I can't help being tall and well developed; but it is only short women who become 'fat'." She hissed the word venomously, as if she possessed the scorpion's fabled power to sting herself.

Evidently Mrs.Jiro dreaded corpulence more than earthquakes.
Brett had never previously met such a strangely assorted couple.

He would willingly have prolonged his visit for mere amusement, but he was compelled to return to the cause of his presence.

Unless he asked direct questions he would make no progress.

He took from his pocket-book the drawing made in the Black Museum, and handed it to the Japanese, saying: "Would you mind telling me the meaning of that ?" Jiro screwed his queer little eyes upon the scrawling characters.