afterward - "

"You're getting the afterward all right. How much do you
take?"

Chester mentioned the amount of the drug, stating reluctantly
that for the last two days he had been obliged slightly to
increase it in order to get the full effect.

"Of course you have - that's the insidiousness of the devil's
stuff. How soon does it get into action?"

"Oh, right away - almost instantly."

"What! Is your imagination strong enough to - See here,
Ches" - Burns leaned forward "you're taking the stuff by
mouth, of course?"

Chester's eyes went down. "Why - I tried it that way - but it
was so slow "

Burns ejaculated something under his breath; the quick colour,
always ready to flare under his clear skin, leaped out.

"Gardner gave you a hypo, I suppose?"

"Yes."

"So you went and bought a syringe and taught yourself the
trick. Suppose you give me a look at it."