m a glow about the gallant little woman of his
choice, and the very room so filled with castles in the air and cottages
at Fontainebleau, that it was little wonder if sleep fled our eyelids,
and three had followed two upon the office-clock before Pinkerton
unfolded the mechanism of his patent sofa.

CHAPTER VIII

FACES ON THE CITY FRONT

It is very much the custom to view life as if it were exactly ruled in
two, like sleep and waking--the provinces of play and business standing
separate. The business side of my career in San Francisco has been now
disposed of; I approach the chapter of diversion; and it will be found
they had about an equal share in building up the story of the Wrecker--a
gentleman whose appearance may be presently expected.

With all my occupations, some six afternoons and two or three odd
evenings remained at my disposal every week: a circumstance the more
agreeable as I was a stranger in a city singularly picturesque. From
what I had once called myself, "The Amateur Parisian," I grew (or
declined) into a water-side prowler, a lingerer on wharves, a frequenter
of shy neighbourhoods, a scraper of acquaintance with eccentric
characters. I visited Chinese and Mexican gambling-hells, German secret
societies, sailors' boarding-houses, and "dives" of every complexion of
the disreputable and dangerous. I have seen greasy Mexican hands pinned
to the table with a knife for cheating, seamen (when blood-money ran
high) knocked down upon the public street and carried insensible on
board short-handed ships, shots exchanged, and the smoke (and the
company) dispersing from the doors of the saloon. I have heard
cold-minded Polacks debate upon the readiest method of burning San
Francisco to the ground, hot-headed working men and women bawl and swear
in the tribune at the Sandlot, and Kearney himself open his
subscription for a gallows, name the manufacturers who were to grace it
with their dangling bodies, and read aloud to the delighted multitude a
telegram of adhesion from a member of the State legislature: all which
preparations of proletarian war were (in a moment) breathed upon and
abolished by the mere name and fame of Mr. Coleman. That lion of the
Vigilantes had but to rouse himself and shake his ears, and the whole
brawling mob was silenced. I could not but reflect what a strange manner
of man this was, to be living unremarked there as a private merchant,
and to be so feared by a whole city; and if