in consequence, such of his
guests as were sailors, as a general rule, eventually boarded their
ships without as much as would purchase them a pipe of tobacco. It did
not, however, prevent them from returning to the Hotel of the Three
Desires when next they happened to be that way. If he had no other gift,
Manuel at least possessed the faculty of making it comparatively
homelike to his customers, and that is a desideratum not to be despised
even by sailor men in the Far East.

As I have said, night was falling on one of the hottest days of the
year, when a man entered the hotel and inquired for the proprietor.
Pleased to find that there was at last to be a turn in the tide of his
affairs, the landlord introduced himself to the stranger, and at the
same time inquired in what way he could have the pleasure of
serving him.

"I want to put up with you," said the stranger, who, by the way, was a
tall man, with a hawk's eye and a nose that was not unlike the beak of
the same bird. "You are not full, I suppose?"

Manuel rubbed his greasy hands together and observed that he was not as
full as he had been; thereby insinuating that while he was not
overflowing, he was still not empty. It will be gathered from this that
he was a good business man, who never threw a chance away.

"In that case, I'll stay," said the stranger, and set down the small
valise he carried upon the floor.

From what I have already written, you will doubtless have derived the
impression that the Hotel of the Three Desires, while being a useful
place of abode, was far from being the caravanserai of the luxurious
order. The stranger, whoever he might be, however, was either not
fastidious, or as is more probable, was used to similar accommodation,
for he paid as little attention to the perfume of the bar as he did to
the dirt upon the floor and walls, and also upon the landlord's hands.
Having stipulated for a room to himself, he desired to be shown to it
forthwith, whereupon Manuel led him through the house to a small yard at
the back, round which were several small cabins, dignified by the name
of apartments.

"Splendeed," said Manuel enthusiastically, throwing open the door of
one of the rooms as he spoke. "More splendeed than ever you saw."

The stranger gave a ravenish sort of croak, which might have been a
laugh or anything else, and then went in and closed the door abruptly
behind him. Having locked it, he took off his coat and hung it upon the