a little walk."
I gave him a broad wicked wink, which delighted him.
"That's fine, m'boy. I want to get this evening's edition ready. Now let's see, where was I…"
By this time it was getting dark. Without saying a word, I pushed Elissa into the alley behind the shop. You could hear the press chugging away inside, so I began to talk fast.
"I like you," I said, "and maybe after all this is over, we can get together somewhere. But right now the important thing is to stop that bird."
She looked beautiful there in the shadows, but I couldn't take the time to tell her so. Vaguely I sensed that I'd somehow fallen in love with this girl whom I'd met that same day. She looked in all ways cooperative.
I did manage to ask: "You got a boyfriend?"
Again she shook that pretty blonde head, so I got right back to the business at hand.
"Jones has to be stopped. What he's done so far is fantastic, all right, but comparatively harmless. However, we've got to remember that he's the devil after all, and for sure he's up to something. Things won't stay harmless, you can count on that. Already he's forgotten about the original idea. Look at him in there, having the time of his life. This was all he needed to cut loose. Dad made the mistake of leaving the idea of my happiness up to Mr. Jones' imagination."
"All right, Dick, but what do we do?"
"Did you notice that he read aloud what's going to happen tonight, Elissa?"
"You mean about the mermaids in the bathtub?"
"Yes. Don't you get it? That hasn't happened yet. He thinks up these crazy ideas, types 'em out, gets 'em all printed and then they take place. He goes over, takes a few pictures and in some way gets the papers delivered a few minutes later, complete with the news. Don't ask me why he doesn't just snap his fingers-maybe he enjoys it this way more."
"I suppose that's, uh, sensible. What do you want me to do, Dick?"
"It's asking a lot, I suppose, but we can't let him wreck the whole world. Elissa, do you think you could divert the devil for about a half hour?"
Looking at her, I knew she could.
"I get it now. Okay, if you think it'll work. First, do me a favor?"
"Anything."
"Kiss me again, would you?"
I complied, and let me tell you, there was nothing crazy about that kiss. I was honestly grateful to Mr. Jones for one thing at least.
Elissa opened the front door of the office, threw back her hair and crooked a finger at the devil.
"Oh Mr. Jones!"
From the alley I could see him stop typing abruptly. More than abruptly. So would I.
"Why, my dear! Back from your walk so soon? Where is Richard?"
"I don't know-he just walked off and didn't say anything. Now I'm all alone."
The devil's eyes looked like tiny red hot coals, and he bit clean through his cigar. "Well," he said. "Well, well, well!"
"You wouldn't like to take me out for a few drinks, would you, Mr. Jones?"
The way she moved her hips would have me bite through my cigar, if I'd had a cigar. She was doing beautifully.
"Well, I had planned to-no, it can wait. Certainly, Miss Traskers, I'd be pleased, more than pleased, oh, very pleased to accompany you somewhere for a spot. Richard has probably gone home to talk to other reporters."
With this he hopped over the desk and took Elissa's arm.
"Oh, my dear girl, it has been so long, so very long. Voluntarily, I mean."
She smiled at the old goat and in a few minutes they were headed straight for Barney's Grill. I almost chased them when I heard him say, "And afterwards, perhaps we could take a stroll through the woods, eh?"
As soon as they were out of sight, I ran into the office, took his material out of the typewriter and inserted a new sheet.
I thought for a few minutes, and then hurriedly typed:
DEVIL RETURNS HOME
The devil, known also as Mr. Jones, cut short his latest visit to Earth because of altercations in Gehenna. Mr. Elmer Lewis, for some years a resident of the lower regions, successfully made his escape and entry into heaven, where he joined his
I gave him a broad wicked wink, which delighted him.
"That's fine, m'boy. I want to get this evening's edition ready. Now let's see, where was I…"
By this time it was getting dark. Without saying a word, I pushed Elissa into the alley behind the shop. You could hear the press chugging away inside, so I began to talk fast.
"I like you," I said, "and maybe after all this is over, we can get together somewhere. But right now the important thing is to stop that bird."
She looked beautiful there in the shadows, but I couldn't take the time to tell her so. Vaguely I sensed that I'd somehow fallen in love with this girl whom I'd met that same day. She looked in all ways cooperative.
I did manage to ask: "You got a boyfriend?"
Again she shook that pretty blonde head, so I got right back to the business at hand.
"Jones has to be stopped. What he's done so far is fantastic, all right, but comparatively harmless. However, we've got to remember that he's the devil after all, and for sure he's up to something. Things won't stay harmless, you can count on that. Already he's forgotten about the original idea. Look at him in there, having the time of his life. This was all he needed to cut loose. Dad made the mistake of leaving the idea of my happiness up to Mr. Jones' imagination."
"All right, Dick, but what do we do?"
"Did you notice that he read aloud what's going to happen tonight, Elissa?"
"You mean about the mermaids in the bathtub?"
"Yes. Don't you get it? That hasn't happened yet. He thinks up these crazy ideas, types 'em out, gets 'em all printed and then they take place. He goes over, takes a few pictures and in some way gets the papers delivered a few minutes later, complete with the news. Don't ask me why he doesn't just snap his fingers-maybe he enjoys it this way more."
"I suppose that's, uh, sensible. What do you want me to do, Dick?"
"It's asking a lot, I suppose, but we can't let him wreck the whole world. Elissa, do you think you could divert the devil for about a half hour?"
Looking at her, I knew she could.
"I get it now. Okay, if you think it'll work. First, do me a favor?"
"Anything."
"Kiss me again, would you?"
I complied, and let me tell you, there was nothing crazy about that kiss. I was honestly grateful to Mr. Jones for one thing at least.
Elissa opened the front door of the office, threw back her hair and crooked a finger at the devil.
"Oh Mr. Jones!"
From the alley I could see him stop typing abruptly. More than abruptly. So would I.
"Why, my dear! Back from your walk so soon? Where is Richard?"
"I don't know-he just walked off and didn't say anything. Now I'm all alone."
The devil's eyes looked like tiny red hot coals, and he bit clean through his cigar. "Well," he said. "Well, well, well!"
"You wouldn't like to take me out for a few drinks, would you, Mr. Jones?"
The way she moved her hips would have me bite through my cigar, if I'd had a cigar. She was doing beautifully.
"Well, I had planned to-no, it can wait. Certainly, Miss Traskers, I'd be pleased, more than pleased, oh, very pleased to accompany you somewhere for a spot. Richard has probably gone home to talk to other reporters."
With this he hopped over the desk and took Elissa's arm.
"Oh, my dear girl, it has been so long, so very long. Voluntarily, I mean."
She smiled at the old goat and in a few minutes they were headed straight for Barney's Grill. I almost chased them when I heard him say, "And afterwards, perhaps we could take a stroll through the woods, eh?"
As soon as they were out of sight, I ran into the office, took his material out of the typewriter and inserted a new sheet.
I thought for a few minutes, and then hurriedly typed:
DEVIL RETURNS HOME
The devil, known also as Mr. Jones, cut short his latest visit to Earth because of altercations in Gehenna. Mr. Elmer Lewis, for some years a resident of the lower regions, successfully made his escape and entry into heaven, where he joined his
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