Everything is safe and quiet
here and no one will disturb you until I come in in the morning."
There was a peculiar earnestness in his voice as he spoke that was very
convincing, and as he rose to go out, I meekly said,
"What's your name, mister?"
"Bill Bradley," he answered with a queer smile. "Now don't you ask any
more questions to-night," and with that he was gone.
I went to bed almost sick from my exposure and lack of food, and just as
the old sand man of childhood's happy days began to sprinkle his grains
in my eyes, I heard, way off in the distance, a peculiar click and a
drawling voice calling off some numbers. "Four." "Sixteen."
"Thirty-three." "Seventy-eight." "Ten." "Twenty-six," and then, a great
shout arose and some one called out "KENO." Ah! I was near a gambling
house, but I was too tired to care, nature asserted herself, and I
gently crossed the river into the land of Nod.
The next morning I was really sick with a high fever, and when Bill came
in I was well nigh loony.
"Hello," he said, "this won't do. Tom, I say, you Tom, go and tell
Doctor Bailey I want him here quick.
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