unusually heavy roll caught him slightly off-balance and jostled
him against the detective. The latter held up his hand and caught
him by the arm.

"A bad morning," spoke the officer. "B-r-r-r! Did you notice the
Yerbe Buena yonder? She just grazed us. A bad morning."

The stranger turned. As the detective caught the splendid face,
the glowing eyes and the youthful smile, he started much as had
done the cigar clerk. The same effect of the age melting into
youth and--the officer being much more accustomed to reading men--
a queer sense of latent and potent vision. The eyes were soft and
receptive but for all that of the delicate strength and colour
that comes from abnormal intellect. He noted the pupils, black,
glowing, of great size, almost filling the iris and the whole
melting into intensity that verged into red. Either the man had
been long without sleep or he was one of unusual intelligence and
vitality.

"A nasty morning," repeated the officer.

"Ah! Er, yes--did you say it was a nasty morning? Indeed, I do not
know, sir. However, it is very interesting."

"Stranger in San Francisco?"

"Well, yes. At least, I have never seen it."

"H-m!" The detective was a bit nonplussed by the man's evident
evasion. "Well, if you are a stranger I suppose it is up to me to