He had informed the inn-keeper of his intention of going to Bozeman, a town lying to the north of the Crow Reservation.
Manning resolved, therefore, to press right on, and he returned to the railroad station, where the train was still waiting.

Purchasing a ticket for Billings, he started again on his way, and at nearly midnight he arrived at his destination, where he secured quarters for the night.
Billings was, at this time, the terminal point of the Northern Pacific railroad, and as the detective sought the open air on the following morning, he was amazed at the scenes that were presented to his view.
The place was literally swarming with people.

Prospectors, land-buyers, traders, merchants, and a miscellaneous army of railroad men were everywhere.

No time had been afforded in which to build suitable structures for housing the ever-increasing population, and the town presented the appearance of a huge encampment; nearly one-half of the city being composed of canvas tents.

In the hotels, on the corners of the streets, and in the places of business, the universal topic of conversation was the phenomenal growth of the city, and the grand prospects which the future had in store for this embryotic western metropolis.