The old man was obviously puzzled.
"Well," he ventured, "come inside, anyway. Pretty chilly wind that for April. Come right in!"
Shock stepped in. The old man drew nearer to him.
"Pain-killer or lime-juice?" he enquired in an insinuating voice.
"What?" said Shock.
"Pain-killer or lime-juice," winking and lowering his voice to a confidential tone.
"Well, as I haven't got any pain I guess I'll take a little lime-juice," replied Shock.
The old man gave him another wink, long and slow, went to the corner of the room, pushed back a table, pulled up a board from the floor, and extracted a bottle.
"You's got to be mighty careful," he said. "Them blank police fellers, instead of attending to their business, nose round till a feller can't take no rest at night."
He went to a shelf that stood behind the plank that did for a counter, took down two glasses, and filled them up.