"Enclosed in the letter from the missionary at Attra was another and a shorter note, which, in accordance with his request, I burnt as soon as I read it.

I believe the man was honest when he told me that for hours he had hesitated whether to send me those few lines or not.
Eventually he decided to do so, but he appealed to my honour to destroy the note as soon as I had read it." "Well!" "He thought it his duty to let me know that there had been rumours as to how your father met his death.

Trent, it seems, had the reputation of being a reckless and daring man, and, according to some agreement which they had, he profited enormously by your father's death.

There seems to have been no really definite ground for the rumour except that the body was not found where Trent said that he had died.

Apart from that, life is held cheap out there, and although your father was in delicate health, his death under such conditions could not fail to be suspicious.
I hope I haven't said too much.