"Think of this fellow's
face when he got his treasure across to the mainland and attempted to
trade it! To be sure, he gave us some fun for our pains--"
"If you call it fun, sir," protested Plinny.
"Well, yes, ma'am," he answered quietly, kneeling and lifting Glass's
head, and resting it across his thigh. "My humour may be of a
primitive sort, but I confess it tickled by shocking a murderer into
a fainting fit." He felt in his breast-pocket and drew forth a small
phial. "No, sir,"--he turned to Captain Branscome, who had stepped
forward to offer his help--"let me alone, please. I prefer to treat
my patient in my own way. It will be best, on the whole, for
everybody."
He forced Glass's mouth wide open, and with one hand poured about
half of the contents of the phial between the patient's teeth, drop
by drop, very patiently, with the other smoothing the gullet between
finger and thumb.
We all stood watching while he administered the dose, Miss Belcher
close beside me, with her hand on my shoulder. At the twentieth drop
or so I felt her give a start, as though a thought had suddenly
occurred to her, and I looked up into her face. Her eyes were fixed
inquiringly on Dr. Beauregard, and he, happening also to look up, met
them with a smile.
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