eight o'clock
It was nearly midnight when the man appeared at the cottage window . It was after two when Armitage gave up the search and went to bed . It was possible for the man to have walked to Lakeville , six miles south , and reached the station there in abundant time to take the up-train which passed Sablon , without stopping , a little before daybreak . If he took that train , and if he was Jerrold , he would have been in the city before seven , and could have been at Fort Sibley before or by eight o'clock . But Chester 's despatch showed clearly that at 8.30 -- the hour for signing the company morning reports -- Mr. Jerrold was not at his post . Was he still in the neighborhood and waiting for the noon train ? If so , could he be confronted on the cars and accused of his crime ?