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Smith ascended the stairs； opened Bellingham's door and stepped in。
Bellingham was seated behind his table； writing。 Beside him； among his
litter of strange possessions； towered the mummy case； with its sale
number 249 still stuck upon its front； and its hideous occupant stiff and
stark within it。 Smith looked very deliberately round him； closed the
door； locked it； took the key from the inside； and then stepping across to
the fireplace； struck a match and set the fire alight。 Bellingham sat
staring； with amazement and rage upon his bloated face。
〃Well； really now； you make yourself at home；〃 he gasped。
Smith sat himself deliberately down； placing his watch upon the table；
drew out his pistol； cocked it； and laid it in his lap。 Then he took the long
amputating knife from his bosom； and threw it down in front of
Bellingham。
〃Now； then；〃 said he； 〃just get to work and cut up that mummy。〃
〃Oh； is that it？〃 said Bellingham with a sneer。
〃Yes； that is it。 They tell me that the law can't touch you。 But I
have a law that will set matters straight。 If in five minutes you have not
set to work； I swear by the God who made me that I will put a bullet
through your brain！〃
〃You would murder me？〃
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Bellingham had half risen； and his face was the colour of putty。
〃Yes。〃
〃And for what？〃
〃To stop your mischief。 One minute has gone。〃
〃But what have I done？〃
〃I know and you know。〃
〃This is mere bullying。〃
〃Two minutes are gone。〃
〃But you must give reasons。 You are a madmana dangerous
madman。 Why should I destroy my own property？ It is a valuable
mummy。〃
〃You must cut it up； and you must burn it。〃
〃I will do no such thing。〃
〃Four minutes are gone。〃
Smith took up the pistol and he looked towards Bellingham with an
inexorable face。 As the second… hand stole round； he raised his hand； and
the finger twitched upon the trigger。
〃There！ there！ I'll do it！〃 screamed Bellingham。
In frantic haste he caught up the knife and hacked at the figure of the
mummy； ever glancing round to see the eye and the weapon of his terrible
visitor bent upon him。 The creature crackled and snapped under every
stab of the keen blade。 A thick yellow dust rose up from it。 Spices and
dried essences rained down upon the floor。 Suddenly； with a rending
crack； its backbone snapped asunder； and it fell； a brown heap of
sprawling limbs； upon the floor。
〃Now into the fire！〃 said Smith。
The flames leaped and roared as the dried and tinderlike debris was
piled upon it。 The little room was like the stoke…hole of a steamer and
the sweat ran down the faces of the two men； but still the one stooped and
worked； while the other sat watching him with a set face。 A thick； fat
smoke oozed out from the fire； and a heavy smell of burned rosin and
singed hair filled the air。 In a quarter of an hour a few charred and brittle
sticks were all that was left of Lot No。 249。
〃Perhaps that will satisfy you；〃 snarled Bellingham； with hate and fear
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in his little grey eyes as he glanced back at his tormenter。 〃No； I must
make a clean sweep of all your materials。 We must have no more devil's
tricks。 In with all these leaves！ They may have something to do with
it。〃
〃And what now？〃 asked Bellingham； when the leaves also had been
added to the blaze。
〃Now the roll of papyrus which you had on the table that night。 It is
in that drawer； I think。〃
〃No； no；〃 shouted Bellingham。 〃Don't burn that！ Why； man； you
don't know what you do。 It is unique； it contains wisdom which is
nowhere else to be found。〃
〃Out with it！〃
〃But look here； Smith； you can't really mean it。 I'll share the
knowledge with you。 I'll teach you all that is in it。 Or； stay； let me only
copy it before you burn it！〃
Smith stepped forward and turned the key in the drawer。 Taking out
the yellow； curled roll of paper； he threw it into the fire； and pressed it
down with his heel。 Bellingham screamed； and grabbed at it； but Smith
pushed him back； and stood over it until it was reduced to a formless grey
ash。
〃Now； Master B。；〃 said he； 〃I think I have pretty well drawn your teeth。
You'll hear from me again； if you return to your old tricks。 And now
good…morning； for I must go back to my studies。〃
And such is the narrative of Abercrombie Smith as to the singular
events which occurred in Old College； Oxford； in the spring of '84。 As
Bellingham left the university immediately afterwards； and was last heard
of in the Soudan； there is no one who can contradict his statement。 But
the wisdom of men is small； and the ways of nature are strange； and who
shall put a bound to the dark things which may be found by those who
seek for them？
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THE LOS AMIGOS FIASCO。
I used to be the leading practitioner of Los Amigos。 Of course；
everyone has heard of the great electrical generating gear there。 The
town is wide spread； and there are dozens of little townlets and villages all
round； which receive their supply from the same centre； so that the works
are on a very large scale。 The Los Amigos folk say that they are the
largest upon earth； but then we claim that for everything in Los Amigos
except the gaol and the death…rate。 Those are said to be the smallest。
Now； with so fine an electrical supply； it seemed to be a sinful waste of
hemp that the Los Amigos criminals should perish in the old…fashioned
manner。 And then came the news of the eleotrocutions in the East； and
how the results had not after all been so instantaneous as had been hoped。
The Western Engi