"Well," I said, "I suppose that you know all about your namesake in town, and don't need any of our information."
He heard the chagrin in my voice and smiled as he replied:
"Don't mind those little things; they happen to all of us. I am glad 'Quintus Oakes' has arrived. Chief Hallen and I concluded that the sudden arrival of such a man as our decoy would have a salutary effect on the citizens. An appearance of action on Hallen's part would tend to quiet their restlessness; and, now that public attention is focused upon him, Mr. Clark and his friends can work more freely."
During the discussion that followed, he told us that Mike's errand on horseback was as yet unknown, but that the man whom we followed and lost on the way was from a stable in Lorona.
"You see," continued he, "Mike has been doing this before. The horse is brought from Lorona in a roundabout way. Doubtless, on his return, he leaves it at some spot where it is met and returned to the stable."
"Mike is a mystery. What is he up to?" said Moore. "Can he be the murderer?"
"Wait and see," replied Oakes enigmatically, as he ended the conversation.