ntered the shop.

The man in charge of the third chair looked at him with a sulky
expression as he took his seat. His companions grinned. Evidently he had
not expected another customer before the closing hour. He began to shave
the little old Frenchman with careless haste. The latter lay in his
chair, with half-closed eyes, pretending to doze. In reality he was
watching every movement of the man next to him.

The customer who occupied the second chair was a small, thin man, with
sandy hair and a bony face. His eyes, rather prominent, under sparse red
eyebrows, were closed as though in sleep. He was not paying the
slightest attention to his surroundings, taking no notice whatever of
Seltz, who was going over his face in a stolid and methodical way. There
seemed nothing about either of them to attract attention--and Dufrenne
began to wonder whether they might not after all be upon a false scent.
The man Seltz showed neither haste nor nervousness in his movements--if
he was in a hurry to finish his work for the evening, and leave the
place, he certainly did not show it.

After a time, Dufrenne observed that the thin man in the chair next to
him had opened his eyes, and was feeling his jaw with much satisfaction.
"A very good shave, my good fellow," he said, in excellent English,
without a trace of any foreign accent. "What powder was that you used,
may I ask?"

Dufrenne, who was observing Seltz carelessly, saw a sudden change come
over him. His eyes lit up with interest, and a slight flush overspread
his face. There seemed nothing in so simple a question to arouse him in
this way, and Dufrenne watched him carefully, his senses keenly alert
for anything of interest. To his disappointment, Seltz's answer was of
the most commonplace character. "It is a special kind, which Monsieur
Perrier has made for him, after his own formula. 'Poudre Perrier,' it is
called." He turned to the case behind him, opened a drawer and brought
forth a round cardboard box. "Eightpence is the price. Would you like to
try a box?" He extended the package toward his customer, who had risen
and was adjusting his scarf at the mirror.

The man turned and glanced carelessly at the box. "Oh, you might wrap it
up. I shave myself, occasionally, when I'm traveling. Eightpence, you
say?"

"Yes, sir." Seltz turned to the case and began to do up the package in a
piece of brown paper. In a few moments he turned and handed it to his
customer, who had drawn o