sum, however large. We really ought to
have taken in Frankfort first. Had we done so, we probably would have
left the town with $50,000.

Soon as we arrived we went to a cafe, and, leaving Mac there and all the
money and papers in the bag, I hastened to the bankers, hoping to find
them open and ready for business. In that case I should have talked
business--that is, about having letters of credit, etc.--and I could
probably have told by their actions if any rumors of our transaction of
the two preceding days had reached the city. Had this been so the
bankers would have betrayed it by their looks and questions, and would
have been anxious to see my credits. Had such questions been asked, I
would have simply said that my letters of credit had not yet arrived
from Paris. This would have, of course, thrown them off the track, and
given us time to move off.

But when I arrived I found the doors locked. I at once returned to Mac
and said: "We are through; let us catch the train for Cologne at once."
He was anxious to wait until 4 o'clock and make a dash. We both knew the
Germans were slow, and might not think of using the telegraph, and we
agreed that we had more than an even chance of success; but Mac said:
"My boy, you are my manager, and I leave it for you to decide." Then I
said we were through, and that he should take no more chances; so we
settled it right there, in the little French-German cafe, and taking
out all the letters and every scrap of paper we destroyed them.

This decision, of course, brought a great relief--for the strain had
been greater than either of us had been willing to confess to the other.
So, easy in mind, we ordered lunch. Of course, we would have no news of
George until we met in London. We had no anxiety about him; we felt
certain he would come out all right. While waiting for the train we
discussed the future, and took it for granted that he would secure as
much as we had done. We counted ourselves possessors of $90,000. Of
this, fully $10,000 would go to our three honest detectives in New York;
we would spend about another $10,000, leaving us about $23,000 each.
Making this calculation, we sat down, and with the cash safe in our
hands we began planning for the future. Did we say: "Now we have a sum
of money ample to start us in an honest business, and, as we have
promised, we will quit?" Nothing of the kind; we simply ignored our many
promises and resolutions. Our ideas had grown with our su