The case opened suddenly. Viewing an array of little vials, the searcher noticed one containing a white, crystaline powder, and his glum expression lightened immediately. He jerked out the vial and dropped the case to earth.
"Here's the snow, Squint!" he rasped excitedly, working at the cork.
The gun-wielder's drawn face relaxed in pleasurable anticipation.
"Mistaken again," remarked the measured voice of Yuen Ming Chu. "It is an anti-venom, to be used in case of snakebite. Should you use that as you would cocaine, without first having been bitten by a snake or the black spider, it would kill you."
The blue-bearded gunman's face clouded with anger. "If that's uhnother bluff, Chink," he threatened, "I'll croak yuh!"
"It is not a bluff," responded the silver-haired Oriental.
Sensing truth in the impassive words, the tall man ordered his partner to further rifle the Chinaman's person.
Prince Chu's face was still steadily expressionless.
"You are wasting your time," he said.
"Well, wot in 'ell er yuh doin' in this country, anyhow?" peevishly questioned Shorty, of the blistered face.