m business-like
note in his voice and there was no hope of prolonging things further.
Drastic action was needed, not discussion.

With a leap like a startled gazelle Reggie left his stool and bounded
for the door. Before Mr. Demise could turn around, he was in the street,
shouting frantically for a cab.

A cab pulled to the curb and Reggie leaped into its dark interior. Over
his shoulder he saw Mr. Demise stagger from the bar, a wrathful
expression stamped on his dark features.

The cab started away with a roar. Reggie shouted his address at the
driver and squirmed about to peek out the rear window.

He saw Mr. Demise clambering into another cab.

"Hurry!" he shouted to his driver.

"Life or death, eh?" the cabby said conversationally.

Reggie winced. "You said it."

The cab caromed around corners, hit the Outer Drive and hurled along
like a frightened cotton-tail until it reached the near North side,
where it swung west and sped through the labyrinthine streets that led
to Reggie's apartment.

From the rear window Reggie could see Mr. Demise's cab speeding after
them, steadily closing the gap. His palms were moist and the effects of
the liquor had completely faded, leaving him horribly sober. There was
nothing funny about this predicament.

His cab jolted to a stop and Reggie threw a bill at the driver and
leaped out and raced into the foyer of his building.

By a miraculous stroke of luck the elevator was not in use. He slammed
the door and jabbed the button and the car started upward with a jerk.
He breathed a long shuddering sigh of relief. Maybe there would yet be
time....

The elevator stopped at his floor. Just as he opened the door and
stepped out, the elevator suddenly dropped back down the shaft. One of
his legs dangled down the shaft. With a startled squawk he pulled
himself onto the floor landing.

Mr. Demise obviously meant business. If he'd been in that elevator
everything would be all over now. As it was he still had a chance.

He let himself into his apartment, switched on the light and dove
underneath the coffee table. The black book of doom was still there.
Frantically Reggie opened it to the first page, found his own name.

He jerked a pencil from his pocket....

He was still scribbling furiously when the door of the apartment banged
open and Mr. Demise strode into the room, his face black as a
thundercloud.

Reggie dropped the pencil and hid the book from view with his body.