He was lying on his side, those black eyes of his blazing at me, but now both of them saw the same distance.
"Where are my clothes ?" he asked, very intense.
"You ain't in any shape to want clothes," said I.

"Lie still." I hadn't any more than got the words out of my mouth before he was atop me.

His method was a winner.

He had me by the throat with his hand, and I felt the point of the hook pricking the back of my neck.

One little squeeze--Talk about your deadly weapons! But he'd been too sick and too long abed.