Page:The Millbank Case - 1905 - Eldridge.djvu/257

 "I owe you more than I can say," he went on. "I won't waste my gratitude in words. The only thing I can do now, that I see, is to answer your question of a half-hour ago. You're entitled to that."

He wrote some names on a slip of paper and passed it over to Trafford. He watched him as he read, to detect, if possible, any movement of surprise, for this question of the murder, from a matter of comparative indifference, save as it touched the possession of certain papers, was growing into a vital thing, that seemed to meet him at every turn, filling him with alarm for the moment when it should uncover in all its hideous nakedness. But there was nothing to indicate that he had told anything which the other did not know already, until Trafford himself spoke. Then, even, the tone was most commonplace:

"You have saved me the time and trouble it would have taken to complete the list." He evidently had no question of his ability to do so. "I hope you'll add to the obligation by answering one or two questions. Did you meet these men separately or together?"