CHAPTER XVI
The Range 16 Scandal
“I GUESS I didn’t make any mistake in staying,” said Trafford, more to break the embarrassing silence which followed Cranston’s withdrawal, than with any definite purpose.
Matthewson glanced up with the air of a man who had half lost consciousness of surrounding circumstances in a line of painful thought.
“I am under deep obligation to you,” he said slowly; and then, apparently tracking back to his thoughts before Trafford spoke, he added, as it seemed, irrelevantly:
“You said he could tell nothing you did not already know.”
The pain which manifested itself in his face would have shown a far less keen man what the speaker had in mind, yet was not willing more directly to name.
“He has not,” said Trafford quietly. “All that he hinted at I’ve known for weeks.”
“Did you know it when you saw me before?”
Trafford nodded.
“Why did you conceal it?”