hopelessness of the situation. But Shiel was
abnormal. As he walked home from the Cottage that evening he kept on
repeating to himself "Gladys is my goal. I want only Gladys. I'll have
only Gladys." And having once made up his mind to get Gladys, it
seemed to him, as if out of every obstacle, that lay between him and
Gladys, he could and would merely make a stepping-stone. "Since," he
argued to himself, "all's fair in love and war, I'll win Gladys
through another woman."

And he straightway telephoned to Lilian Rosenberg to have tea with
him.

The latter had already made an engagement for the afternoon; but, all
the same, she accepted Shiel's invitation.

"Will you do me a favour?" he asked.

"If it is anything that lies in my power," she said. "What is it?"

"I want you to find out how Hamar works his spells. I asked you
before?"

"I know you did and I've not forgotten," Lilian said, "but I have to
be very careful. I've played the part of eavesdropper once or twice,
and heard enough to confirm me in my suspicions that Hamar is in touch
with evil, occult powers. I've heard him praying aloud to them on more
than one occasion, and I've also a shrewd idea he performs, at least,
some of his spells by means of wax images. But why do you want to
know?"

"Only curiosity. I am intensely interested in the occult."

"You don't want to start a rival show, do you?" Lilian asked
jestingly.

"With a maximum capital of two pounds--and a minimum of knowledge!"
Shiel laughed. "Hardly. I wish I could. I would offer you the post of
manageress."

"Partner!"

"Well, partner, if you like. Would you take it?"

"Perhaps!" she said, looking at him with a sudden shyness. "What a
pity you are not rich. Can't you get a post that would bring you in
about L200 a year for a start? I believe you really want something to
stimulate you, to make you work in grim earnest--then you would
succeed. There's grit in you--I love grit--but at present it's latent,
it wants bringing out."

"You are very kind," Shiel said, "but I'm afraid I'm a hopeless case,
and, being such, have no business to be in your company. Will you come
to the theatre with me?"

"The theatre! When you've no business to be in my company, and when it
is as much as you can do to pay the rent of a back attic!"

"Oh, never mind that. I've had tickets given me. I've been doing odd
bits of journalism lately, and a dramatic critic I know has given me
two stalls at the Imperi