It was a little wayside place without
even a village that I could see to justify its claim to a station at
all. Nobody else got out; and as soon as the train had gone, I was left
to explain my presence to what appeared to be the entire population of
the district, to wit, a station-master, a porter, and a constable who
carried a carbine. I invented some frivolous excuse; asked if there
wasn't a famous waterfall somewhere near; and on being told that the
locality boasted of no such attraction, feigned to be dismayed; and was
forced to resign myself to wait three hours for the next train.

It was at least a good thing to be in solitude for a short time to
collect my scattered wits. McCrane was bound for C--, and would
probably come in the _next_ train, which, by the way, was the last.
That was all I had a clear idea about. There was a telegraph office at
the station, and I thought I might as well report progress to my
manager.

"On the trail. Expect news from C--. Wire me there, post-office, if
necessary."

The station-master (who, as usual, was postmaster too) received this
message from my hands, and the remainder of the population--I mean the
porter and the constable--who were with him at the time read it over his
shoulder. They all three looked hard at me, and the station-master said
"Tenpence!" in a tone which made my blood curdle. I was doomed to be
suspected wherever I went! What did they take me for now?

I decided to take a walk and inspect the country round. It annoyed me
to find that the constable with his carbine thought well to take a walk
too, and keep me well in view.

I tried to dodge him, but he was too smart for me; and when finally to
avoid him I took shelter in a wayside inn, he seated himself on the
bench outside and smoked till I was ready to come out.

I discovered a few more inhabitants, but it added nothing to my comfort.
They, too, stared at me and followed me about, until finally I ran back
to the station and cried out in my heart for the four o'clock train.

About five o'clock it strolled up. I got in anywhere, without even
troubling to look for Michael McCrane. If he should appear at C--, well
and good, I would arrest him; if not, I would go home. For the present,
at least, I would dismiss him from my mind and try to sleep.

I did try, but that was all. We passed station after station. Some we
halted at, as it appeared, by accident; some we went past, and then, on
second