the house, or not? After an instant's consideration, I bent
and picked him up from his repose on the hall rug. He should spend the
night shut in with me, out of mischief yet comfortable. Purring in the
curve of my arm, he was carried upstairs without objection on his part.
Until we reached my room! On its threshold I felt his body stiffen; his
yellow eyes snapped open alertly. Cat antipathy to a strange place, I
reflected, amused, as I switched on the lights.

"All right, Bagheera," I spoke soothingly, and put him upon the rug.

He bounded erect, fur bristling, tail lashing from side to side after
the fashion of a miniature panther. When I stooped to stroke him, he
eluded my hand. In a gliding run, body crouched, ears flattened, he sped
toward the doorway, was through it and gone.

Well, I decided, he could not be pursued all through the house. It would
be easier to explain him to Phillida next morning. I was tired;
pleasantly tired. The day had been filled with the enthusiasm and
congratulations of my associates, with conferences and plans for
launching the new music via theatres and advertising. It ought to "go
big," they assured me. In my optimism of mood, I wondered if I had not
already driven off the Dark Thing, since the girl had come to me the
night past without It appearing before or afterward. Perhaps,
woman-timid, she exaggerated the danger and It had retreated after the
second failure to overpower me.

I fell asleep with a tranquil conviction that nothing would disturb my
rest this night.

* * * * *

Stillness enveloped me, absolute, desolate. Silence contained me. Yet
the thought of another scorched against my understanding in a burning
communication of intelligence.

"Man," It commanded, "I am here. Fear!"

And I knew that which was my body did fear to the point of death, but
that which was myself stood up in revolt.

"Crouch," It bade. "Crouch, pygmy, and beg. Fear! The blood crawls in
the veins, the heart checks, the nerves shrink and wither--man, your
life wanes thin and faint. Down--shall your race affront mine?"

My heart did stagger and beat slow. Life crept a sluggish current. But
there was another force that stiffened to resistance, and gathered
itself to compact strength within me.

"No," my thought refused the dark intelligence. "I am not yours. Command
your own, not me."

"Weakling, you have touched that which is mine. Into my path you have
dared ste