■ The She-Wolf

To Leonard Bilsiter the real world was not very agreeableor interesting． He preferred to live in an 'unseen world'of his imagination． Children are often very good atthis， but they are happy in their own dream worlds and do nottry to make other people believe them． Leonard Bilsiter talked about'the unseen world'to anyone who would listen to him． Nothing very strange happened to Leonard， until one year he travelled by train across Eastern Europe． He had a long conversation with a Russian passenger， who talked about mag－ ic and'hidden powers'in a most interesting way． Leonard lis-tened excitedly． He came home with many stories about the strange， dark mysteries which he called Siberian Magic． His aunt， Cecilia Hoops， was deeply interested in Leonard's Siberian Magic． When she told her friends about it（ 'My dears， he took a garden vegetable and changed it into abird in front of my eyes！ '）， her friends realized that she also had a wonderful imagination．

Leonard， together with his hidden powers， was invited toMary Hampton's house－ party． Several other people were alsostaying in the house， and they all had to listen to Leonardtalking about the mysteries of the unseen world．

'Do please change me into a wolf， Mr Bilsiter， 'said MrsHampton during lunch on the day of his arrival．

'My dear Mary， 'said her husband． 'What a strangeidea！ '

'A she-wolf， of course， 'continued Mrs Hampton． 'I don't want to change into a man as well as an animal！ '

'We should not joke about the unseen world， 'saidLeonard．

'Oh， I'm not joking， I promise you． But don't changeme into a wolf tonight． I want to play cards， and there are on-ly eight of us in the house today． I've invited some more peo－ ple to come here tomorrow． Wait until tomorrow night． '

Leonard was not amused． 'Mrs Hampton， you reallymust not laugh at these dark mysteries． They can be strongerand more dangerous than we realize． '

Clovis Sangrail listened silently to this conversation， andafter lunch he spoke to Lord Pabham in the smoking－ room．

'Tell me， Lord Pabham， 'began Clovis． 'Have you got ashe－ wolf in your zoo at Pabham Park？ A quiet， friendly she－ wolf？ '

'There's Louisa， 'said Lord Pabham thoughtfully． 'She's very quiet and gentle． Why do you ask？ '

'I'd like to borrow her tomorrow evening， 'said Clovis lightly． 'May I， please？ '

'Tomorrow night？ 'repeated Lord Pabham in surprise．

'Yes． Wolves usually sleep during the day， don't they？ So a night-time journey won't hurt her． Could you ask one of your men to bring Louisa here when it is dark？ Then he can take her quietly into the conservatory at the same time as MrsHampton leaves the dining－ room． '

Lord Pabham looked at Clovis in surprise． Then he smiled． 'I understand！ 'he said． 'You're going to try a little Siberian Magic． And has Mrs Hampton agreed to help you？ ''Mary has promised—if your she－ wolf is quiet and gen-tle. '

'Louisa won't give you any trouble， 'said Lord Pabham． The next day several more guests arrived． Leonard Bil-siter enjoyed telling them all about Siberian Magic and hidden powers． He talked all through dinner． When the coffee arrivedat the end of the meal， Leonard's aunt spoke．

'Dear Leonard， 'she said， 'please show us your powers. Change something into another shape． 'She turned to the oth－ er guests． 'He can do it if he wants to， 'she told them． 'Oh， please show us， 'said Mavis Pellington excitedly. 'Well…'began Leonard． 'If somebody will give me asmall coin…'

'Oh， surely you aren't going to do stupid things withdisappearing coins？ 'said Clovis． 'We want to see somethingreally surprising． '

'That's right， 'said Mary Hampton． 'Why don't youchange me into a wolf？ You promised！ 'She got up from thetable and walked into the conservatory with a bowl of fruit forher macaws．

'I have already warned you， 'said Leonard seriously. 'Itis dangerous to joke about these things. '

'I don't believe you can do it！ 'laughed Mary from theconservatory. As she spoke， she disappeared behind a largegreen plant．

'Mrs Hampton—'began Leonard seriously． Then anicy wind seemed to fill the dining-room， and at the same timeMrs Hampton's macaws began to scream．

'What's wrong with those stupid birds， Mary？ 'askedher husband. Just then， a big grey wolf stepped out from be-hind the large green plant．

Leonard's aunt saw it first． 'Leonard！ 'she screamed． 'Bring Mrs Hampton back at once！ We don't want a danger－ ous wild animal in here！ '

'I—I don't know how to bring her back， 'said Leonardin a small， frightened voice．

'Rubbish！ 'shouted Mr Hampton． 'You changed my dear wife into a wolf. Now you must bring her back again！ '

'Please believe me， 'said Leonard． 'I didn't change your wife into a wolf． '

'Then where is she， and how did that animal get into the conservatory？ 'asked Mr Hampton angrily．

'Of course， we must believe you when you say that you didn't change Mrs Hampton into a wolf， 'said Clovis politely． 'But you must agree that it all looks very strange． '

'How can you stand there arguing， 'cried Mavis Pelling－ ton， 'with a wild animal in the house？ '

'Lord Pabham， 'began Mr Hampton， 'you know a lotabout wild animals…'

'I buy all my animals， 'said Lord Pabham． 'I have nev-er found one in a conservatory before． But this is a wolf， I amsure of that． I think it's probably a North American she－ wolf_'

'Oh， who cares where it came from！ 'screamed Mavis， as the wolf came a few steps further into the room． 'Can't you offer it some food， and take it away safely somewhere be－ fore it bites somebody？ '

'If this animal is really Mrs Hampton， 'said Clovis， 'she's just had an excellent dinner. She won't be interested infood． '

'Oh， Leonard， 'cried his aunt， 'can't you use your wonderful powers to change this terrible animal into something small and gentle， like a rabbit？ '

'I don't think Mr Hampton would like that， 'said Clovis．

'You're right！ 'shouted Mr Hampton． 'I forbid it！ '

'All my wolves love sugar， 'said Lord Pabham． 'If youlike， I'll offer this one a piece． 'He took a piece of sugar fromthe table and pushed it along the floor towards Louisa． She ateit quickly and then， clearly hoping for more sugar， she fol－ lowed Lord Pabham out of the room．

The guests left the table thankfully and hurried into the conservatory． It was empty． Mrs Hampton had disappeared．

'The door to the garden is locked on the inside！ 'saidClovis．（ He had quickly turned the key while he was pretend－ ing to try the lock．）

Everyone turned towards Leonard Bilsiter．

'If you have not changed my wife into a wolf， 'said MrHampton， 'will you please explain where she has gone？ Clear-ly she could not go out through a locked door—so where isshe？ '

'I tell you， I had nothing to do with it！ 'repeatedLeonard again and again． But nobody believed him．

'I'm leaving， 'said Mavis Pellington． 'I refuse to stayanother hour in this house． '

Just then Mary Hampton entered the room．

'What happened？ 'she asked crossly． 'Someone has beenplaying a stupid game with me． I found myself in the kitchen， eating sugar from Lord Pabham's hand． I hate stupid games， and my doctor has forbidden me to eat sugar． '

'Well， my dear…'began Mr Hampton． Mrs Hamptonlistened excitedly as he explained．

'So you really did change me into a wolf， Mr Bilsiter？ 'cried Mrs Hampton．

'No， no， 'said Leonard． 'It's all a mistake． ' 'Actually， I did it， 'said Clovis． 'You see， I spent two years in Russia， and I know a little about Siberian Magic． Of course， I don't like to talk about it． But when other people talk a lot of rubbish about hidden powers， I like to show what Siberian Magic can really do… May I please have a drink？ Ifeel a little tired now． '

Leonard Bilsiter looked at Clovis with hate in his eyes． At that moment he wished strongly that he could change Clovisin to some small helpless animal， and then step on him very hard．

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