Pearl stood stiffly now, her face a mask of utter horror. Joe felt a wave of blackness engulfing him, a wave of sheer hate that almost consumed him, but he could not move a muscle. Then, as Pearl seemed to wilt for a moment, seemed about to fall, there came the rush of bare feet and a childish scream as Sally flung herself into the room and raced straight toward the Devil. Her slim arms were extended, and she hit the Devil full in the back. He staggered forward, tripped on the rug, and crashed headlong against the refrigerator. He dropped like a poled ox and lay there, unconscious. Joe, released from the paralysis that held him, leaped forward and hurled himself upon the Devil's body. Granddad, too, swung into action, and between them they both knelt on an arm of the prone Devil, and then Joe barked: "Mother, fetch a clothesline. We've got to tie him up. Once we've done that, you go and get a log chain, Dad, and we'll chain him up out in the old storm cellar." "You bet," said Dad. "And then we'll bulldoze enough dirt over it so he'll never get out!" "Now you're talking," said Joe. "Not even a mouse must get into that cellar...." He clamped a hand on the Devil's throat and held it in readiness. "Don't look at him, anybody," he warned. "He's coming to. Hurry with that clothesline, Mother!" * * * * * The Devil's eyes opened, and he looked up dazedly. There was no recognition in them. He looked up at Joe. "What's happened?" he asked, then groaned. He closed his eyes a moment as a wave of dizziness obviously swept over him. Then he opened them again. "Who are you?" he asked. "Don't you know?" asked Joe, puzzled by something he saw, or rather didn't see, in the eyes that looked up at him. The man stared at him with a dazed air of incomprehension. "I'm afraid I don't." "Who are you?" asked Joe. "I...." A look of surprise flitted over the man's face. "I ... don't know. I can't seem to remember a thing." "Don't believe him, son," said Dad. "He's trying to pull a fast one." Joe looked at Pearl's father in startlement. "You've been looking at him ..." his voice trailed off. Pearl came over and looked, too. "He ... doesn't look like the Devil," she said hesitantly. "I feel like the devil," said the young man. "And you two are sure hard on my arms. They're getting numb." * * * * * Joe eased up, then slid his knees off to the floor, "I guess I can hold him if he tries anything, Dad. You can get off him now." Dad got to his feet and stood aside, watchfully. "Got that rope, Mother?" he asked. She handed it to him. "You going to tie me up?" asked the young man in dazed tones. "What's going on here?" "I believe he's got amnesia from hitting his head on the refrigerator," said Pearl. Joe looked undecided. "You don't remember who you are?" he asked.