apartment, at one side of which a bar
had been projected, but the plan had gone no further than a long counter
and some shelves, on which now a few bottles stood in company with three
or four brass candlesticks, a plaster bust, wanting a nose, and some
cooking-utensils. On the counter itself was stretched at full length,
and fast asleep, a short, somewhat robust man, in shirt and trousers,
his deep snoring awaking a sort of moaning echo in the vaulted room. Not
exactly choosing to disturb his slumbers, if avoidable, Layton pushed
his explorations a little further; but though he found a number of
rooms, all open, they were alike empty and unfinished, nor was there a
creature to be met with throughout. There was, then, nothing for it but
to awaken the sleeper, which he proceeded to, at first by gentle, but,
as these failed, by more vigorous means.

"Don't! I say," growled out the man, without opening his eyes, but
seeming bent on continuing his sleep; "I 'll not have it; let me
be,--that's all."

"Are you the landlord of this hotel?" said Layton, with a stout shake by
the shoulder.

"Well, then, here's for it, if you will!" cried the other, springing
up, and throwing himself in an instant into a boxing attitude, while his
eyes glared with a vivid wildness, and his whole face denoted passion.

"I came here for food and lodging, and not for a boxing-match, my
friend," said Layton, mildly.

"And who said I was your friend?" said the other, fiercely: "who told
_you_ that we was raised in the same dig-gin's? and what do you mean,
sir, by disturbin' a gentleman in his bed?"

"You'll scarcely call that bench a bed, I think?" said Layton, in an
accent meant to deprecate all warmth.

"And why not, sir? If you choose to dress yourself like a checker-board,
I 'm not going to dispute whether you have a coat on. It's _my_ bed, and
I like it And now what next?"

"I 'm very sorry to have disturbed you; and if you can only tell me if
there be any other hotel in this place--"

"There ain't; and there never will be, that's more. Els-more's is shut
up; Chute Melchin 's a-blown his brains out; and so would _you_ if you
'd have come here. Don't laugh, or by the everlastin' rattlesnake, I 'll
bowie you!"

[Illustration: 444]

The madly excited look of the man, his staring eyes, retreating
forehead, and restless features made Layton suspect he was insane, and
he would gladly have retired from an interview that promised so little