th certain objects in hand, one of which dropped as he
clambered out. The resulting clamour seemed to rouse far echoes along
the dead street, and he hastily withdrew, with a smothered exclamation
of dismay, about the nearest corner of the building until it could be
ascertained that echoes alone had been aroused.

After a little breathless waiting he slunk down the street, keeping well
within friendly shadows, stepping softly, until he reached the humble
cabin where so lately the honest miners had enacted their heart-tragedy.
He jerked the latch-string of the door and was swiftly inside, groping a
way to the fireplace. Here he lighted matches, thoughtfully appropriated
that morning from the cafeteria counter. He shielded the blaze with one
hand while with the other he put to use the articles he had brought from
his hotel.

Into a tin cooking pot with a long handle he now hastily ladled
well-cooked beans from the discarded heap in the fireplace, by means of
an iron spoon. He was not too careful. More or less ashes accompanied
the nutritious vegetables as the pot grew to be half full. That was a
thing to be corrected later, and at leisure. When the last bean had
been salvaged the flame of another match revealed an unsuspected
item--a half-loaf of bread nestled in the ashes at the far corner of the
fireplace. It lacked freshness; was, in truth, withered and firm to the
touch, but doubtless more wholesome than bread freshly baked.

He was again on his humble cot in the seclusion of the Crystal Palace
Hotel. Half-reclining, he ate at leisure. It being inadvisable to light
matches here he ate chiefly by the touch system. There was a marked
alkaline flavour to the repast, not unpleasantly counteracted by a
growth of vegetable mould of delicate lavender tints which Nature had
been decently spreading over the final reduction of this provender to
its basic elements. But the time was not one in which to cavil about
minor infelicities. Ashes wouldn't hurt any one if taken in moderation;
you couldn't see the mould in a perfectly dark hotel; and the bread was
good.

The feast was prolonged until a late hour, but the finger--tips that
had accurately counted money in a dark pocket could ascertain in a dark
hotel that a store of food still remained. He pulled the blankets about
him and sank comfortably to rest. There was always some way.

Breakfast the next morning began with the promise of only moderate
enjoyment. Somehow in the gr