He was pouring whisky into a glass. He gave her a sidelong glance. "Now
that's a very clever guess," he said. "What put you on to that?"
She smiled, mainly because he had meant her to smile. "I've been half
expecting you all day," she said.
He looked down at her more fully as he finished his task. "That's very
interesting," he said. "Who told you to expect me?"
"My brother--Jack Burton," she explained.
"Oh! Jack Burton is your brother, is he?" He contemplated her
thoughtfully for a second or two. "Well, I seem to have turned up
at the right moment," he said.
"Yes." She leaned forward with flushed face upraised. "And I haven't said
'Thank you' yet. I'm so grateful to you. I can't tell you how grateful."
"Don't!" he said. "Don't! Drink this instead! Drink to the lucky chance
that sent me your way! I'm proud to have been of use to you."
She took the glass unwillingly. "I'm sure I shall hate it."
"It's the best antidote to snake-poison out," he said. "I swear it won't
upset you. If it makes you sleepy, well, you're in the right place and
safe enough."
She liked his utterance of the last words. They had a genuine ring. "But,
if I drink, so must you!" she said. "And eat, too! Jack said I was to
give you a meal if you came."
He smiled again, a large, humorous smile. "That's the kindest thing Jack
Burton has ever done," he said, with warm approval.
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