He had hardly said this when a man stepped out from a group of persons and walked over to the two, speaking to them. Surprise was plainly shown on the faces of the two toughs when they were addressed, but the expression quickly changed to one of recognition. This man was about the height of Chick, but he was smooth-shaven. The three detectives, moving up more closely, saw this smooth-shaven stranger hand a small envelope to one of the two. Then he took from his pocket two small packages, handing one to each. Patsy, who had edged away, so that he could get a clear view of the stranger’s face, came back to Nick, saying: “Great Scott! The fellow has given himself a clean shave.” “Shaved off his whiskers and mustache?” asked Nick. “Sure,” said Patsy. Nick made no reply, but Chick said: “If the fellow looked no better before than he does after shaving, I pity him.” “He looks a lot worse,” said Patsy. Chick laughed, and Nick remarked: “He is a foolish man.” The doors leading to the train shed were now thrown open, and the gatemen began to call the train. The two toughs shook hands with Masson and passed through the gate, on their way to the train they were to take. Masson turned to go to the exit to the street, and in doing so passed close to the three detectives, apparently without recognizing them. If he did, he made no sign of it. He had gone but a few steps beyond this little group of detectives when he encountered a party of travelers, consisting of two ladies and two gentlemen. To this party he lifted his hat. All of the four looked with some surprise upon him, and then one of the gentlemen broke into a laugh, saying: “Why, you have made an astonishing change in your appearance, Masson.” “Yes,” replied Masson, fully at ease. “And not for the better, I imagine.” To this remark no one made reply, but the other gentleman said, lightly: “It was a reckless thing to do—making such a complete change.” “It was forced on me,” said Masson. “A fellow that looks like me has been going about town representing himself to be me, and causing me a good deal of trouble. The only way in which I could stop him was to destroy the resemblance.” “Perhaps he will shave, too,” said one of the ladies. “But he will not restore the resemblance,” replied Masson. “It was the whiskers that did the trick.” Their conversation was changed with this, and Nick said to his companion: “Was that said by Masson for our benefit, think you?” “It sounded like a throw off,” said Chick. The three detectives passed out of the building, and stood on the sidewalk in front of the main doors, waiting for Masson to make his appearance. “You must follow Masson when he shows up, Patsy,” said Nick. Patsy moved away, to be prepared for this duty, and Chick said: “If Masson’s words were not intended for us, then they were important in showing that there is another man on the carpet who might be confused with him.”