“Trafford’s at the top, so far as ability is concerned,” said Henry; “and the next best man’s Cranston. If you’re going to set a man at work, you’d better take him. There are two things for him to do: First, keep track of Trafford and let him give us notice quick if he hears of the papers; second, work up the story of Wing’s birth. We’ve got to keep that more in the public eye. I can’t for the life of me see anything in it to lead to the murder, but the public think there’s some connection between the two, and we mustn’t let them lose sight of it.” “But there must have been some motive in the murder,” Hunter affirmed. “If we can get hold of the papers, we’ll let the motive take care of itself,” Charles interposed. “To think, I was in Millbank that very night--almost at the very moment! If I’d known--I’d have found out what was in that room before any detective had a chance!” He looked at Hunter with an implication of failure. He would gladly have defended himself, but he remembered that he might have been on the scene before McManus, and that he had dawdled over his breakfast and let the opportunity slip. No one would have refused him admission any more than McManus had been refused. How many anxious hours he might have saved himself! As a result of the conference, Cranston was sent for and put on the case. He listened to his instructions and then said: “I’ve got to know what you want, if I’m to work with any advantage to you or myself. You want to find out who Wing’s mother was--but that’s incidental. You want to know who murdered Wing--but that’s incidental. What is it I’m to do really?” Again Henry Matthewson showed his superior masterfulness by deciding and acting. “Mr. Wing had been for some time at work upon a matter that concerns materially the logging interests of this State. We simply know the fact, for he took no one into his confidence, and was so secretive as to keep the papers about him or in his private safe in his library. Without knowing what the papers contain, we believe if they should fall into the hand of a less scrupulous man than Mr. Wing, they might become dangerous--that is, a source of blackmail. We want to locate those papers, and if possible get possession of them.” “How far am I warranted in going in order to get hold of them?” he asked. “Only to locate them and report to me. We will decide then on the safe course.” It was Henry Matthewson who spoke, as always when prompt decision was demanded. “If they had not already been removed,” said Cranston, “Trafford and McManus have had a chance long since to secure them. I’m like to find them in their hands.” “Excepting that they might not know their value,” said Charles Matthewson. Cranston looked at the speaker quizzically. “I don’t know about your Mr. McManus,” he said. “He’s a lawyer. But as to Trafford, I can answer. If he’s had his hands on those papers, he knows their value.”