The She-Wolf
Leonard Bilsiter was one of those people who havefailed to find this world attractive or interesting, andwho have sought compensation in an "unseen world" oftheir own experience or imagination - or invention.Children do that sort of thing successfully, but childrenare content to convince themselves, and do not vulgarisetheir beliefs by trying to convince other people.Leonard Bilsiter's beliefs were for "the few," that is tosay, anyone who would listen to him.His dabblings in the unseen might not have carriedhim beyond the customary platitudes of the drawing-roomvisionary if accident had not reinforced his stock-in-trade of mystical lore. In company with a friend, whowas interested in a Ural mining concern, he had made atrip across Eastern Europe at a moment when the greatRussian railway strike was developing from a threat to areality; its outbreak caught him on the return journey,somewhere on the further side of Perm, and it was whilewaiting for a couple of days at a wayside station in astate of suspended locomotion that he made theacquaintance of a dealer in harness and metalware, whoprofitably whiled away the tedium of the long halt byinitiating his English travelling companion in afragmentary system of folk-lore that he had picked upfrom Trans-Baikal traders and natives. Leonard returnedto his home circle garrulous about his Russian strikeexperiences, but oppressively reticent about certain darkmysteries, which he alluded to under the resounding titleof Siberian Magic. The reticence wore off in a week ortwo under the influence of an entire lack of generalcuriosity, and Leonard began to make more detailedallusions to the enormous powers which this new esotericforce, to use his own description of it, conferred on theinitiated few who knew how to wield it. His aunt,Cecilia Hoops, who loved sensation perhaps rather betterthan she loved the truth, gave him as clamorous anadvertisement as anyone could wish for by retailing anaccount of how he had turned a vegetable marrow into awood pigeon before her very eyes. As a manifestation ofthe possession of supernatural powers, the story wasdiscounted in some quarters by the respect accorded toMrs. Hoops' powers of imagination.However divided opinion might be on the question ofLeonard's status as a wonderworker or a charlatan, hecertainly arrived at Mary Hampton's house-party with areputation for pre-eminence in one or other of thoseprofessions, and he was not disposed to shun suchpublicity as might fall to his share. Esoteric forcesand unusual powers figured largely in whateverconversation he or his aunt had a share in, and his ownperformances, past and potential, were the subject ofmysterious hints and dark avowals."I wish you would turn me into a wolf, Mr.Bilsiter," said his hostess at luncheon the day after hisarrival."My dear Mary," said Colonel Hampton, "I never knewyou had a craving in that direction.""A she-wolf, of course," continued Mrs. Hampton; itwould be too confusing to change one's sex as well asone's species at a moment's notice.""I don't think one should jest on these subjects,"said Leonard."I'm not jesting, I'm quite serious, I assure you.Only don't do it to-day; we have only eight availablebridge players, and it would break up one of our tables.To-morrow we shall be a larger party. To-morrow night,after dinner - ""In our present imperfect understanding of thesehidden forces I think one should approach them withhumbleness rather than mockery," observed Leonard, withsuch severity that the subject was forthwith dropped.Clovis Sangrail had sat unusually silent during thediscussion on the possibilities of Siberian Magic; afterlunch he side-tracked Lord Pabham into the comparativeseclusion of the billiard-room and delivered himself of asearching question."Have you such a thing as a she-wolf in yourcollection of wild animals? A she-wolf of moderatelygood temper?"Lord Pabham considered. "There is Loiusa," he said,"a rather fine specimen of the timber-wolf. I got hertwo years ago in exchange for some Arctic foxes. Most ofmy animals get to be fairly tame before they've been withme very long; I think I can say Louisa has an angelictemper, as she-wolves go. Why do you ask?""I was wondering whether you would lend her to mefor to-morrow night," said Clovis, with the carelesssolicitude of one who borrows a collar stud or a tennisracquet."To-morrow night?""Yes, wolves are nocturnal animals, so the latehours won't hurt her," said Clovis, with the air of onewho has taken everything into consideration; "one of yourmen could bring her over from Pabham Park after dusk, andwith a little help he ought to be able to smuggle herinto the conservatory at the same moment that MaryHampton makes an unobtrusive exit."Lord Pabham stared at Clovis for a moment inpardonable bewilderment; then his face broke into awrinkled network of laughter."Oh, that's your game, is it? You are going to do alittle Siberian Magic on your own account. And is Mrs.Hampton willing to be a fellow-conspirator?""Mary is pledged to see me through with it, if youwill guarantee Louisa's temper.""I'll answer for Louisa," said Lord Pabham.By the following day the house-party had swollen tolarger proportions, and Bilsiter's instinct for self-advertisement expanded duly under the stimulant of anincreased audience. At dinner that evening he held forthat length on the subject of unseen forces and untestedpowers, and his flow of impressive eloquence continuedunabated while coffee was being served in the drawing-room preparatory to a general migration to the card-room.His aunt ensured a respectful hearing for hisutterances, but her sensation-loving soul hankered aftersomething more dramatic than mere vocal demonstration."Won't you do something to convince them of yourpowers, Leonard?" she pleaded; "change something intoanother shape. He can, you know, if he only chooses to,"she informed the company."Oh, do," said Mavis Pellington earnestly, and herrequest was echoed by nearly everyone present. Eventhose who were not open to conviction were perfectlywilling to be entertained by an exhibition of amateurconjuring.Leonard felt that something tangible was expected ofhim."Has anyone present," he asked, "got a three-pennybit or some small object of no particular value -?""You're surely not going to make coins disappear, orsomething primitive of that sort?" said Cloviscontemptuously."I think it very unkind of you not to carry out mysuggestion of turning me into a wolf," said Mary Hampton,as she crossed over to the conservatory to give hermacaws their usual tribute from the dessert dishes."I have already warned you of the danger of treatingthese powers in a mocking spirit," said Leonard solemnly."I don't believe you can do it," laughed Maryprovocatively from the conservatory; "I dare you to do itif you can. I defy you to turn me into a wolf."As she said this she was lost to view behind a clumpof azaleas."Mrs. Hampton - " began Leonard with increasedsolemnity, but he got no further. A breath of chill airseemed to rush across the room, and at the same time themacaws broke forth into ear-splitting screams."What on earth is the matter with those confoundedbirds, Mary?" exclaimed Colonel Hampton; at the samemoment an even more piercing scream from Mavis Pellingtonstampeded the entire company from their seats. Invarious attitudes of helpless horror or instinctivedefence they confronted the evil-looking grey beast thatwas peering at them from amid a setting of fern andazalea.Mrs. Hoops was the first to recover from the generalchaos of fright and bewilderment."Leonard!" she screamed shrilly to her nephew, "turnit back into Mrs. Hampton at once! It may fly at us atany moment. Turn it back!""I - I don't know how to," faltered Leonard, wholooked more scared and horrified than anyone."What!" shouted Colonel Hampton, "you've taken theabominable liberty of turning my wife into a wolf, andnow you stand there calmly and say you can't turn herback again!"To do strict justice to Leonard, calmness was not adistinguishing feature of his attitude at the moment."I assure you I didn't turn Mrs. Hampton into awolf; nothing was farther from my intentions," heprotested."Then where is she, and how came that animal intothe conservatory?" demanded the Colonel."Of course we must accept your assurance that youdidn't turn Mrs. Hampton into a wolf," said Clovispolitely, "but you will agree that appearances areagainst you.""Are we to have all these recriminations with thatbeast standing there ready to tear us to pieces?" wailedMavis indignantly."Lord Pabham, you know a good deal about wild beasts- " suggested Colonel Hampton."The wild beasts that I have been accustomed to,"said Lord Pabham, "have come with proper credentials fromwell-known dealers, or have been bred in my ownmenagerie. I've never before been confronted with ananimal that walks unconcernedly out of an azalea bush,leaving a charming and popular hostess unaccounted for.As far as one can judge from outward characteristics," hecontinued, "it has the appearance of a well-grown femaleof the North American timber-wolf, a variety of thecommon species canis lupus.""Oh, never mind its Latin name," screamed Mavis, asthe beast came a step or two further into the room;"can't you entice it away with food, and shut it up whereit can't do any harm?""If it is really Mrs. Hampton, who has just had avery good dinner, I don't suppose food will appeal to itvery strongly," said Clovis."Leonard," beseeched Mrs. Hoops tearfully, "even ifthis is none of your doing can't you use your greatpowers to turn this dreadful beast into somethingharmless before it bites us all - a rabbit or something?""I don't suppose Colonel Hampton would care to havehis wife turned into a succession of fancy animals asthough we were playing a round game with her," interposedClovis."I absolutely forbid it," thundered the Colonel."Most wolves that I've had anything to do with havebeen inordinately fond of sugar," said Lord Pabham; "ifyou like I'll try the effect on this one."He took a piece of sugar from the saucer of hiscoffee cup and flung it to the expectant Louisa, whosnapped it in mid-air. There was a sigh of relief fromthe company; a wolf that ate sugar when it might at theleast have been employed in tearing macaws to pieces hadalready shed some of its terrors. The sigh deepened to agasp of thanks-giving when Lord Pabham decoyed the animalout of the room by a pretended largesse of further sugar.There was an instant rush to the vacated conservatory.There was no trace of Mrs. Hampton except the platecontaining the macaws' supper."The door is locked on the inside!" exclaimedClovis, who had deftly turned the key as he affected totest it.Everyone turned towards Bilsiter."If you haven't turned my wife into a wolf," saidColonel Hampton, "will you kindly explain where she hasdisappeared to, since she obviously could not have gonethrough a locked door? I will not press you for anexplanation of how a North American timber-wolf suddenlyappeared in the conservatory, but I think I have someright to inquire what has become of Mrs. Hampton."Bilsiter's reiterated disclaimer was met with ageneral murmur of impatient disbelief."I refuse to stay another hour under this roof,"declared Mavis Pellington."If our hostess has really vanished out of humanform," said Mrs. Hoops, "none of the ladies of the partycan very well remain. I absolutely decline to bechaperoned by a wolf!""It's a she-wolf," said Clovis soothingly.The correct etiquette to be observed under theunusual circumstances received no further elucidation.The sudden entry of Mary Hampton deprived the discussionof its immediate interest."Some one has mesmerised me," she exclaimed crossly;"I found myself in the game larder, of all places, beingfed with sugar by Lord Pabham. I hate being mesmerised,and the doctor has forbidden me to touch sugar."The situation was explained to her, as far as itpermitted of anything that could be called explanation."Then you really did turn me into a wolf, Mr.Bilsiter?" she exclaimed excitedly.But Leonard had burned the boat in which he mightnow have embarked on a sea of glory. He could only shakehis head feebly."It was I who took that liberty," said Clovis; "yousee, I happen to have lived for a couple of years inNorth-Eastern Russia, and I have more than a tourist'sacquaintance with the magic craft of that region. Onedoes not care to speak about these strange powers, butonce in a way, when one hears a lot of nonsense beingtalked about them, one is tempted to show what Siberianmagic can accomplish in the hands of someone who reallyunderstands it. I yielded to that temptation. May Ihave some brandy? the effort has left me rather faint."If Leonard Bilsiter could at that moment havetransformed Clovis into a cockroach and then have steppedon him he would gladly have performed both operations.
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