Arthur nodded slightly, but did not respond.
At this moment, the clock on the station square struck precisely at 10:40.
The high-hanging iron bell resonated under the glass dome, causing a few pigeons to flutter and fly.
The coachman of the southbound stagecoach had already begun calling names, urging late passengers to board quickly.
The man seemed to have also heard the chime, standing upright, and slowly tidying his scarf. He did not rush to board, but instead stepped back into the shadows, taking a pocket watch from his coat to check the time.
"An old hand," Arthur quietly remarked, "Never the first in or out; always the last. He's waiting for other passengers to board, then squeezing into the line, making people mistake him for just an ordinary latecomer."
"What about us then..." Langworth turned nervously to Arthur.
Arthur noticed Colley pretending to steer clear of Coach No. 3, but in reality blocking the inevitable exit path of Coach No. 3.
