one o'clock
Even as Langley drew from him the admission , the word came up that the squad had started hot foot on the trail . It led straight away to town . And the stable orderlies had sworn that Fitzroy started alone . Therefore , unless Dora Mayhew had circled the fort and joined him on the bleak eastward prairie , it was most unlikely she had gone with him , and , up to one o'clock , there was none to hint with whom , or how , except afoot , she could have gone . Then , however , came revelation . The sentry stationed at the northwest face of the post admitted having seen `` a rig from town '' making wide circuit clear around behind the fort on the westward `` bench , '' which was swept almost clean of snow . It had kept well out beyond hailing distance , stood a moment or two up at the edge of the bluff , then whirled about and went the way it came .