' Geoffrey.. I began.

I heard about it,' he rasped. Whusky!'

I went over to the bar and pulled out another bottle while Mac simply stood there. I handed him the unopened bottle. He tried to pluck off the foil and unscrew the cap, but his hands shook so uncontrollably that he could not. With an oath, he smashed the neck across the coffin and the amber liquid flowed across the glass, blurring the face below. He threw back his head and gulped some of the spirit, drinking from the broken edge. A trickle of blood ran from his lips, but I do not think he noticed.

' Mac!' I said sharply. ' Mac!' He stared unseeingly at the dead face. I shook him roughly by the shoulder. He took another strong drag from the ragged edge of the bottle. ' Aye,' he said quietly, under control now. ' Aye, nothing.'

I broke the silence. I nodded at the unconscious man. `

Thanks for that •.. he was going for his gun'

Mac said uncertainly, ' He was?'

I told him briefly about the stethoscope and the screwdriver. Mac picked them up and we rolled the intruder over. 15

` He won't die,' said Mac with the ghost of a grin. 'I hit him hard enough just to break the glass.'

I knelt down and tried to find something to identify him. '

Except for the Colt, there was nothing visible. The numbers had been filed off the weapon. I emptied the shells. The trigger was hair-light.

Nothin',' said Mac in disgust. Not even any clothes..

I bent down again and threw back the man's limp left arm. I pointed to the back of the armpit. The skin was chafed and rougher than the rest.

Shoulder-holster,' I remarked to Mac. But that wasn't what I was looking for. I stretched the arm out so that the skin of the inner arm was visible.