CHAPTER XVII
The Story of the Papers
Trafford went back to Millbank more seriously
alarmed than at any time in his whole
professional career. Matthewson would unquestionably
inform the others that he had not the
papers; and as certainly warn them he was after
them, with the determination to secure them. It
was well within reason that they would regard it as
safer that they remained in the hands of a murderer
whom they protected, than that they should fall into
those of a detective, who would use them to convict
and thus make them public. He felt that he must
act promptly and energetically and bring to his aid
every influence possible.
Now, however, there was another matter tugging at him. Few men in Maine ever attained to the possession of a hundred thousand dollars. The income on such a sum would equal his average yearly earnings. He believed that if he could put his hands on
