- ing what Trafford was saying. Suddenly his attention
was again aroused.
"What is the nature of these papers?" the other was asking. "With knowledge of that, I could narrow the circle of interest, so that I would have to deal with only a few men."
"It can't be the men who are interested in the papers by reason of their contents who did the murder," said Matthewson, speaking rapidly. "I know them and can answer for every one of them—that is, so far as they knew of the existence of the papers. It is some one who regards them from the point of their saleability. It's their money value."
Trafford had seen this possibility already, but it did not satisfy him. He felt that he could form a sounder judgment than this man, but to do it he must have the facts and this man must give them to him.
"If you are correct," he said, "you must see that you narrow the line of enquiry to three men. I must know what the papers were to determine which of these three is the man. I have asked you before, what is the nature of the papers?"
