midnight
The man escaped , when Aaron found you . We 'll let the Sheriff , or whoever can , solve the mystery of that automobile and Jim Rutlidge 's disappearance . '' A half mile from Granite Peak , they met Jack Carleton and , by dark , as Brian Oakley had said , were safely down to the head of Clear Creek ; having come by routes , known to the Ranger , that were easier and shorter than the roundabout way followed by the convict and the girl . It was just past midnight when the three friends parted from young Carleton and crossed the canyon to Sibyl 's old home . Facing the Truth As Brian Oakley had predicted , the disappearance of James Rutlidge occupied columns in the newspapers , from coast to coast . In every article he was headlined as `` A Distinguished Citizen ; '' `` A Famous Critic ; '' `` A Prominent Figure in the World of Art ; '' `` One of the Greatest Living Authorities ; '' `` Leader in the Modern School ; '' `` Of Powerful Influence Upon the Artistic Production of the Age . '' The story of the unknown mountain girl 's abduction and escape was a news item of a single day ; but the disappearance of James Rutlidge kept the press busy for weeks .