a quick glance.

"Yes, it is in a way." She turned to Mrs Oliver. "You should write one of your books about a murder by black magic. I can give you a lot of of your books about a murder by black magic. I can give you a lot of dope about it." dope about it."

Mrs Oliver blinked and looked embarrassed.

"I only write very plain murders," she said apologetically.

Her tone was of one who says "I only do plain cooking."

"Just about people who want other people out of the way and try to be clever about it." she added. be clever about it." she added.

"They're usually too clever for me," said Colonel Despard. He glanced at his watch. "Rhoda, I think -" glanced at his watch. "Rhoda, I think -"

"Oh, yes, we must go. It's much later than I thought. "

Thanks and good-byes were said. We did not go back through the house but round to a side gate. house but round to a side gate.

"You keep a lot of poultry," remarked Colonel Despard, looking into a wired enclosure. a wired enclosure.

"I hate hens," said Ginger. "They cluck in such an irritating way."

"Mostly cockerels they be." It was Bella who spoke. She had come out from a back door. out from a back door.

"White cockerels," I said.

"Table birds?" asked Despard.

Bella said, "They're useful to us."

Her mouth widened in a long curving line across the pudgy shapelessness of her face. Her eyes had a sly knowing look. shapelessness of her face. Her eyes had a sly knowing look.

"They're Bella's province," said Thyrza Grey lightly.

We said good-bye and Sybil Stamfordis appeared from the open front door to join in speeding the parting guests. front door to join in speeding the parting guests.

"I don't like that woman," said Mrs Oliver, as we drove off. "I don't like her at all." like her at all."

"You mustn't take old Thyrza too seriously," said Despard indulgently. "She enjoys spouting all that stuff and seeing what indulgently. "She enjoys spouting all that stuff and seeing what effect it has on you." effect it has on you."

"I didn't mean her. She's an unscrupulous woman, with a keen eye on the main chance. But she's not dangerous like the other one." on the main chance. But she's not dangerous like the other one."

"Bella? She is a bit uncanny, I'll admit."

"I didn't mean her either. I meant the Sybil one. She seems just silly. All those beads and draperies and all the stuff about voodoo, and All those beads and draperies and all the stuff about voodoo, and all those fantastic reincarnations she was telling us about. (Why is it all those fantastic reincarnations she was telling us about. (Why is it that anybody who was a kitchenmaid or an ugly old peasant never that anybody who was a kitchenmaid or an ugly old peasant never seems to get reincarnated? It's always Egyptian princesses or seems to get reincarnated? It's always Egyptian princesses or beautiful Babylonian slaves. Very fishy.) But all the same, though beautiful Babylonian slaves. Very fishy.) But all the same, though she's stupid, I have a feeling that she could really do things - make she's stupid, I have a feeling that she could really do things - make queer things happen. I always put things badly - but I mean she queer things happen. I always put things badly - but I mean she could be used - by something - in a way just because she is so silly. I could be used - by something - in a way just because she is so silly. I don't suppose anyone understands what I mean," she finished don't suppose anyone understands what I mean," she finished pathetically. pathetically.

"I do," said Ginger. "And I shouldn't wonder if you weren't right"

"We really ought to go to one of their sances," said Rhoda wistfully. "It might be rather fun." wistfully. "It might be rather fun."

"No, you don't," said Despard firmly. "I'm not having you getting mixed up in anything of that sort." mixed up in anything of that sort."

They fell into a laughing argument. I roused myself only when I heard Mrs Oliver asking about trains the next morning. heard Mrs Oliver asking about trains the next morning.

"You can drive back with me," I said.

Mrs Oliver looked doubtful.

"I think I'd better go by train."

"Oh, come now. You've driven with me before. I'm a most reliable driver." driver."

"It's not that, Mark. But I've got to go to a funeral tomorrow. So I mustn't be late in getting back to town." She sighed. "I do hate mustn't be late in getting back to town." She sighed. "I do hate going to funerals." going to funerals."

"Must you?"

"I think I must in this case. Mary Delafontaine was a very old friend, and I think she'd want me to go. She was that sort of person." and I think she'd want me to go. She was that sort of person."

"Of course," I exclaimed. "Delafontaine - of course."

The others stared at me, surprised.

"Sorry," I said. "It's only - that - well, I was wondering where I'd heard the name Delafontaine lately. It was you, wasn't it?" I looked heard the name Delafontaine lately. It was you, wasn't it?" I looked at Mrs Oliver. "You said something about visiting her in a nursing at Mrs Oliver. "You said something about visiting her in a nursing home." home."

"Did I? Quite likely."

"What did she die of?"

Mrs Oliver wrinkled her forehead.

"Toxic polyneuritis - something like that."

Ginger was looking at me curiously. She had a sharp penetrating glance. glance.

As we got out of the car, I said abruptly: "I think I'll go for a bit of a walk. Such a lot of food. That wonderful lunch and tea on top of it. It's got to be worked off somehow." lunch and tea on top of it. It's got to be worked off somehow."

I went off briskly before anyone could offer to accompany me. I wanted badly to get by myself and sort out my ideas. wanted badly to get by myself and sort out my ideas.

What was all this business? Let me at least get it clear to myself. It had started, had it not, with that casual but startling remark by had started, had it not, with that casual but startling remark by Poppy, that if you wanted to "get rid of someone," the Pale Horse Poppy, that if you wanted to "get rid of someone," the Pale Horse was the place to go. was the place to go.

Following on that, there had been my meeting with Jim Corrigan, and his list of "names" - as connected with the death of Father and his list of "names" - as connected with the death of Father Gorman. On that list had been the name of Hesketh-Dubois, and the Gorman. On that list had been the name of Hesketh-Dubois, and the name of Tuckerton, causing me to hark back to that evening at name of Tuckerton, causing me to hark back to that evening at Luigi's coffee bar. There had been the name of Delafontaine, too, Luigi's coffee bar. There had been the name of Delafontaine, too, vaguely familiar. It was Mrs Oliver who had mentioned it, in vaguely familiar. It was Mrs Oliver who had mentioned it, in connection with a sick friend. The sick friend was now dead. connection with a sick friend. The sick friend was now dead.

After that, I had, for some reason which I couldn't quite identify, gone to beard Poppy in her floral bower. And Poppy had denied gone to beard Poppy in her floral bower. And Poppy had denied vehemently any knowledge of such an institution as the Pale Horse. vehemently any knowledge of such an institution as the Pale Horse. More significant still, Poppy had been afraid. More significant still, Poppy had been afraid.

Today there had been Thyrza Grey.

But surely the Pale Horse and its occupants was one thing and that list of names something separate, quite unconnected. Why on earth list of names something separate, quite unconnected. Why on earth was I coupling them together in my mind? was I coupling them together in my mind?

Why should I imagine for one moment that there was any connection between them? connection between them?

Mrs Delafontaine had presumably lived in London. Thomasina Tuckerton's home had been somewhere in Surrey. No one on that Tuckerton's home had been somewhere in Surrey. No one on that list had any connection with the little village of Much Deeping. list had any connection with the little village of Much Deeping. Unless - Unless - I was just coming abreast of the King's Arms. The King's Arms was a genuine pub with a superior look about it and a freshly painted a genuine pub with a superior look about it and a freshly painted announcement of Lunches, Dinners, and Teas. announcement of Lunches, Dinners, and Teas.

I pushed its door open and went inside. The bar, not yet open, was on my left, on my right was a minute lounge smelling of stale smoke. on my left, on my right was a minute lounge smelling of stale smoke. By the stairs was a notice: Office. The office consisted of a glass By the stairs was a notice: Office. The office consisted of a glass window, firmly closed and a printed card. Press Bell. The whole window, firmly closed and a printed card. Press Bell. The whole place had the deserted air of a pub at this particular time of day. On place had the deserted air of a pub at this particular time of day. On a shelf by the office window was a battered registration book for a shelf by the office window was a battered registration book for visitors. I opened it and flicked through the pages. It was not much visitors. I opened it and flicked through the pages. It was not much patronized. There were five or six entries, perhaps, in a week, patronized. There were five or six entries, perhaps, in a week, mostly for one night only. I flicked back the pages, noting the mostly for one night only. I flicked back the pages, noting the names. names.

It was not long before I shut the book. There was still no one about. There were really no questions I wanted to ask at this stage. I went There were really no questions I wanted to ask at this stage. I went out again into the soft damp afternoon. out again into the soft damp afternoon.

Was it only coincidence that someone called Sandford and someone else called Parkinson had stayed at the King's Arms someone else called Parkinson had stayed at the King's Arms during the last year? Both names were on Corrigan's list. Yes, but during the last year? Both names were on Corrigan's list. Yes, but they were not particularly uncommon names. But I had noted one they were not particularly uncommon names. But I had noted one other name - the name of Martin Digby. If it was the Martin Digby I other name - the name of Martin Digby. If it was the Martin Digby I knew, he was the great-nephew of the woman I had always called knew, he was the great-nephew of the woman I had always called Aunt Min - lady Hesketh-Dubois. Aunt Min - lady Hesketh-Dubois.

I strode along, not seeing where I was going. I wanted very badly to talk to someone. To Jim Corrigan. Or to David Ardingly. Or to talk to someone. To Jim Corrigan. Or to David Ardingly. Or to Hermia with her calm good sense. I was alone with my chaotic Hermia with her calm good sense. I was alone with my chaotic thoughts and I didn't want to be alone. What I wanted, frankly, was thoughts and I didn't want to be alone. What I wanted, frankly, was someone who would argue me out of the things that I was thinking. someone who would argue me out of the things that I was thinking.

It was after about half an hour of tramping muddy lanes that I finally turned in at the gates of the vicarage, and made my way up a turned in at the gates of the vicarage, and made my way up a singularly ill-kept drive, to pull a rusty-looking bell at the side of the singularly ill-kept drive, to pull a rusty-looking bell at the side of the front door. front door.