Connolly hastily tapped out the question, and a moment afterward vocalized the answer.
“He was on the train when it left Brewster. Nobody seems to remember seeing him after that.”
Sprague turned to his host.
“I think we can let Mr. McCarty go in peace now, with a promise that we sha’n’t bother him again to-night. Tarbell is the man we shall need from this on. Where has he gone?”
Tarbell was at that moment opening the corridor door, having but now got rid of the newspaper reporter. Sprague began on him briskly.
“Archer, the muddle is cleared up, and I’m minded to take that bit of recreation we spoke of a while back—at this Mr. Bart Holladay’s show place, you know. How far did you say it is?”
The ex-cowboy looked dazed, but he made shift to answer the direct question.
“About two mile, I reckon.”
“Outside of the city limits?”
“Yep.”