nd I
wanted to get a first-hand reaction from you."

Reggie mixed himself another drink. He was beginning to feel
belligerent.

"So?" he cried. "They sent an amateur down to get me, did they? I
suppose I don't rate an experienced escort. So they sent you. I'm
surprised they didn't just tell the office boy to do the job."

"Your levity is poor taste," Mr. Demise observed frigidly. "I can assure
you that I am perfectly qualified to act as your guide to the Other
World. I have studied hard to perfect myself for my work and I was
considered one of the outstanding pupils in the class which just
graduated. You do not have to relieve your spite by making slighting
references to my professional ability."

"Bah!" Reggie said. "If you have any professional ability it hasn't been
noticeable so far. You're just out of some college, aren't you? You talk
like a college boy. You don't make sense."

Mr. Demise looked hurt.

"I'm sorry you're taking this attitude," he said. "I had hoped we could
be friends."

"Friends!" Reggie shrieked. "Am I expected to be friendly with some
ghoul who comes prowling around threatening to whisk me off to Eternity?
What more do they expect of me? To pay my own way too, I suppose."

"Your passage will be taken care of at the other end," Mr. Demise said.
"Since you have taken such an ungracious stand we will not dally
further."

* * * * *

"Now wait a minute," Reggie said. He felt his throat getting dry. The
prospects of Death were not pleasant. He didn't want to die right now.
He had things to do. There was that badminton match next week with
Snuffy Smith....

"Can't we put this thing off a while?" he asked hopefully. "There's no
sense in rushing things, I always say. Why don't you go off and get
yourself a lot of experience and then come back for me?"

"That is impossible," Mr. Demise said flatly. He drew from his inside
coat pocket a slim black book which he opened to the first page. "You
are first on my list and I must carry out my orders to the letter. All
the information as to person, place and method is contained in this book
and it would be impossible to change it."

"Place and method, eh?" Reggie said weakly. He ran a finger around the
inside of his collar. "You mean you've got the dope there on how it's
going to happen and when it's going to happen?"

"Certainly," Mr. Demise replied. "We don't use a hit-or-miss method.
Everything is worked out to