I would have had my game weeks ago, but for his appearance, confound him!" He looked at his watch.

"Dinner first," he muttered, "the next thing in order is to find the alias under which my gentleman is at present travelling.

No one seems to know much about him in these parts." The dim light revealed a man below medium height, his form enveloped in a heavy English mackintosh thrown carelessly about his shoulders, which, as he made his notes, blew partially open, revealing an immaculate shirt front and a brilliant diamond which scintillated and sparkled in open defiance of the surrounding gloom.

A soft felt hat well pulled down concealed his eyes and the upper part of his face, leaving visible only a slightly aquiline nose and heavy, black mustache, which gave his face something of a Jewish cast.

Replacing his note-book in his pocket, he called a belated carriage, and hastily gave orders to be taken to the Clifton House.
Arriving at the hotel, the stranger registered as "A.