The first shot of bourbon warmed his stomach in the good old familiar way, and somehow that was confirmation that the rest of it was real, too. "How come you talk the language so good?" he asked his host, after the porter left them alone in the compartment. "Is that surprising?" Sandane asked. "It shouldn't be. I'm a student of history, in your period on a research project. Naturally, I would have to prepare myself by studying the language of the country and of the period, in order to pass as one of you." "You do real good, Sandy, considering. But why do you want to act like ordinary folks? Seems to me you ought to go on TV and tell everybody. Bet some big news commentator would be proud to interview you." "Most people of your time would consider it a hoax." "Maybe. But as long as you told me this much, let's have the rest of it. How does this time machine of yours work?" "Not a machine, George. A capacity of the human mind. Dormant in your period, except for rare individuals. But in--elsewhen--we have learned how to use it. Beyond that I can give you no details. If I gave them, the method of tapping this talent would be discovered before it actually was. That is why I can't really talk with anyone about it. So I can only hint, as I did with you. If I encounter skepticism, I pass it off as a joke. This time I was lucky--I found someone who would accept it on faith. Have another?" "Don't mind if I do. But it strikes me I'm the lucky one." "Perhaps. You could be two thousand dollars richer as a result of having met me." The old man paused with his shot glass halfway to his mouth and set it down again. "Well, now! I'd be glad to give you any information that would help you. I seen a lot in my life. But two thousand dollars--ain't that a mite steep?" "Two thousand, give or take twenty--whatever I have left when we reach San Francisco. Money of this period will be of no use to me if we complete the transaction, so I may as well give you all of it. You see, the body I'd like to buy is yours." "Hold on, now!" the old man exclaimed, propelling his chair toward the door of the compartment and fumbling for the knob. "What am I supposed to do with the money if you get my body?" "Please don't be alarmed! It would be an exchange. You'd get the body I'm using and the money besides." "Why in the hell didn't you say so in the first place? For trade, Sandy, you wouldn't owe me a dime. But I don't get it. Why should you trade a young, healthy body like yours for this old crippled-up one? I'd be getting all the best of it!" "You may not think so when I tell you that this body I'm using is due to disintegrate into its component elements in about two weeks, give or take a day or so." "Sandy, you're just going to have to do some explaining. I still might take you up on the deal, but I got to understand what I'm getting into."