Thebagwasnotheavy，buthefoundthatinhisexhaustedstatethisnewexertionwastelling，andhewasgladwhenhereachedthehotel。Equallygladwasheinhisdrippingclothestoslipbytheporter，andwiththekeyinhispocketascendunnoticedto74。
Yethadhisexperiencebeenlargerhemighthavesparedhimselfthatsensitiveness。Forthehotelwasoneofthosegreatcaravansariespopularwiththereturningminer。Itreceivedhimandhisgolddustinhisworn-outandbedraggledworkingclothes，andreturnedhimthenextdayasawell-dressedcitizenonMontgomeryStreet。Itwashardindeedtorecognizetheunshaven，unwashed，andunkempt“arrival“onemetontheprincipalstaircaseatnightinthescrupulouslyneatstrangeronesatoppositetoatbreakfastthenextmorning。Inthisdailywhirlofmutationallidentitywasswamped，asRandolphlearnedtoknow。
Atpresent，findinghimselfinacomfortablebedroom，hisfirstactwastochangehiswetclothes，whichinthewarmertemperatureandthedeclineofhisfeverishnessnowbegantochillhim。Heopenedtheportmanteauandfoundacompletesuitofclothing，evidentlyaforeignmake，wellpreserved，asiffor“shore-going。“Hispridewouldhavepreferredahumblersuitaslesseninghisobligation，buttherewasnoother。Hediscoveredthepurse，achamoisleatherbagsuchasminersandtravelerscarried，whichcontainedadozengoldpiecesandsomepapernotes。Takingfromitasinglecointodefraytheexpensesofameal，herestrappedthebag，andleavingthekeyinthedoorlockforthebenefitofhisreturninghost，madehiswaytothediningroom。
Foramomenthewasembarrassedwhenthewaiterapproachedhiminquisitively，butitwasonlytolearnthenumberofhisroomto“charge“themeal。Heateitquickly，butnotvoraciously，forhisappetitehadnotyetreturned，andhewaseagertogetbacktotheroomandseethestrangeragainandreturntohimthecoinwhichwasnolongernecessary。
Butthestrangerhadnotyetarrivedwhenhereachedtheroom。