manifesting, as it appeared, considerable excitement of mind. In
answering him, Matthew glanced his eyes upward, as if indicating
some room in the house. The young man then retired, hurriedly,
through the sitting-room.

"What's the matter with Willy Hammond tonight?" asked some one of
the bar-keeper. "Who's he after in such a hurry?"

"He wants to see Judge Lyman," replied Matthew.

"Oh!"

"I guess they're after no good," was remarked.

"Not much, I'm afraid."

Two young men, well dressed, and with faces marked by
intelligence, came in at the moment, drank at the bar, chatted a
little while familiarly with the bar-keeper, and then quietly
disappeared through the door leading into the sitting-room. I met
the eyes of the man with whom I had talked during the afternoon,
and his knowing wink brought to mind his suggestion, that in one
of the upper rooms gambling went on nightly, and that some of the
most promising young men of the town had been drawn, through the
bar attraction, into this vortex of ruin. I felt a shudder
creeping along my nerves.

The conversation that now went on among the company was of such an
obscene and profane character that, in disgust, I went out. The
night was clear, the air soft, and the moon shining down brightly.