They had now come into the greater city, and he got off.
"Where can good accommodations be had here?" he inquired of the porter.
"Want a place to stop?" His face lightened perceptibly. "If you will wait until I get through—say ten or fifteen minutes—I'll carry you to a good place," he said, and Sidney waited.
He sat in the waiting room listening to the noise without. About the four sides of the wall, sat many little girls—that is, girls. They smiled upon him, and made immodest advances. He wondered at it, but then he recalled that this was supposed to be the most profligate town in our states. He paid little attention to them. Others entered, and they smiled upon them also.
Presently the porter appeared, clothing changed, and dressed neatly. Several of the girls gathered about him, and said many foolish things. He smiled upon some of them, while he told others to go to the devil; and still others he told to go to——but we will stop here. And then they told him he could go there, too. They left then, and Wyeth and he walked up a street that was the widest, he felt certain, that he had ever seen.
"Where are you from?" inquired the porter.
Wyeth told him; whereupon the other whistled.
"That's a long way from here. How do you like these parts?"
Wyeth didn't answer the last; but to the first he said: "Yes, a long way," and fell silent.
"Ever been here before?" said the porter.