Magic, Inc

He brightened a little. Why, yes, she did - once. Didn't I tell you about it?' Mrs Jennings showed polite curiosity, for which I silently thanked her. Jedson explained to the others what they had been trying to accomplish. She really succeeded too well,' he continued. Once she had started, she kept right on, and we could not bring her out of her trance. She turned out over thirty thousand little striped sports dresses, all the same size and pattern. My lofts were loaded with them. Nine tenths of them will melt away before I dispose of them.

But she won't try it again,' he added. Too hard on her health.'

How?' I inquired.

Well, she lost ten pounds doing that one stunt. She's not hardy enough for magic. What she really needs is to go out to Arizona and lie around in the sun for a year. I wish to the Lord I had the money. I'd send her.'

I cocked an eyebrow at him. Getting interested, Joe?' Jedson is an inveterate bachelor, but it pleases me to pretend otherwise. He generally plays up, but this time he was downright surly. It showed the abnormal state of nerves he was in.

Oh, for cripes' sake, Archie! Excuse me, Mrs Jennings! But can't I take a normal humane interest in a person without you seeing an ulterior motive in it?'

Sorry.'

That's all right.' He grinned. I shouldn't be so touchy. Anyhow, Ellen and I have cooked up an invention between us that might be a solution for all of us. I'd been intending to show it to all of you just as soon as we had a working model. Look, folks!' He drew what appeared to be a fountain pen Out of a vest pocket and handed it to me.

What is it? A pen?'

No.'

A fever thermometer?'

No. Open it up.'

I unscrewed the cap and found that it contained a miniature parasol. It opened and closed like a real umbrella, and was about three inches across when opened. It reminded me of one of those clever little Japanese favours one sometimes gets at parties, except that it seemed to be made of oiled silk and metal instead of tissue paper and bamboo.

Pretty,' I said, and very clever. What's it good for?'

Dip it in water.'

I looked around for some. Mrs Jennings poured some into an empty cup, and I dipped it in.

It seemed to crawl in my hands.

In less than thirty seconds I was holding a full-sized umbrella in my hands and looking as silly as I felt. Bodie smacked a palm with a fist.

It's a lulu, Joe! I wonder why somebody didn't think of it before.'

Jedson accepted congratulations with a fatuous grin, then added, That's not all - look.' He pulled a small envelope out of a pocket and produced a tiny transparent raincoat, suitable for a six-inch doll. This is the same gag. And this.' He hauled out a pair of rubber overshoes less than an inch long. A man could wear these as a watch fob, or a woman could carry them on a charm bracelet. Then, with either the umbrella or the raincoat, one need never be caught in the rain. The minute the rain hits them, presto! - full size. When they dry out they shrink up.'

We passed them around from hand to hand and admired them. Joe went on. Here's what I have in mind. This business needs a magician - that's you, Jack - and a merchandiser - that's you, Archie. It has two major stockholders: that's Ellen and me. She can go take the rest cure she needs, and I'll retire and resume my studies, same as I always wanted to.'

My mind immediately started turning over the commercial possibilities, then I suddenly saw the hitch. Wait a minute, Joe. We can't set up business in this state.'

No.'

It will take some capital to move out of the state. How are you fixed? Frankly, I don't believe I could raise a thousand dollars if I liquidated.'

He made a wry face. Compared with me you are rich.'

I got up and began wandering nervously around the room. We would just have to raise the money somehow. It was too good a thing to be missed, and would rehabilitate all of us. It was clearly patentable, and I could see commercial possibilities that would never occur to Joe. Tents for camping, canoes, swimming suits, travelling gear of every sort. We had a gold mine.

Mrs Jennings interrupted in her sweet and gentle voice. I am not sure it will be too easy to find a state in which to operate.'

Excuse me, what did you say?'

Dr Royce and I have been making some inquiries. I am afraid you will find the rest of the country about as well sewed up as this state.'

What! Forty-eight states?'

Demons don't have the same limitations in time that we have.'

That brought me up short. Ditworth again.

Gloom settled down on us like fog. We discussed it from every angle and came right back to where we had started. It was no help to have a clever, new business; Ditworth had us shut out of every business. There was an awkward silence.

I finally broke it with an outburst that surprised myself. Look here!' I exclaimed. This situation is intolerable. Let's quit kidding ourselves and admit it. As long as Ditworth is in control we're whipped. Why don't we do something?'

Jedson gave me a pained smile. God knows I'd like to, Archie, if I could think of anything useful to do.'

But we know who our enemy is - Ditworth! Let's tackle him - legal or not, fair means or dirty!'

But that is just the point. Do we know our enemy? To be sure, we know he is a demon, but what demon, and where? Nobody has seen him in weeks.'

Huh? But I thought just the other day-'

Just a dummy, a hollow shell. The real Ditworth is somewhere out of sight.'

But, look, if he is a demon, can't he be invoked, and compelled-'

Mrs Jennings answered this time. Perhaps - though it's uncertain and dangerous. But we lack one essential - his name. To invoke a demon you must know his real name, otherwise he will not obey you, no matter how powerful the incantation. I have been searching the Half World for weeks, but I have not learned that necessary name.'

Dr Worthington cleared his throat with a rumble as deep as a cement mixer, and volunteered, My abilities are at your disposal, if I can help to abate this nuisance-'

Mrs Jennings thanked him. I don't see how we can use you as yet, Doctor. I knew we could depend on you.'

Jedson said suddenly, White prevails over black.'

She answered, Certainly.'

Everywhere?'

Everywhere, since darkness is the absence of light.'

He went on, It is not good for the white to wait on the black.'

It is not good.'

With my brother Royce to help, we might carry light into darkness.'

She considered this. It is possible, yes. But very dangerous.'

You have been there?'

On occasion. But you are not I, nor are these others.'

Everyone seemed to be following the thread of the conversation but me. I interrupted with, Just a minute, please. Would it be too much to explain what you are talking about?'

There was no rudeness intended, Archibald,' said Mrs Jennings in a voice that made it all right. Joseph has suggested that, since we are stalemated here, we make a sortie into the Half World, smell out this demon, and attack him on his home ground.'

It took me a moment to grasp the simple audacity of the scheme. Then I said, Fine! Let's get on with it. When do we start?'

They lapsed back into a professional discussion that I was unable to follow. Mrs Jennings dragged out several musty volumes and looked up references on points that were sheer Sanskrit to me. Jedson borrowed her almanac, and he and the doctor stepped out into the back yard to observe the moon.

Finally it settled down into an argument - or rather discussion; there could be no argument, as they all deferred to Mrs Jennings's judgement concerning liaison. There seemed to be no satisfactory way to maintain contact with the real world, and Mrs Jennings was unwilling to start until it was worked out. The difficulty was this: not being black magicians, not having signed a compact with Old Nick, they were not citizens of the Dark Kingdom and could not travel through it with certain impunity.