Magic, Inc

I don't follow you. All my business is done in writing'

Certainly,' he agreed; that's because you are a businessman. In the professions the situation is somewhat different. If you go to a dental surgeon and ask him to pull an aching tooth, and he does, you are obligated to pay his fee, even though a fee has never been mentioned-'

That's true,' I interrupted, but there is no parallel. Biddle didn't "pull the tooth .'

In a way he did:' Ditworth persisted. The claim against you is for the survey, which was a service rendered you before this contract was written.

But no mention was made of a. service fee.'

That is where the implied obligation comes in, Mr Fraser; you told Dr Biddle that you had talked with me. He assumed quite correctly that I had previously explained to you the standard system of fees under the association-'

But I did not join the association!'

I know, I know. And I explained that to the other directors, but they insist that some sort of an adjustment must be made. I don't feel myself that you are fully to blame: but you will understand our position, I am sure. We are unable to accept you for membership in the association until this matter is adjusted - in fairness to Dr Biddle.'

What makes you think I intend to join the association?'

He looked hurt. I had not expectcd you to take that attitude, Mr Fraser. The association needs men of your calibre. But in your own interest, you will necessarily join, for presently it will be very difficult to get efficient thaumaturgy except from members of the association. We want to help you. Please don't make it difficult for us.'

I stood up. I am afraid you had better sue me and let a court decide the matter, Mr Ditworth. That seems to be the only satisfactory solution.'

I am sorry,' he said, shaking his head. It will prejudice your position when you come up for membership.'

Then it will just have to do so,' I said shortly, and showed him out.

After he had gone I crabbed at my office girl for doing something I told her to do the day before, and then had to apologize. I walked up and down a bit, stewing, although there was plenty of work I should have been doing. I was nervous; things had begun to get my goat - a dozen things that I haven't mentioned - and this last unreasonable demand from Ditworth seemed to be the last touch needed to upset me completely. Not that he could collect by suing me - that was preposterous - but it was an annoyance just the same. They say the Chinese have a torture that consists in letting one drop of water fall on the victim every few minutes. That's the way I felt.

Finally I called up Jedson and asked him to go to lunch with me.

I felt better after lunch. Jedson soothed me down, as he always does, and I was able to forget and put in the past most of the things that had been annoying me simply by telling him about them. By the time I had had a second cup of coffee and smoked a cigarette I was almost fit for polite society.

We strolled back towards my shop, discussing his problems for a change. It seems the blonde girl, the white witch from Jersey City, had finally managed to make her synthesis stunt work on footgear. But there was still a hitch; she had turned out over eight hundred left shoes - and no right ones.

We were just speculating as to the probable causes of such a contretemps when Jedson said, Look, Archie. The candidcamera fans are beginning to take an interest in you.'

I looked. There was a chap standing at the kerb directly across from my place of business and focusing a camera on the shop. Then I looked again. Joe,' I snapped, that's the bird I told you about, the one that came into my shop and started the trouble!'

Are you sure?' he asked, lowering his voice.

Positive.' There was no doubt about it; he was only a short distance away on the same side of the street that we were. It was the same racketeer who had tried to blackmail me into buying protection', the same Mediterranean look to him, the same flashy clothes.

We've got to grab him,' whispered Jedson.

But I had already thought of that. I rushed at him and had grabbed him by his coat collar and the slack of his pants before he knew what was happening, and pushed him across the street ahead of me. We were nearly run down, but I was so mad I didn't care. Jedson came pounding after us.

The yard door of my office was opcn. I gave the mug a final heave that lifted him over the threshold and sent him sprawling on the floor, Jedson was right behind; I bolted the door as soon as we were both inside.

Jedson strode over to my desk, snatched open the middle drawer, and rummaged hurriedly through the stuff that accumulates in such places. He found what he wanted, a carpenter's blue pencil, and was back alongside our gangster before he had collected himself sufficiently to scramble to his feet. Jedson drew a circle around him on the floor, almost tripping over his own feet in his haste, and closed the circle with an intricate flourish.

Our unwilling guest screeched when he saw what Joe was doing, and tried to throw himself out of the circle before it could be finished. But Jedson had been too fast for him - the circle was closed and sealed; he bounced back from the boundary as if he had struck a glass wall, and stumbled again to his knees. He remained so for the time, and cursed steadily in a language that I judged to be Italian, although. I think there were bad words in it from several other languages - certainly some English ones.

He was quite fluent.

Jedson pulled out a cigarette, lighted it, and handed me one. Let's sit down, Archie,' he said, and rest ourselves until our boy friend composes himself enough to talk business.'

I did so, and we smoked for several minutes while the flood of invective continued. Presently Jedson cocked one eyebrow at the chap and said, Aren't you beginning to repeat yourself?'

That checked him. He just sat and glared. Well,' Jedson continued, haven't you anything to say for yourself?'

He growled under his breath and said, I want to call my lawyer.'

Jedson looked amused. You don't understand the situation,' he told him. You're not under arrest, and we don't give a damn about your legal rights. We might just conjure up a hole and drop you in it, then let it relax.' The guy paled a little under his swarthy skin. Oh yes,' Jedson went on, we are quite capable of doing that - or worse. You see, we don't like you.

Of course,' he added meditatively, we might just turn you over to the police. I get a soft streak now and then.' The chap looked sour. You don't like that either? Your fingerprints, maybe?' Jedson jumped to his feet and in two quick strides was standing over him, just outside the circle. All right then,' he rapped, answer up and make em good! Why were you taking photographs?'

The chap muttered something, his eyes lowered. Jedson brushed it aside. Don't give me that stuff - we aren't children! Who told you to do it?'

He looked utterly panic-stricken at that and shut up completely.

Very well,' said Jedson, and turned to me. Have you some wax, or modelling clay, or anything of the sort?'

How would putty do?' I suggested.

Just the thing.' I slid out to the shed where we stow glaziers' supplies and came back with a five-pound can. Jedson prised it open and dug out a good big handful, then sat at my desk and worked the linseed oil into it until it was soft and workable. Our prisoner watched him with silent apprehension.

There! That's about right,' jedson announced at length, and slapped the soft lump down on my blotter pad. He commenced to fashion it with his fingers, and it took shape slowly as a little doll about ten inches high. It did not look like much of anything or anybody - Jedson is no artist - but Jedson kept glancing from the figurine to the man in the circle and back again, like a sculptor making a clay sketch directly from a model. You could see the chap's nervous terror increase by the minute.