"He came on the 14th of November, and he left on the 20th."
This was two days after the date on which Dinah had been carried off.
In American hotels the halls are large and provided with seats, and are generally used as smoking and reading-rooms by the male visitors to the hotel. At Harker's Hotel there was a small bar at the end of the hall, and a black waiter supplied the wants of the guests seated at the various little tables. Vincent seated himself at one of these and ordered something to drink. As the negro placed it on the table he said:
"I will give you a dollar if you will answer a few questions."
"Very good, sah. Dat am a mighty easy way to earn a dollar."
"Do you remember, about a month ago, a man named Pearson being here?"
The negro shook his head.
"Me not know de names of de gentlemen, sah. What was de man like?"
"He was tall and thin, with short hair and a gray goatee—a regular
Yankee."
"Me remember him, sah. Dar used to be plenty ob dat sort here. Don't see dem much now. Me remember de man, sah, quite well. Used to pass most of de day here. Didn't seem to have nuffin to do."