One day, however, a curious incident did for a moment invest Vandover with a sudden dramatic interest.

It was just after he had moved down to the Lick House, about a month after he had sold the block in the Mission.

Vandover was standing at Lotta's fountain at the corner of Kearney and Market streets, interested in watching a policeman and two boys reharnessing a horse after its tumble.

All at once he fell over flat into the street, jostling one of the flower venders and nearly upsetting him.

He struck the ground with a sodden shock, his arms doubled under him, his hat rolling away into the mud.