Reply #8: "If anything becomes available, we will keep your resume on file."

[stopbush]

They always say that to cover up the sound of the shredder delivering your resume to the circular file.

BTW - I've been through similar situations. While the recruiter hasn't gone as far as saying the position was eliminated, I've heard "they're re-evaluating their structural needs," which means: they're going to promote someone already in the company and force them to do their old job and the job for which you interviewed, usually at a small pay increase that nowhere matches the cost of bringing on a new person.

You may have been the beard that they brought to the dance to get the internal candidate to shit or get off the pot. That's pretty common these days.