“Nevertheless I did.”

“On what train, sir?”

“This afternoon’s up-train.”

“You certainly were not on the omnibus when it got here.”

“Very true.  I walked over from beyond the school-house.”

“You must excuse me, sir.  I did not think of that; and the manager requires me to know everybody.  Is this Major Armitage?”

“Armitage is my name, but I’m not a major.”

“Yes, sir; I’m glad to be set right.  And the other gentleman,—­him as was inquiring for Colonel Maynard to-night?  He’s in the army, too, but his name don’t seem to be on the book.  He only came in on the late train.”

“Another man to see Colonel Maynard?” asked the captain, with sudden interest.  “Just come in, you say.  I’m sure I’ve no idea.  What was he like?”

“I don’t know, sir.  At first I thought you was him.  The driver told me he brought a gentleman over who asked some questions about Colonel Maynard, but he didn’t get aboard at the depot, and he didn’t come down to the hotel,—­got off somewhere up there on the bench, and Jim didn’t see him.”

“Where’s Jim?” said Armitage.  “Come with me, watchman.  I want to interview him.”

Together they walked over to the barn, which the driver was just locking up after making everything secure for the night.

“Who was it inquiring for Colonel Maynard?” asked Armitage.

“I don’t know, sir,” was the slow answer.  “There was a man got aboard as I was coming across the common there in the village at the station.  There were several passengers from the train, and some baggage:  so he may have started ahead on foot but afterwards concluded to ride.  As soon as I saw him get in I reined up and asked where he was going; he had no baggage nor nuthin’, and my orders are not to haul anybody except people of the hotel:  so he came right forward through the ’bus and took the seat behind me and said ’twas all right, he was going to the hotel; and he passed up a half-dollar.  I told him that I couldn’t take the money,—­that ’bus-fares were paid at the office,—­and drove ahead.  Then he handed me a cigar, and pretty soon he asked me if there were many people, and who had the cottages; and when I told him, he asked which was Colonel Maynard’s, but he didn’t say he knew him, and the next thing I knew was when we got here to the hotel he wasn’t in the ’bus.  He must have stepped back through all those passengers and slipped off up there on the bench.  He was in it when we passed the little brown church up on the hill.”

“What was he like?”

“I couldn’t see him plain.  He stepped out from behind a tree as we drove through the common, and came right into the ’bus.  It was dark in there, and all I know is he was tall and had on dark clothes.  Some of the people inside must have seen him better; but they are all gone to bed, I suppose.”

“I will go over to the hotel and inquire, anyway,” said Armitage, and did so.  The lights were turned down, and no one was there, but he could hear voices chatting in quiet tones on the broad, sheltered veranda without, and, going thither, found three or four men enjoying a quiet smoke.  Armitage was a man of action.  He stepped at once to the group: