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 a sack. Then he slipped on his boots and
coat, and opening the door of a cupboard near the head of the bed
fetched out a small spade.
He was now ready; and--so was pussy.
"That paves the way for test six," Hamar observed; "no one can say I
am a waster--I make use of everything--and every one;" and so saying
he tumbled the cat into the sack and hurried out.
Some half-hour later he had returned to his room, and was busily
engaged making preparations for test three.
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