A little later, as though in a sudden fit of malignant rage, the
dead body of the cat was picked up, and beaten with dull, sickening blows
against the solid floor. That made me feel rather queer.
"A minute afterward, the door was opened and slammed twice with
tremendous force. The next instant the thing made one swift, vicious dart
at me, from out of the shadows. Instinctively, I started sideways from
it, and so plucked my hand from upon the Electric Pentacle, where--for a
wickedly careless moment--I had placed it. The monster was hurled off
from the neighborhood of the pentacles; though--owing to my inconceivable
foolishness--it had been enabled for a second time to pass the outer
barriers. I can tell you, I shook for a time, with sheer funk. I moved
right to the center of the pentacles again, and knelt there, making
myself as small and compact as possible.
"As I knelt, there came to me presently, a vague wonder at the two
'accidents' which had so nearly allowed the brute to get at me. Was I
being _influenced_ to unconscious voluntary actions that endangered me?
The thought took hold of me, and I watched my every movement. Abruptly, I
stretched a tired leg, and knocked over one of the jars of water. Some
was spilled; but, because of my suspicious watchfulness, I had it upright
and back within the vale while yet some of the water remained. Even as I
did so, the vast, black, half-materialized hand beat up at me out of the
shadows, and seemed to leap almost into my face; so nearly did it
approach; but for the third time it was thrown back by some altogether
enormous, overmastering force.
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