the same colloquy entered into with Mr. Blake, with the same
unsatisfactory termination. He did not take it quite as calmly as I
did, though he was of too reserved a nature to display much emotion
over anything. The prospect of a long tedious evening spent in a
country hotel seemed almost unendurable to him, but he finally
succumbed to the force of circumstances, as indeed he seemed obliged
to do, and partaking of such refreshment as the rather poorly managed
hotel afforded, retired without ceremony to his room, from which he
did not emerge again till next morning. In all this he had somehow
managed not to give his name; and by means of some inquiries I
succeeded in making that evening, I found his person was unknown in
the town.

By a little management I secured the next room to his, by which
arrangement I succeeded in passing a sleepless night, Mr. Blake
spending most of the wee sma' hours in pacing the floor of his room,
with an unremitting regularity that had anything but a soothing effect
upon my nerves. Early the next morning we took the stage, he sitting
on the back seat, and I in front with the driver. There were other
passengers, but I noticed he never spoke to any of them, nor through
all the long drive did he once look up from the corner where he had
ensconced himself. It was twelve o'clock when we reached the end of
the route, a small town of somewhat less than the usual pretensions
of mountain villages; so insignificant indeed, that I found it more
and more difficult to imagine what the wealthy ex-Congressman could
find in such a spot as this, to make amends for a journey of such
length and discomfort; when to my increasing wonder I heard him give
orders for a horse to be saddled and brought round to the inn door
directly after dinner. This was a move I had not expected and it
threw me a little aback, for although I had thus far managed to hold