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“You was expectin’ so fella, weren’t you, Mr Corbett?”

“No, I—I really had no idea who to expect…”

“Well, sir, I confess I was expectin’ a young fella ht”

Chapter 33

MAYBE IT WAS because he looked like a picture of silver-haired wisdom I just don’t know But the truth is, I liked Abraham Cross from the moment I met him

When he shook rasped my shoulder with his other hand, so that I felt well and truly gripped

“From this moment, Mr Corbett—”

“Call me Ben,” I said

“From this moment, Mr Corbett,” he said pointedly, “I auide and advisor With luck, we may also become friends”

I told him that I felt luck would be on our side

He offeredalong the boards froreeted everyone—man, woreeting I think if that hairy old boar had come back, Abraham would have waved and said howdy

Abraham Cross had the way of a man at ease with himself He wore dark woolen trousers, a neatly ironed white shirt, and a navy blue bowtie I don’t know if he’d dressed up because he was expecting me or if he dressed this way every day

On his head was a faded blue baseball cap with the initial P faded to near invisibility I asked him what the P stood for

“Pythians,” he said “Does thatto you?”

“Weren’t they athletes in ancient Delphi?” I said