"The thing that I don't understand is why if you were going to find us at all you didn't do it sooner."
"The old lady threw me off the track, that's why! But we may as well begin at the beginning. I had never connected you with my game till I saw you here. I suppose now you are the one that got her off at Detour."
"You do me too much honor, Smeltzer. My will was good, but my wits were lacking. You may lay that to the charge of Miss Norah Brannigan, of the John A. Paxton."
"Aha! I mistrusted that she had a hand in it anyway. But can't she lie?" He seemed lost in admiration of Norah's talents.
"Go on with your tale. We can all lie when occasion calls for it. You are not an infant at it yourself."
"Well," grinned Smeltzer, "I found at the Soo that the lady had given me the slip. I went through that boat from top to bottom—the stewardess giving me all the help in her power, and assuring me she hadn't seen any such people on board. Then I made for the depot."
"I saw you. You made good time, Smeltzer."
"Yes.... Well, when I found the train gone I sat down and figured it out. She had a good long start, but I knew she couldn't leave the Island till morning and I would take the first train down myself. I telegraphed the ticket agents of the G. R. and I. and the Pere Marquette at Petoskey to be on the lookout for these parties (description following) and note their destination. The Pere Marquette man identified them all right and said he sold them tickets for Chicago. I took the next train for that blooming metropolis, telegraphing ahead for another man to be there when they got off, and hold them. Well, sir, when I reached Chicago and heard report, no such parties had got off! Well, sir, I fooled away a day or two in Chicago. Then all at once it came to me that we had crossed a railroad away back there somewhere and I couldn't get it out of my mind. You know men in my business get into the habit of noticing pretty closely."
"I've observed it!"
"I made some inquiries and went back to Grand Junction. Agent remembered the parties perfectly—had had a good deal of talk with the old lady about roads out of Kalamazoo,—had to show 'em to her on the map."