Tine.'

He lit another cigarette. 'Make an exception and pass me a scotch, will you, Sid?' 'Well, all right. Medicinal purposes only. Don't let those drunkards smell it.'

He poured a scotch and handed it over.

'Two shillings and sixpence.'

'Isn't my credit good?'

'Your credit's bloody marvelous. It's my accounts which are bloody awful. Two and six.' Connon dug into his pocket and produced the money. He sat down again and sipped his whisky. It didn't help.

The door opened and Marcus stuck his head in.

There you are, then. I saw your car outside so I knew you must be hiding somewhere. How are you feeling?'

'Not so bad.'

'Good-oh. I see you've got a drink. Hey, Sid!'

'No.'

'Right, I'll have to share yours, Connie.' He sat down beside Connon. Connon pushed the drink towards him.

'Have it.'

'Here. Watch it or I'll take offence.' Connon smiled. Marcus Felstead was short, bald, and fat. His face was not really the face of a fat man, Connie thought, but of a tired saint. He could not recall the name of the tired saint he had in mind but he remembered very clearly the picture in his illustrated Bible which was the source of the idea. The saint, his sanctity advertised by a dome of light which sat round his head like a space helmet, had been leaning on a staff and looking despondently into the distance which seemed to offer nothing but desert. Perhaps the thing about Marcus's face was that the fleshiness of it formed a framework round rather than belonged to the thin nose and lips and narrow intelligent eyes which peered at him now curiously. 'Are you sure you're OK, Connie? You're not usually knocking the booze back so early.' 'Well, I did feel a bit groggy. But it's gone now. How did we get on by the way?' 'What do you think? Two men short with one of their reserves playing at full-back. Can you imagine? A reserve for a fourth team. Jesus, he made me feel young. They scored another couple after you'd gone. Thirty-two three it was at the end.' Connon was surprised. He could not recall any scoring at all, certainly not the kind of regular scores needed to build up a total like that.