Year: 1876

!
of Solomon Sons, and found myself
ut D, the 25th of August, 1869.
When | had registered my name at
the Grand Hotel, | told the clerk /
would like to 90 to my room at once.
Imagine my disgust when he told
me that he could not give me a
room to myself, but might double
me up with some one else.


"What's going on?" | asked, impa-
tiently.


GLOW are the other hotels?" l ask
ed.


"Just as we are, maybe worse. We
keep few rooms for commercial
men but the railroad party came in
on us and took them up. l am very
sorry it is as it is, Mr. Cornell; but
our business is to keep hotel, and
we cannot complain very loudly even
If we are oyerrun."


No, that was all true; but all the
same it was dreadful disagreeable.
OF course there was nothing for me
to do but to accept his offer, and be
assigned to room that already held
one occupant The clerk went with
me and introduced me to a bullet
headed individual named Gay. l
didn't like the fellow before | heard
his name; liked him still less after
the introduction. His hand was
clammy, his voice toned down after
the Urlah Heep order, and his eyes
affected a modesty he did not feel.


| inquired which OF the beds he
had appropriated, and upon getting
an answer walked toward the other
one. After Washing some of the
dust from my face and hands, l pre-
pared to make q few calls on my
customers merely to let them know
| was in town.


Gay left the room before | did
and we agreed that when we were
out of the room the key should be
left at the office.


took a glance at his baggage and
found it very much like its owner
shabby genteel. He was undoubt-
edly one of the billiard players, and
must have been a bartender when at
home.


After making my business calls
and smoking ci gar after tea, | was
led to the billiard hall; not so much
because | cared for the game, but
because everybody was going, and l
fell in with the stream. AS to who
was who, | did not know, and did
not care to inquire. Some of the
shots were very brilliant, and some
Of them were as bad as my own
would have been.


was surprised that | did not see
my roommate among the players;
but he was not visible anywhere in
the room. Anxious to know if he
belonged to the fraternity, inquired
Of a gentleman near me, who seemed
to be well posted about the players
and their games, if there was q play
cr on the list named Gay.


"Tell you in moment, sir" said
he, as he drew a greasy card from
his pocket. "IIere's all the players
names. A, B, C,-yes, here's the
name, L, f. Gay. Friend of yours,
sir?'


"No, he was only an acquaint-
ance."


"Plays very good game, sir, for
a amatOOr."


/ informed him that / had only
met Gay moment, and knew moth
ing about his abilities as an anna
toor" or professional; and | lit an
other cigar and sauntered back to the
hotel.


My roommate was making mem
oranda in a greasy looking diary;
bets, | supposed, or something Of the
kind. He worked away so intently
that | came to the conclusion he was
not accustomed to using a pen; but
l had my key in my hand, SO l turn
ed my back on hlm and went to my
room.


The moment my eyes rested on my
IdIt-SaLCllcl WIS NV tllC tlliU SoillC
one had been to work at it. There
was a spring wire on the bolt which
| called my tel tale, because | in
variably left it in a position where it
would not be disturbed without my
knowing it, and the satchel could
not be opened without moving the
wire. | found it moved from the
place l had left it.


A hasty search showed me that
whoever had been there had taken
nothing from it; but put that down
to the fact that there was nothing in
it worth taking. OF course my room
mate had been prowlmg. was sure
of that, but to be doubly sure, went
down stairs and asked the clerk if
Gay had had the key during my
absence. He said he had. In an
swer to his question if anything was
wrong, | said there was nothing out
of the way, and went back to my
room.


What little money I had with me,
together with my watch, gave to
the clerk, to put in the safe, so that
there was nothing Of mine worth
stealing left IN the room. While I
was getting ready for bed my part
ner came in. He put on an express
sion that he probably imagined was
an innocent one, but it was impossi-
BILE for him to look anything but the
sport.


| did not care to enter into CONVEX
sation, so we spoke very few words
together, and then got into bed. |
had become so used to my diamond
ring that l had forgotten had one
until caught him looking at it some
what intently. As quicklyas | could,
without appearing to do it, drew
my hand under the covers and en-
deavored to drive away all thoughts
of my unpleasant situation out of my
mind, as / turned over and tried to
go to sleep.


l did fall into a doze and must
have slept an hour or two, when ]
woke up with start to find a light
still In the room, and upon turning