“Mr. Waymark,” he began at length.

“Well?”

“I ain’t got no rent.”

“That’s bad.  You’re two weeks behind, you know.”

“Mr. Waymark.”

The single eye fixed itself on Waymark’s face in a way which made the latter feel uncomfortable.

“Well?”

“I ain’t a-gem’ to pay you no more rent, nor yet no one else, maybe.”

“How’s that?”

“’Cos I ain’t, and ‘cos I’m tired o’ payin’ rent.”

“I’m afraid you’ll find it difficult to get on without, though,” said Waymark, trying to get into the jocular tone he sometimes adopted with Slimy, but scarcely succeeding.

“Mr. Waymark.”

There was clearly something wrong.  Waymark rose to his feet.  Slimy rose also, and at the same time took up a heavy piece of wood, looking like a piece of a cart-shaft, which had lain on the floor beside him.  His exclamation elicited no answer, and he spoke again, hoarsely as always, but with a calmness which contrasted strangely with the words he uttered.

“Do you believe in the devil and hell?”

“Why?” returned Waymark, trying hard to command himself, and to face down the man as a wild beast has been known to be out-gazed.

“’Cos, by the devil himself, as ’ll have me before many weeks is over, and by the fires of hell, as ’ll burn me, if you stir a step, or speak a word above your breath, I’ll bring you down just like they do the bullocks.  Y’ understand!”

Waymark saw that the threat was no idle one.  He could scarcely have spoken, had he wished.  Slimy grinned at the effect he had produced, and continued in the same matter-of-fact way.

“It takes you back a bit, don’t it!  Never mind; you’ll get over it.  I don’t mean you no ’arm, Mr. Waymark, but I’ll have to put you to a little ill-convenience, that’s all.  See now; here’s a bit o’ stout rope.  With this ‘ere, I’m a-goin’ jist to tie you up, ‘and an’ foot, you see.  As I said before, if you give me any trouble, well, I’ll ‘ave to knock the senses out o’ you fust, that’s all.”

Vain to think of grappling with the man, whose strength Waymark knew to be extraordinary.  For a moment, the shock of alarm had deprived him of thought and power of movement; but this passed, and he was able to consider his position.  He looked keenly into Slimy’s face.  Had the man gone mad!  His manner was scarcely consistent with that supposition.  As the alternative before him was of such a kind, Waymark could but choose the lesser evil.  He allowed Slimy to remove from his shoulders the satchel which contained the sums of money he had just collected.  It was quietly put aside.

“Now,” said Slimy, with the same deliberation, “I have to arst you just to lay down on the floor, just ’ere, see.  It’s better to lay down quiet than to be knocked down, you see.”