sty tracks for a snug restaurant in
Bolter's Street, where he had a sumptuous repast for a dollar; and
then slunk home.

Shortly before midnight all three met again, and at once commenced
preparations for the second test. The question arose as to who should
hold Satan. They all had vivid recollections of the cat's behaviour
the previous night; consequently no one was anxious to officiate.
Finally they drew lots, and fate settled on Curtis. An exciting chase
now began. Satan, demonstrating his resentment of their treatment of
him, at every turn, knocked over a water bottle, ripped the skin of
Kelson's knuckles, and made his teeth meet in the fleshy part of
Curtis's thumb.

"Hulloa! what are you up to?" Curtis savagely demanded, as Hamar
thrust a cup at him.

"Hold your hand over it!" Hamar said sharply. "Don't suck it! We want
blood for this test and for the next."

"I wish the brute had bitten you!" Curtis snarled; "then, perhaps, you
wouldn't be so precious keen on economics. You did right to name it
Satan! and if it doesn't attract devils nothing will. I'm not going to
touch it again. See if you can hold the beast by yourself, Matt! It
seems to be less afraid of you than of either of us."

Kelson called out: "Puss!", and the cat at once came to him.

As it was now striking twelve, Hamar carefully shook three drops of
Curtis's blood from the cup on to Satan's back, while he instructed
Kelson to rub the animal's coat with the palm of the hand. Kelson
cautiously obeyed. There was a loud crackling and a shower of sparks,
of the same lurid red colour as the reflection in the mirror on the
previous night, flew out into the enveloping darkness.

"That will do!" Hamar observed quietly. "Test two is satisfactorily
accomplished. We must be riper for Hell than we imagined. There is no
need for you fellows to stay any longer. I can manage the third test
alone."

As soon as his colleagues had gone and he felt assured they were no
longer within hearing, Hamar took a saucer from the mantelshelf,
filled it half full of milk, and poured into it some colourless liquid
out of a tiny phial labelled poison.

"Here pussy," he called out, softly. "Pretty pussy, come and have your
supper! Pussy!"

And Satan, unable to resist the tempting sight of the milk, crept out
of his hiding-place and quite unsuspiciously dipped his tongue into
the saucer and lapped. Hamar, in the meanwhile went to a box at the
foot of the bed and produced