His voice stopped--exactly like hit neighbour's gramophone with well-aimed brick, the same instant silence-- rustle paper stopped, and everything was still .

" done with my hat ? " , after an interval

no answer

I stared at Gip, and Gip stared at me, and there were our distortions magic mirrors, looking very rum, and grave, and quiet .

" we'll go now," " tell me all this comes to ? .

" ," , on rather louder note, " the bill; and my hat, please "

It sniff from behind the paper pile .

"Let's look behind the counter, Gip," "He's making fun of us "

I led Gip round the head-wagging tiger, and what behind the counter ? No one at all ! Only my hat floor, and common conjurer's lop-eared white rabbit lost in meditation, and looking as stupid and crumpled as only conjurer's rabbit can do I resumed my hat, rabbit lolloped lollop or so out way

"Dadda ! " said Gip, in guilty whisper

" it, Gip ? " said I

" like this shop, dadda "

"So should I," to myself, " counter wouldn't suddenly extend itself to shut one off door " But I didn't call Gip's attention "Pussy ! " , with hand out rabbit as it came lolloping past us; "Pussy, do Gip magic ! " eyes followed it as it squeezed through door I had certainly not remarked moment before Then this door opened wider, man with one ear larger other appeared again smiling still, but his eye met mine with something between amusement and defiance "You'd like our showroom, sir," , with an innocent suavity Gip tugged my finger forward I glanced counter and met the shopman's eye again beginning the magic just little too genuine "We haven't time," But somehow we were inside the showroom before finish that

"All goods same quality," said the shopman, rubbing his flexible hands together, "and Best Nothing place that isn't genuine Magic, and warranted thoroughly rum Excuse me, sir ! "

him pull at something that clung to my coat-sleeve, and then he held little, wriggling red demon tail--the little creature bit and fought and tried at his hand--and in moment he tossed it carelessly behind counter the thing was only an image of twisted indiarubber, but moment-- ! gesture was exactly that of man who handles some petty biting bit of vermin I glanced at Gip, but Gip was looking at magic rocking-horse glad he hadn't seen the thing " ," , in an undertone, and indicating Gip red demon with my eyes, "you haven't many things like that_ about, ? "

"None of ours ! Probably brought it ," said the shopman--also in an undertone, and with more dazzling smile than ever "Astonishing what people will_, carry about unawares ! " And then to Gip, "Do anything you fancy here ? "

There were many things that Gip fancied there

He turned astonishing tradesman with mingled confidence and respect " Magic Sword ? "

"A Magic Toy Sword It neither bends, breaks, nor cuts the fingers It renders the bearer invincible in battle against under eighteen Half crown to seven and sixpence, according to size These panoplies on cards are for juvenile knights-errant and very useful--shield of safety, sandals of swiftness, helmet of invisibility "

"Oh, dadda ! " gasped Gip

I tried out what they cost, but the shopman heed me He had got Gip now; he had got him away from my finger; he had embarked exposition of all his confounded stock, and nothing was going to stop him Presently with qualm of distrust and something very like jealousy that Gip had hold person's finger as usually he has hold the fellow was interesting, , and had an interestingly faked lot of stuff, really good faked stuff, still----

I wandered after them, saying very little, but keeping an eye prestidigital fellow After all, Gip was enjoying it And time came able quite easily

long, rambling place, that showroom, gallery broken up by stands and stalls and pillars, with archways leading off to other departments, queerest-looking assistants loafed and stared at one, and with perplexing mirrors and curtains So perplexing, indeed, were these that presently unable out the door we had come

The shopman showed Gip magic trains that ran without steam or clockwork, just set the signals, and then some very, very valuable boxes of soldiers that all came alive directly you took off the lid and said----I myself haven't very quick ear, and tongue-twisting sound, but Gip--he has his mother's ear--got it in no time "Bravo ! " said the shopman, putting the men back box unceremoniously and handing it to Gip "Now," said the shopman, and in moment Gip had made them all alive again

"You'll take that box ? " asked the shopman

"We'll take that box," said I, "unless you charge its full value it would need Trust Magnate----"

"Dear heart ! No ! " shopman swept the little men back again, shut the lid, waved the box air, and there , in brown paper, tied up and--_with Gip's full name and address paper !

The shopman laughed at my amazement

" genuine magic," "The real thing "

"It's little too genuine taste," again

he fell to showing Gip tricks, odd tricks, and still odder the way they were done He explained them, he turned them inside out, and the dear little chap nodding his busy bit of head sagest manner

attend as "Hey, presto ! " said the Magic Shopman, and then would come the clear, small "Hey, presto ! " boy But distracted by other things being borne in upon me just how tremendously rum this place was; , so , inundated by sense of rumness something little rum fixtures even, ceiling, floor, casually distributed chairs I had queer feeling that whenever I wasn't looking at them straight they went askew, and moved about, and played noiseless puss-in-the-corner behind my back cornice had serpentine design with masks--masks altogether too expressive for proper plaster

Then abruptly my attention was caught by odd-looking assistants some way off and evidently unaware presence-- sort of three-quarter length of him over pile of toys and through an arch--and, , leaning against pillar in an idle sort of way doing the most horrid things features ! The particular horrid thing was nose it just idle and wanted to amuse himself First of all short, blobby nose, and then suddenly he shot it out like telescope, and then out it flew and became thinner and thinner until like long, red flexible whip Like thing in nightmare ! He flourished it about and flung it forth as fly-fisher flings his line

My instant thought Gip mustn't see him I turned about, and Gip quite preoccupied shopman, and thinking no evil They were whispering together and looking at me Gip was standing on little stool, shopman was holding sort of big drum hand

"Hide and seek, dadda ! " cried Gip "You're He ! "

And before do anything it, the shopman had clapped the big drum over him

up directly "Take that off," I cried, "this instant ! You'll frighten the boy Take it off ! "

The shopman unequal ears did so without word, and held the big cylinder towards me to show its emptiness little stool was vacant ! instant my boy had utterly disappeared ! .

, perhaps, that sinister something that conies like hand unseen and grips your heart about it takes your common self away and leaves you tense and deliberate, neither slow nor hasty, neither angry nor afraid So with me

up grinning shopman and kicked his stool aside