shanty--where a company of touring players, mostly Yankees, were
performing. Sitting next to me was a fellow who speedily got into
conversation with me and assured me he was an Australian. I did not
believe him, for he had not the cut of an Australian,--until he
mentioned one or two of the streets I knew in Adelaide, and that settled
me. We drank to each other's health straight away, and he invited me to
supper at his hotel. I accepted; and as soon as the performance was
over, and we had exchanged greetings with some half-dozen of the
performers, in whisky, he slipped his arm through mine and we strolled
off together. Of course it was very foolish of me, seeing that I had a
belt full of money; but then I had not had an outing for a long time,
and I thirsted for adventure as I thirsted for whisky, and God alone
knows how much of THAT I had already drunk. We arrived at the hotel. It
was a poor-looking place in a sinister neighbourhood, abounding with
evil-eyed Dagos and cut-throats of all kinds. Still I was young and
strong, and well armed, for I never left home in those days without a
six-shooter. My companion escorted me into a low room in the rear of the
premises, smelling villainously of foul tobacco and equally foul
alcohol. Some half-cooked slices of bacon and suspicious-looking fried
eggs were placed before us, which, with huge hunks of bread and a bottle
of very much belabelled--too much belabelled--Highland whisky, completed
the repast. But it was too unsavoury even for my companion, whose hungry
eyes and lantern jaws proclaimed he had a ravenous appetite. However, he
ate the bacon and I the bread; the eggs we emptied into a flower-pot.
The supper--the supper of which he had led me to think so much--over, we
filled our glasses, or at least he poured out for both, for his hands
were steadier--even in my condition of semi-intoxication I noticed they
were steadier--than mine. Then he brought me a cigar and took me to his
bedroom, a bare, grimy apartment overhead. There was no furniture,
saving a bed showing unmistakable signs that someone had been lying on
it in dirty boots, a small rectangular deal table, and one chair.

"In a stupefied condition I was hesitating which of the alternatives to
choose--the chair or the table, for, oddly enough, I never thought of
the bed, when my host settled the question by leading me forcibly
forward and flinging me down on the mattress. He then took a wooden
wedge out of his pocket