“All right,” said the priest determinedly, “then we’ll have to get some professional help!”

“But where could we…?” began Ernie.

“My friend in New South Wales,” said Father Dominique.   “He has a parish in Strathfield, but regularly takes trips overseas to climb Everest, the Matterhorn and other peaks that make Mount Hargreaves look like a molehill.”

“He’s climbed Everest?” asked Tony Frankland in awe.

“Twice.   And lived to boast of it.”

So it was all settled, Ernie, Father Dominique, and Father Benedict (as the New South Welshman was known) would climb Mt. Hargreaves, perform the exorcism ritual and bury the corpse of Agnetha Chambers safely upon the mountainside.

Their plans were nearly spoilt, however, by Father Benedict’s initial refusal to help out.   After a week of frantic telephone calls from Glen Hartwell to Strathfield, the New South Welshman finally agreed to help them.   However, he made it plain from the start, “I’m only going to help in the mountain climbing.   I don’t believe in any of that hocus-pocus exorcism stuff.”

Father Dominique sighed his agreement and Ernie couldn’t help recalling what the priest had told him on their first encounter about many young priests not even believing in God any more.   Ernie knew that many modern priests preferred to wear black slacks and black shirts, rather than the traditional smock, however, Father Benedict would not go even that far when outside his own church, preferring to dress in brightly coloured slacks and short sleeved business shirts.

“Well just so long as you understand that?” insisted the New South Welshman.

“Yes, yes,” agreed Father Dominique, trying his best not to offend the other priest, yet being offended himself by the older man’s sacrilegious attitude.

Deciding that it would be best to change the subject, Ernie said, “One thing that has just occurred to me, is how do we get Agnetha Chambers to follow us up Mount Hargreaves?   Surely you can’t perform the ritual without her being there with us?”

“That’s true,” agreed Father Dominique, “but I don’t think that will be any problem.   I think our greatest worry will be staying out of her clutches while climbing the mount…I don’t know whether you’ve noticed, but the old girl has been hovering around the Glen the last few weeks as though she were aware that we’re cooking up something.”