Page:The achievements of Luther Trant - Balmer and MacHarg - 1910.djvu/146

122

But the pieces appeared to be properly put together; and Trant noted that, besides the two and three pieces fitting, all the scraps evidently belonged together, and had originally formed a part of a large sheet of paper which had been torn and thrown away.

"They are nothing—nothing, Mr. Howell!" The old man tried to wrench his hand away, staring in terror at the banker. "They are only scraps of paper which I found. Oh, Mr. Howell, I warned you this morning that the bank is in danger. I know that now better than ever! But these," he grew still whiter, "are nothing!"

Trant had to catch the cashier's hand again, as he tried to snatch up the scraps. "Who is this man, Mr. Howell?" Gordon turned indignantly to the young banker.

"My name is Trant. Mr. Howell came to me this morning to advise him as to the things which have been terrifying you here in this office. And, Mr. Gordon," said Trant, sternly, "it is perfectly useless for you to tell us that these bits of paper have no meaning, or that their meaning is unknown to you. But since you will not explain the mystery to us, I must go about the matter in some other way."

"You do not imagine, Mr. Trant," the cashier fell back into his chair as though the psychologist had struck him, "that I have any connection with the plot against the bank of which I warned Mr. Howell!"