On the other side of the room, facing the bar, hung a large copy of a French picture representing a _Sabbath_, witches, goats, and naked girls whirling through the air. Underneath it was the lunch counter, where clam-fritters, the specialty of the place, could be had four afternoons in the week. Elsewhere were nickel-in-the-slot machines, cigar-lighters, a vase of wax flowers under glass, and a racing chart setting forth the day's odds, weights, and entries. On the end wall over the pantry-slides was a second "barroom" picture, representing the ladies of a harem at their bath. But its "private rooms" were the chief attraction of the Imperial. These were reached by going in through the smaller door to the right of the main vestibule. Any one coming in through this entrance found himself in a long and narrow passage. On the right of this passage were eight private rooms, very small, and open at the top as the law required. Half-way down its length the passage grew wider. Here the rooms were on both sides and were much larger than those in front. It was this part of the Imperial that was most frequented, and that had made its reputation. In the smaller rooms in front one had beer and Welsh rabbits; in the larger rooms, champagne and terrapin. Vandover, Haight, and Geary came in through the ladies' entrance of the Imperial at about eleven o'clock, going slowly down the passage, looking into each of the little rooms, searching for one that was empty. All at once Vandover, who was in the lead, cried out: "Well, if here isn't that man Ellis, drinking whisky by himself. Bah! a man that will drink whisky all _alone_! Glad to see you just the same, Bandy; move along, will you--give a man some room." "Hello, hello, Bandy!" cried Geary and young Haight, hitting him in the back, while Geary added: "How long have you been down here? _I've_ just come from making a call with the boys. Had a fine time; what are you drinking, whisky? _I'm_ going to have something to eat. Didn't have much of a lunch to-day, but you ought to have seen the steak I had at the Grillroom--as thick as that, and tender! Oh, it went great! Here, hang my coat up there on that side, will you?"