V. OUR FLIGHT 229
XXVI. ON THE SPANIARD'S WALK 236
XXVII. LEONORA'S VOICE 245
XXVIII. THE KILLING OF DESIRE 252
XXIX. THE REVOLT OF THE YOUNG 260
XXX. THE GREAT SLEEP 273

CHAPTER I

BLACK MAGIC

I had just finished breakfast, and deeply perplexed had risen from the
table in order to get a box of matches to light a cigarette, when my
black cat got between my feet and tripped me up.

I fell forwards, making a clutch at the table-cloth. My forehead struck
the corner of the fender and the last thing I remembered was a crash of
falling crockery. Then all became darkness. My parlour-maid found me
lying face downwards on the hearth-rug ten minutes later. My cat was
sitting near my head, blinking contentedly at the fire. A little blood
was oozing from a wound above my left eye.

They carried me up to my bedroom and sent for my colleague, Wilfred
Hammer, who lived next door. For three days I lay insensible, and Hammer
came in continually, whenever he could spare the time from his
patients, and brooded over me. On the fourth day I began to move about
in my bed, restless and muttering, and Hammer told me afterwards that I
seemed to be talking of a black cat. On the night of the fourth day I
suddenly opened my eyes. My perplexity had left me. An idea, clear as
crystal, was now in my mind.

From that moment my confinement to bed was a source of impatience to me.
Hammer, large, fair, square-headed, and imperturbable, insisted on
complete rest, and I chafed under the restraint. I had only one
desire--to get up, slip down to St. Dane's Hospital in my car, mount the
bare stone steps that led up to the laboratory and begin work at once.

"Let me up, Hammer," I implored.

"My dear fellow, you're semi-delirious."

"I must get up," I muttered.

He laughed slowly.

"Not for another week or two, Harden. How is the black cat?"

"That cat is a wizard."

I lay watching him between half-closed eyelids.

"He gave me the idea."

"He gave you a nasty concussion," said Hammer.

"It was probably the only way to the idea," I answered. "I tell you the
cat is a wizard. He did it on purpose. He's a black magician."

Hammer laughed again, and went towards the door.

"Then the idea must be black magic," he said.

I smiled painfully, for my head was throbbing. But I was happier then
t