"This thing has been preying on the poor devil's mind--'phone an ambulance, Whiteside, will you ?" "Shall I give him some water ?" Tarling shook his head.
"He won't recover for hours, if he recovers at all," he said.

"If Sam Stay knows anything to the detriment of Odette Rider, he is likely to carry his knowledge to the grave." And in his heart of hearts J.O.Tarling felt a little sense of satisfaction that the mouth of this man was closed..