It was formerly used by Northern drummers and people of that sort." After riding back to Richmond and putting up his horse, Vincent went to the hotel there.

Although but a second-rate hotel it was well filled, for people from all parts of the Confederacy resorted to Richmond, and however much trade suffered, the hotels of the town did a good business.
He first went up to the clerk in a little office at the entrance.
"You had a man named Pearson," he said, "staying here a month ago.

Will you please tell me on what day he left ?" The clerk turned to the register, and said, after a minute's examination: "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 usually 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.