"But I must do something first. It's a sort of qualification." "Yes?" "I must kill someone." "But that's most naughty, old boy, isn't it?" "Not when you have a good reason." * * * * * Henry held up the decanter and looked at the small amount of wine that was left. He shook his head sadly. "But who's going to be your victim?" "You," answered George. "Me?" said Henry, smiling. "Yes, you." "Are you mad?" "No." Henry stopped smiling and his face grew a trifle pale. He suddenly had the sickening feeling that George wasn't kidding him any more. "But why me?" George pulled a small revolver from his breast pocket. "I have it from what I believe to be a thoroughly reliable source that while I was out of town last week you were out with my wife." Henry's jaw dropped. "Why that's absurd!" George pulled back the safety catch on his gun. "I heard you were out with my wife in a parked car on a dark and lonely road. I heard you were doing things with my wife in a parked car on a dark and lonely road." Sweat glistened on Henry's forehead. "Me out with your wife? That's preposterous! And you know it! Now put down that gun! Do you hear me? Put it down!" "No, I don't hear you," smiled George, pulling the trigger. "I don't hear you at all." A small hole appeared between Henry's eyes and he slipped from his chair to the floor. What was left of his goblet of wine spilled on his shirt front. George looked at his dead friend for a moment then pocketed his gun. "How did I do?" he called out to a dark corner of the room. A tall, heavy-set man in a black suit stepped out of the darkness, walking towards the fireplace. His silver hair sparkled in the dancing light. "Fine, my friend, fine." George sighed contentedly. "And now you'll let me go with you?" "Now I'll let you come with me to Hell," said the Devil. "And I'll make you a demon or a ghoul," he grinned, "or something." George was breathing heavily and the nostrils of his thin nose were quivering. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" The Devil smiled. "There is no hurry my friend. Calm yourself. Here, let us drink some wine." He picked up the decanter and poured what was left into two cups. He handed one to George. "To our future," said the Devil, drinking quickly. "To our future," said George, sipping the wine, looking a bit perplexed. The Devil's eyes bored into George. "What is wrong, my friend? You look puzzled." "Well, I was just wondering," said George. "You know, just aimlessly wondering." "What about?" asked the Devil. "Well, I guess I shouldn't ask, but ... but Henry was such a good friend ... are you positive that you saw my wife with him in that parked car last week?" The devil shrugged, a shrewd grin pulling at his lips. "I could be wrong about that. You'd never forgive yourself, would you? Wouldn't that be Hell!" And George, realizing suddenly for the first time that it was, screamed long and--heatedly.