Arguing from his own stand-point he realized that the friends of Louise were by this time using every endeavor to locate her.

They would not succeed in this, he was positive.
His plot had been so audacious and all clews so cleverly destroyed or covered up that the most skillful detective, knowing he had abducted the girl; would be completely baffled in an attempt to find her.
The thought of detectives, in this connection, led him to decide that he was likely to be shadowed.

That was the most natural thing for his opponents to do.

They could not prove Mershone's complicity in the disappearance of Louise Merrick, but they might easily suspect him, after that little affair of Weldon's arrest.

Therefore if he went to the girl now he was likely to lead others to her.