Nick now went to the station agent and asked about the tickets purchased for the early morning train. The agent declared that none had been bought that morning. “But a trunk was checked,” insisted the detective. “That was on a ticket bought in the afternoon,” said the agent. “Do you know how many people took that morning train from this station?” asked the detective. “I do not.” “Did you see people waiting for the train here?” “Say,” said the agent, “I don’t know what’s getting into folks to-day. It seems that there was something doing when that train went by.” “Ah! the sheriff has been here?” “Yes, and a lot from the Maynard house.” “Who, for one?” “Anton Sawtelle for one. Got quite a clip, didn’t he?” “Sure he did,” was the reply. “What questions did he ask?” “Just about what you did. He wanted to know who left here on the morning train.” “And you could not tell him?” “Certainly not. The conductor may be able to, though.” “Did Sawtelle give descriptions of people and ask you to verify them?” “He asked for two men carrying the odor of rum, and for a black-haired girl.” So here was the girl again! And Sawtelle knew of her presence at the station! “What else did he say about the girl, or about the men?” “He said the men talked with a strong London accent; nothing more about the girl.” Anton must have hastened to the station while the detectives were at the house! There was now no such thing as leaving him out of the case! “Who left the train here?” asked Nick, in a moment. “I am certain that no one left the train here.” “Anton asked about a girl. Did you notice a girl loitering about here previous to the arrival of the train, or after it left this morning?” “I did not. No girl came in here.” “So the girl, if there was one, kept in the background?” “Yes; that’s it.” Nick left the agent and walked up and down the small platform. “The gems may be at Hartley’s by this time,” he thought. “The two Englishmen who smell of rum and talk like London may be on the ocean by this time, but I imagine I know where the girl is. This case is not so mixed, after all.” After a long talk with Chick, the detective took a train for New York, hopeful and enthusiastic over the clues he had already uncoiled. Chick returned to the Maynard home. It was dull there, and for a long time there were no movements among the inmates that seemed worthy of attention. CHAPTER V. CUNNING FOES. That evening, while Chick sat in comfort on the north porch at the Maynard house, strong in the belief that his chief had gone to New York in quest of a murderer and thief who was then in that house, Nick was standing in front of a small, mean-looking store near Chatham Square.