s little likely to allow himself to be
beaten, of his own free will, in anything he might undertake. The mouth
was firm, the chin square, the eyes dark and well set, moreover he wore
a heavy black moustache, which he kept sharp-pointed. His hair was of
the same colour, though streaked here and there with grey. His height
was an inch and a half above six feet, but by reason of his slim figure,
he looked somewhat taller. His hands and feet were small, but of his
strength there could be no doubt. Taken altogether, he was not a man
with whom one would feel disposed to trifle. Unfortunately, however, the
word _adventurer_ was written all over him, and, as a considerable
section of the world's population have good reason to know, he was as
little likely to fail to take advantage of his opportunities as he was
to forget the man who had robbed him, or who had done him an ill turn.
It was said in Hong Kong that he was well connected, and that he had
claims upon a Viceroy now gone to his account; that, had he persevered
with them, might have placed him in a very different position. How much
truth there was in this report, however, I cannot say; one thing,
however, is quite certain; if it were true, he had fallen grievously
from his high estate.

When his meditations had continued for something like ten minutes, he
rose from the bed, blew a cloud of smoke, stretched himself, strapped
his valise once more, gave himself what the sailors call a hoist, that
he might be sure his money-belt was in its proper position, and then
unlocked the door, passed out, re-locked it after him, and returned to
the bar. There he called for certain curious liquors, smelt them
suspiciously before using them, and then proceeded deliberately to mix
himself a peculiar drink. The landlord watched him with appreciative
surprise. He imagined himself to be familiar with every drink known to
the taste of man, having had wide experience, but such an one as this he
had never encountered before.

"What do you call it?" he asked, when the other had finished his
preparations.

"I call it a 'Help to Reformation,'" the stranger replied. Then, with a
sneer upon his face, he added, "It should be popular with your
customers."

Taking the drink with him into the verandah outside, he seated himself
in a long chair and proceeded to sip it slowly, as if it were some
elixir whose virtue would be lost by haste. Some people might have been
amused by the motley crowd that p