I have been fretting, Trent, you see how pale I am." He staggered towards the bottle.

Trent watched him, interfering no longer.

With a little chuckle of content he seized upon it and, too fearful of interference from Trent to wait for a glass, raised it to his lips.

There was a gurgling in his throat--a little spasm as he choked, and released his lips for a moment.

Then the bottle slid from his nerveless fingers to the floor, and the liquor oozed away in a little brown stream; even Trent dropped his pack of cards and sprang up startled.