prison warden grideau (frederic worlock) is mystified by fact that the work gang count was correct even though verne was outside the prison. grideau thinks that verne has potential, unlike most of the prisoners but fears the man is doomed. it is only a matter of time before he kills someone.. in the prison barracks, the stranger, whose name is cambreau, begins to show the qualities that begin to define him as a mysterious, supernatural character: his anticipation of events (including weather), his knowledge of people, his physical endurance, his readiness with appropriate quotes from scripture, even his unexplained possession of money when needed. in a conversation with verne, he offers the idea, central to the film, that “every man has god in his heart.” verne finds this wildly funny, pointing to all the wonderful examples of god around them.