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+Project Gutenberg's The Somnambulist and the Detective, by Allan Pinkerton
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Somnambulist and the Detective
+       The Murderer and the Fortune Teller
+
+Author: Allan Pinkerton
+
+Release Date: December 9, 2009 [EBook #30636]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SOMNAMBULIST AND THE DETECTIVE ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Suzanne Shell, Martin Pettit and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
+file was produced from images generously made available
+by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ALLAN PINKERTON'S
+
+GREAT DETECTIVE STORIES.
+
+
+1.--THE MOLLIE MAGUIRES AND DETECTIVES.
+
+2.--STRIKERS, COMMUNISTS, AND DETECTIVES.
+
+3.--CRIMINAL REMINISCENCES AND DETECTIVES.
+
+4.--THE MODEL TOWN AND DETECTIVES.
+
+5.--THE SPIRITUALISTS AND DETECTIVES.
+
+6.--THE EXPRESSMEN AND DETECTIVES.
+
+7.--THE SOMNAMBULIST AND DETECTIVES.
+
+8.--CLAUDE MELNOTTE AS A DETECTIVE.
+
+9.--THE MISSISSIPPI OUTLAWS AND DETECTIVES.
+
+10.--GYPSIES AND DETECTIVES.
+
+11.--BUCHOLZ AND DETECTIVES.
+
+12.--THE RAILROAD FORGER AND DETECTIVES.
+
+13.--BANK ROBBERS AND DETECTIVES.
+
+14.--THE BURGLAR'S FATE AND DETECTIVES.
+
+15.--A DOUBLE LIFE AND DETECTIVES.
+
+16.--PROFESSIONAL THIEVES AND DETECTIVES.
+
+17.--THIRTY YEARS A DETECTIVE.
+
+18.--THE SPY OF THE REBELLION.
+
+"The mental characteristics of Allan Pinkerton were judgment as to
+facts, knowledge of men, the ability to concentrate his faculties on one
+subject, and the persistent power of will. A mysterious problem of
+crime, against which his life was devoted, presented to his thought, was
+solved almost in an instant, and seemingly by his intuitions. With
+half-closed eyes he saw the scene in which the wrong was done, read
+every movement of the criminals, and reached invariably the correct
+conclusion as to their conduct and guilt."
+
+_A new uniform edition, cloth bound, Illustrated.
+Price per vol._ $1.00.
+
+G. W. Dillingham Co., Publishers
+
+NEW YORK.
+
+
+[Illustration: "_At this instant I flung open one of the shutters, and
+simultaneously I heard a cry of horror from my clerk._"--Page 19.]
+
+
+THE SOMNAMBULIST AND THE DETECTIVE.
+
+
+THE MURDERER AND THE FORTUNE TELLER.
+
+
+BY
+ALLAN PINKERTON.
+
+AUTHOR OF
+"EXPRESSMAN AND DETECTIVE," "SPIRITUALISTS AND DETECTIVES,"
+"PROFESSIONAL THIEVES AND DETECTIVES,"
+"RAILROAD FORGER AND DETECTIVES,"
+"MOLLIE MAGUIRES AND DETECTIVES," ETC., ETC.
+
+
+[Illustration: Logo]
+
+
+NEW YORK:
+_G. W. Dillingham Co., Publishers._
+
+
+COPYRIGHT,
+W. B. KEEN, COOKE & CO.,
+1875.
+
+COPYRIGHT, 1903, BY
+JOAN CHALMERS.
+
+
+_The Somnambulist._
+
+
+
+
+PREFACE
+
+
+In presenting to the public my third volume of Detective Stories, I
+desire to again call attention to the fact that the stories herein
+contained, as in the case of their predecessors in the series, are
+literally true. The incidents in these cases have all actually occurred
+as related, and there are now living many witnesses to corroborate my
+statements.
+
+Maroney, the expressman, is living in Georgia, having been released
+during the war. Mrs. Maroney is also alive. Any one desiring to convince
+himself of the absolute truthfulness of this narrative can do so by
+examining the court records in Montgomery, Ala., where Maroney was
+convicted.
+
+The facts stated in the second volume are well known to many residents
+of Chicago. Young Bright was in the best society during his stay at the
+Clifton House, and many of his friends will remember him. His father is
+now largely interested in business in New York, Chicago, and St. Louis.
+The events connected with the abduction of "The Two Sisters," will be
+readily recalled by W. L. Church, Esq., of Chicago, and others. The
+story of "Alexander Gay," the Frenchman, will be found in the criminal
+records of St. Louis, where he was sentenced for forgery.
+
+So with the stories in this volume. The characters in "The Detective and
+the Somnambulist," will be easily recognized by many readers in the
+South. As the family of Drysdale are still living and holding a highly
+respectable place in society, the locality is not correctly given, and
+fictitious names are used throughout.
+
+By reason of the peculiar nature of the circumstances, the facts
+narrated in "The Murderer and the Fortune-Teller," are known only to a
+small circle, but they can readily be substantiated. Captain Sumner was
+never informed of the means employed to influence his sister, and his
+first knowledge of them will be obtained in reading this book; but he
+will remember his own visit to "Lucille," and will undoubtedly see that
+the affair was managed exactly as I have stated.
+
+In reading these stories, the reader will probably come to the
+conclusion that the detection of criminals is a very simple matter, and
+that any one with a moderate amount of intelligence could have done just
+as well. To a certain extent this is true, but not wholly. The plan once
+adopted, it is not difficult to put it in execution; but experience,
+judgment and tact are required to form a plan which will bring out the
+real facts connected with the crime. This done, the capture of the
+criminal is only a question of time.
+
+Legitimate, honest detective business is yet in its infancy, but the
+trade, as at present generally conducted, approaches the dignity of an
+art--a black art, unfortunately, the object being accurately to
+distinguish the percentage of plunder which will satisfy the criminals
+and the real owners, the remainder being divided among the so-called
+detectives.
+
+In point of fact, these fellows are worse than the acknowledged
+criminals, since they rob under the guise of honest men, and run little
+or no risk, while the actual thieves take their lives in their hands. It
+may safely be said that the average detective would rather be in league
+with the criminals of this city than opposed to them, and the great
+majority _are_ so leagued; and until such a state of affairs is broken
+up, the criminals who have money will surely escape punishment.
+
+ALLAN PINKERTON.
+
+
+
+
+THE DETECTIVE AND THE SOMNAMBULIST.
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER I._
+
+
+About nineteen years ago, I was enjoying a short relaxation from the
+usual press of business in Chicago. I had only one or two really
+important cases on hand, and I was therefore preparing to take a much
+needed rest. At this time, my business was not nearly so extensive as it
+has since become, nor was my Agency so well known as it now is; hence, I
+was somewhat surprised and gratified to receive a letter from Atkinson,
+Mississippi, asking me to go to that town at once, to investigate a
+great crime recently perpetrated there. I had intended to visit my
+former home in Dundee, for a week or ten days, but, on receiving this
+letter, I postponed my vacation indefinitely.
+
+The letter was written by Mr. Thomas McGregor, cashier of the City Bank,
+of Atkinson, and my services were called for by all the officers of the
+bank. The circumstances of the case were, in brief, that the
+paying-teller had been brutally murdered in the bank about three or four
+months before, and over one hundred and thirty thousand dollars had been
+stolen. Mr. McGregor said that no expense should be spared to detect the
+criminals, even though the money was not recovered; that would be an
+important consideration, of course, but the first object sought was the
+capture of the murderers of poor George Gordon, the late paying-teller.
+
+Having already arranged my business for a brief absence, I was all ready
+for the journey, and by the next train, I was speeding southward, toward
+Atkinson.
+
+I arrived there early in the morning, of one of the most delightful days
+of early spring. I had exchanged the brown fields and bare trees of the
+raw and frosty North, for the balmy airs, blooming flowers, and waving
+foliage of the sunny South. The contrast was most agreeable to me in my
+then tired and overworked condition, and I felt that a few days in that
+climate would restore my strength more effectually than a stay of
+several weeks in the changeable and inclement weather of northern
+Illinois. For sanitary, as well as business reasons, therefore, I had no
+occasion to regret my Southern trip.
+
+My assumed character was that of a cotton speculator, and I was thus
+able to make many inquiries relative to the town and its inhabitants,
+without exciting suspicion. Of course, I should have considerable
+business at the bank, and thus, I could have frequent conferences with
+the bank officials, without betraying my real object in visiting them. I
+sent a note to Mr. McGregor, on my arrival, simply announcing myself
+under a fictitious name, and I soon received a reply requesting me to
+come to the bank at eight o'clock that evening. I then spent the day in
+walking about the town and gathering a general idea of the surroundings
+of the place.
+
+Atkinson was then a town of medium size, pleasantly situated near the
+northern boundary of the State. The surrounding country was well watered
+and wooded, consisting of alternate arable land and rolling hills. The
+inhabitants of the town were divided into two general classes: the
+shop-keepers, mechanics, and laborers, formed the bulk of the
+population; while the capitalists, planters and professional men were
+the most influential. Most of these latter owned country residences, or
+plantations outside of the town, though they kept up their town
+establishments also. A small water-course, called Rocky Creek, skirted
+one side of the place, and many of the most handsome houses, were
+situated on, or near this beautiful rivulet. The whole appearance of
+Atkinson, and the surrounding country, indicated a thrifty, well-to-do
+population.
+
+Having roamed about to my satisfaction, I spent the latter part of the
+afternoon at the hotel, where I met a number of the professional men of
+the county. I found that the hotel was occupied by many of the best
+families during the winter and spring, and I soon formed the
+acquaintance of several of the gentlemen. They greeted me with
+characteristic Southern hospitality, and I was pleased to see that my
+_role_ as a Scotch speculator was quite an easy one to play; at least,
+no one ever appeared to suspect my real object in visiting Atkinson.
+
+At the appointed hour I went to the bank, and was met outside by Mr.
+McGregor, to whom I had been introduced during the day. He took me in
+through the private entrance, and we were joined in a few minutes by
+Alexander Bannatine, president, and Peter A. Gordon, vice-president, of
+the bank. Mr. Bannatine was about fifty years of age, but he looked much
+older, owing to his continuous and exhausting labors as a lawyer, during
+the early part of his life. Having made a large fortune by successful
+practice and judicious investments, he had retired from the active
+pursuit of his profession, and had joined several old friends in the
+banking business. Mr. Gordon was, also, about fifty years old. He had
+become wealthy by inheritance, and had increased his fortune by twenty
+years of careful attention to business. He was unmarried, and George
+Gordon, the murdered bank-teller, had stood in the relation of a son to
+his uncle; hence, there was an additional reason for the capture and
+conviction of the murderers. The recovery of the large sum of money
+stolen, would, alone, have been an important consideration, but Mr.
+Gordon was willing to spend a very extravagant amount in the detection
+of the criminals, even though the money might never be discovered.
+
+We seated ourselves at a table in the cashier's room, and I prepared to
+take notes of all the facts then known by the gentlemen present.
+
+"Now, Mr. Bannatine," I said, "please tell me everything connected with
+the case, which may be of service to me."
+
+"Well, Mr. Pinkerton, I have not been connected with the bank so long,
+or so closely as Mr. McGregor," said Mr. Bannatine, "and perhaps he had
+better give a short sketch of young Gordon's connection with the bank
+first."
+
+"George Gordon was taken into our employ about five years ago," said Mr.
+McGregor. "He had previously acted as our agent in one of the interior
+towns, and when he became of age he was offered the place of
+paying-teller. Since then his obliging disposition, courteous manners,
+and faithful performance of duty, have endeared him to all his
+associates, and have given him the confidence of all persons with whom
+he came in contact. His character was spotless, and his devotion to duty
+was superior to all allurements; he would never sacrifice one moment to
+pleasure which should have been given to business."
+
+"Had he any associates among the fast men and women of the place?" I
+asked.
+
+"No, sir, not one," was the prompt reply; "we have not been able to
+learn that he had any acquaintances even, among that class."
+
+"Well, please proceed to state all the circumstances connected with the
+murder," I suggested.
+
+"I was not at home at the time," said Mr. McGregor, "but I can give you
+many facts, and Mr. Gordon can add thereto. George was in the habit of
+remaining in the bank after office hours for the purpose of writing up
+his books, as he acted as book-keeper also. During the very busy
+seasons, he would sometimes be kept at work until long after dark,
+though this was unusual. Occasionally customers would come to the bank
+after the regular hours, and George would accommodate them, or I would
+do so, when I was present. We were both very careful about admitting
+outsiders after the bank had closed, and we never allowed any one to
+enter except well-known business men and old customers of the bank. We
+had large sums on hand at times, and George frequently said that we
+could not exercise too much care in managing our business. I mention
+this to show that he was not careless in his habits, but that, on the
+contrary, he always took the greatest precautions against fraud or
+violence."
+
+"Were there any customers who were in the habit of coming in late?" I
+asked.
+
+"Yes, there were several," replied Mr. McGregor; "for instance, Mr.
+Flanders, the jeweler, used to bring over his more valuable jewelry
+every afternoon to put into our vault; he would put it into a small box
+and leave it here about five o'clock. Then, our county clerk, Mr.
+Drysdale, used to stop frequently to make deposits in cases where other
+parties had paid money to him after banking hours. He was very intimate
+with George, and he used to stop to see him sometimes and walk out with
+him after his work was finished. Walter Patterson, also, was one of
+George's particular friends, and he has often stayed with George until
+nine or ten o'clock in the evening. Besides these there were several of
+our leading planters who would come in as late as eight o'clock to
+deposit funds, or to obtain cash for use early the next day."
+
+"Did young Gordon have the keys to the vault?" I asked.
+
+"Oh! yes," replied Mr. McGregor; "I was often called away on business
+for several days, and he used to act as cashier in my absence. He was in
+the habit of carrying the keys with him at all times; but his uncle
+advised him not to do so, as they might be taken from him by a gang of
+desperate characters, and the bank robbed. He had, therefore, given up
+the practice of taking the keys home with him after night-fall. Just
+about the time of the murder, we had one of the busiest seasons ever
+known; the cotton crop had been enormous, and sales had been very rapid,
+so that our deposits were unusually large. One morning I found that I
+must go to Greenville for several days, on business of great importance.
+Before going, I gave George full instructions upon all matters which
+might need attention during my absence; yet I felt, while on my way to
+the depot, that there was something which I had forgotten. I could not
+define what it was, but I hurried back to ask whether he could think of
+any thing further upon which he might wish my advice. I found him
+chatting with his friend, Mr. Drysdale. Calling him to one side, I said:
+
+"'George, is there anything more upon which I can advise you?'
+
+"'No, I guess not,' he replied; 'you will be back so soon that if there
+should anything new turn up, it can wait until you return.'
+
+"'Well, be very careful,' I continued, 'and don't allow any one to come
+in here after dark. It may be an unnecessary precaution, but I should
+feel easier if I knew no one was admitted to the bank during my
+absence.'
+
+"'Very well,' he replied, 'I shall allow only one or two of my personal
+friends to come in. There will be no harm in admitting them, for they
+will be an additional protection in case of any attempt on the bank.'
+
+"I could offer no objection, and so we parted. I was gone about a week,
+when, having settled my business in Greenville, I returned here. The
+first news I received was, that George Gordon had been found murdered in
+the bank that morning, the crime having been committed the night before.
+I will now let Mr. Peter Gordon, George's uncle, tell the circumstances,
+so far as he knows them."
+
+Mr. McGregor was a careful, methodical man, about sixty years of age. He
+always spoke directly to the point, and in his story, he had evidently
+made no attempt to draw conclusions, or to bias my judgment in any way.
+Nevertheless, he showed that he was really affected by young Gordon's
+murder, and I saw that I should get more really valuable assistance from
+him, than from both of the other two. Mr. Gordon was greatly excited,
+and he could hardly speak at times, as he thought of his murdered
+nephew. His story was told slowly and painfully, as if the details were
+almost too much for him. Still, he felt that nothing ought to be
+neglected which would assist me, and so he nerved himself to tell every
+little incident of the dreadful crime.
+
+"I remember the day of the murder very distinctly, Mr. Pinkerton," he
+said. "Mr. Bannatine was obliged to visit his plantation that morning,
+and Mr. McGregor being away, as he has already told you, I spent most of
+the day at the bank with George. He was perfectly competent to manage
+all the business himself, Mr. Pinkerton, for he was a very smart and
+trustworthy young man, the very image of my dear brother, who was
+drowned twenty years ago, leaving me to bring up George like my own son;
+but, as I was saying, I kept George company in the bank that day, more
+as a measure of safety, than because he needed me. Well we received a
+large amount of money that day in bank notes and specie, and I helped
+George put the money into the vault. When the bank closed, George said
+that he should work until five o'clock and then go home to dinner. I was
+anxious to go to my store, as business had been very heavy that day, and
+I had had no opportunity to attend to my own affairs; I therefore left
+the bank at four o'clock. George and I boarded at the hotel, and at
+dinner time, he came late, so that I finished before he did. About seven
+o'clock, George came down to the store, where I had gone after dinner.
+He sat a little while and smoked a cigar with me, and then said that he
+must return to the bank, as he had a great deal of work to finish up on
+the books; he told me, also, not to sit up for him, as it might be quite
+late before he came home."
+
+"Were there any other persons present when he said this, Mr. Gordon?" I
+asked.
+
+"Yes; there was a shoemaker, named Stolz, whom George had just paid for
+a pair of boots. Mr. Flanders, the jeweler, was there also, and he had
+his box of jewelry for George to lock up in the safe. There had been so
+many customers in his store that afternoon that he had not been able to
+take the box over before. There were several other persons present, I
+recollect now that you ask me about it, but I had not thought of the
+matter before, and I cannot recall their names."
+
+"Well, I guess we can find out," I replied; "please go on. By the way,
+one question: had George drank anything at all during the day?"
+
+"No, sir, nothing whatever. George used to smoke a great deal, but he
+_never_ drank at a bar in his life; all his young friends will tell you
+the same. He sometimes drank wine at meals at his own or a friend's
+table, but he never drank at any other place. He left my store about
+half-past seven o'clock, and Flanders went with him to leave his
+jewelry. Flanders' store is near mine, and he soon came back and chatted
+with me a short time. He has since told me that he did not enter the
+bank, but that he simply handed the case of jewelry to George on the
+steps of the private entrance, and George said to him: 'I won't ask you
+to come in, Flanders, for I have too much work to attend to, and I can't
+entertain you.' These are the last words that George is known to have
+spoken."
+
+Here Mr. Gordon's agitation was so great that he could not speak for
+several minutes, but at length, he continued:
+
+"I went to bed about ten o'clock that evening, and came down late to
+breakfast next morning. I did not see George anywhere around the hotel,
+but I thought nothing of that, as I supposed that he had gone to the
+bank. After breakfast, I got shaved, smoked a cigar, and then went to my
+store. In a few minutes, a man named Rollo, who has an account at the
+bank, came in and said:
+
+"'Mr. Gordon, what is the matter at the bank this morning? It is now
+after ten o'clock, and everything is still shut up.'
+
+"'What!' I exclaimed, 'the bank not opened yet! My nephew must be sick,
+though he was quite well yesterday evening. I will go to the bank with
+you at once, Mr. Rollo.'
+
+"One of my clerks accompanied us, and on arriving at the bank, we found
+a cabinet-maker named Breed, trying to get in. I went and pounded on the
+front door several times, but no one came. I then went to the private
+entrance and gave the signal by rapping, to let those inside know that
+one of the bank officers was at the door. We had a private signal known
+only to the officers, so that I was sure there must be something wrong
+when I found it unanswered. I had a dreadful feeling in my heart that
+something horrible had happened, and I was about to hurry away to the
+hotel, to see if George was there, when I casually let my hand fall upon
+the knob and turned it; to my surprise, the door yielded.
+
+"By this time, quite a crowd had gathered outside, attracted by the
+unusual spectacle of the closed bank, and the knocking at the doors. I
+therefore left Mr. Rollo and Mr. Breed to keep the crowd from entering
+the side entrance, while my clerk and I threw open the heavy shutters of
+this room where we are now sitting. We then entered the main bank
+through yonder door, and while I went to open the outside blinds, which
+excluded every particle of light, my clerk walked down behind the bank
+counter. He suddenly stumbled over something and fell, and as he got up,
+he said that the floor was wet. At this instant, I flung open one of the
+shutters, and simultaneously I heard a cry of horror from my clerk.
+Running to the counter, I looked over and saw a terrible sight. My poor
+boy--"
+
+Again Mr. Gordon's feelings overcame him, and it was some time before he
+could go on. Finally he was able to resume his story, though he was
+frequently obliged to pause to wipe away his tears.
+
+"My nephew's body was lying midway between his desk and the vault door;
+he had evidently been standing at his desk when he was struck, as was
+shown by the direction in which the blood had spirted. He had been
+murdered by three blows on the back of the head, the instrument used
+being a heavy canceling hammer, which we found close by, clotted with
+blood and hair. The first blow had been dealt just back of the left ear
+while George was standing at his desk; he had then staggered backward
+two or three steps before falling, and the second and third blows had
+been struck as he lay on the floor. Although it was evident that the
+first blow alone was sufficient to cause death, the murderer had been
+anxious to complete his work beyond any possibility of failure.
+
+"The scene was most ghastly; George's body lay in a pool of blood, while
+the desks, chairs, table and wall, were spattered with large drops which
+had spirted out as the blows were struck. I shall never forget that
+terrible morning, and sometimes I awake with a horrible choking
+sensation, and think that I have just renewed the sickening experience
+of that day.
+
+"Well, I immediately suspected that the murder had been committed to
+enable the murderer to rob the bank. I knew that George had no enemies
+who would seek his life, and there could be no other object in killing
+him inside the bank. The outer door of the vault stood slightly ajar,
+and as soon as I had satisfied myself that my nephew was dead--as indeed
+was evident, the body being quite cold--I sent my clerk to call Mr.
+Rollo and Mr. Breed into the bank, while he remained at the door. I told
+him to send any person whom he might see outside for the sheriff and the
+coroner. As I was saying, the vault door stood slightly open, and when
+the other gentleman joined me I called their attention to the position
+of everything before I entered the vault. I found the keys in the lock
+of the inner door, and on opening the latter we saw that everything
+inside was in great confusion. Without making any examination, I closed
+and locked both doors, and sealed the key-holes with tape and
+sealing-wax. I determined to leave everything just as it was until the
+inquest should be held. The sheriff and coroner soon arrived, and a jury
+was impaneled immediately, as, by that time, the news had spread all
+over town, and the bank was surrounded by nearly all the best men in the
+place. In summoning the jury, the coroner put down for foreman the name
+of Mr. Drysdale, George's most intimate friend, but it was found that he
+was not in the crowd outside, and when they sent for him he begged so
+hard to be excused that he was let off.
+
+"The inquest was held in this room, but nothing was moved from the bank
+except the body and the canceling hammer. The jury elicited nothing more
+than what I have told you, and they therefore adjourned to await the
+examination of our vault when Mr. McGregor and Mr. Bannatine returned,
+in the hope that some clue might be found therein. I forgot to mention
+that we found in George's hand a bill of the Planter's Bank of Georgia,
+of the denomination of one hundred dollars. It was clutched tightly, and
+he had fallen on that side, so that the murderer had not noticed it.
+Here it is, partly stained with blood," and Mr. Gordon handed me a bank
+note. He then continued:
+
+"A messenger had been dispatched to inform Mr. Bannatine of the
+disaster, and he arrived in town almost simultaneously with Mr.
+McGregor, who was already on his way home when the murder occurred. As
+Mr. Bannatine is well acquainted with all the subsequent events, I
+prefer that he should give the account of our action since that time."
+
+It was clearly very painful to Mr. Gordon to talk upon the subject of
+his nephew's murder, and Mr. Bannatine willingly took up the thread of
+the story. He had practiced at the bar so long that his style resembled
+that of a witness under examination, and he was always careful to give
+his authority whenever he stated facts outside of his own observation.
+His testimony was of the greatest importance to me, and I took very full
+notes as he went along.
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER II._
+
+
+I received the intelligence of George Gordon's murder about noon, by a
+messenger from Mr. Gordon. I immediately rode into town and went to the
+bank, where I arrived about two o'clock. The inquest was not completed,
+but at the sheriff's suggestion the jury adjourned until the next
+morning. The cause of death, according to the testimony of Dr. Hartman
+and Dr. Larimore, was concussion of the brain, produced by three
+separate blows on the back of the head; the blows might have been dealt
+with the canceling hammer, which, Mr. Gordon said, had been found close
+by the body. The latter was removed to the hotel preparatory to the
+funeral.
+
+"Mr. Gordon, Mr. McGregor, and myself then proceeded to open the bank,
+taking the sheriff to assist us in searching for clues to aid in the
+detection of the criminals. We first opened all the shutters to give as
+much light as possible. We then examined the interior of the bank;
+outside of the counter nothing whatever was found, but inside we
+discovered several important traces of the murderer. The fireplace
+showed that something had recently been burned in it. The grate had been
+perfectly clean all summer, and Mr. Gordon tells me such was the case
+when he left the bank at four o'clock. The character of the ashes--as I
+am assured by expert chemists--denoted that clothing had been burned,
+and while examining them I found several buttons; here they are," he
+added, producing four or five iron buttons, and the charred remains of
+two or three horn buttons.
+
+"While feeling around in the light ashes beneath the grate," continued
+Mr. Bannatine, "I found a piece of paper twisted up and charred at one
+end; its appearance indicated that it had been used to light the fire in
+the grate. On unrolling it carefully, it proved to be a fragment of a
+note for $927.78; the signature, part of the date, and the amount of the
+note were left uncharred, but most of the upper portion was wholly
+burned. The signature was that of Alexander P. Drysdale, our esteemed
+county clerk."
+
+Mr. Bannatine here showed me this fragment pressed out between two
+oblong pieces of heavy plate glass. I glanced at it a few minutes, and
+then placed it beside the buttons for future examination.
+
+"Among the few scraps of paper found," resumed Mr. Bannatine, "was
+another one, which we found under George's body, saturated with blood.
+The murderer had evidently destroyed every piece of paper that he could
+find; but this one had probably been lying on the floor, and when George
+fell, it was hidden by his body. This, and the note, were the only
+papers found on the desks or about the floor of the bank which had any
+writing upon them; even the waste paper baskets and their contents had
+been burned. Here is the paper, Mr. Pinkerton; we have preserved it
+carefully, because we thought that it might suggest something to a
+detective, though it had no special significance to us."
+
+He handed me the paper, as he spoke. It was a fragment of letter paper,
+about three by six inches in size. It was stained a brownish red by poor
+young Gordon's lifeblood; but beneath the stain, were plainly visible
+the pen marks of the murdered man. It had a number of figures on one
+side, arranged like examples in addition, though they were scattered
+carelessly, as if he had been checking off balances, and had used this
+fragment to verify his additions. The reverse side was blank. I laid
+this paper beside the note, and Mr. Bannatine continued his story:
+
+"We then opened the safe, and counted the money; this was easily done,
+for we found that all the loose money was gone, leaving only a small
+quantity of coin and a number of packages of bills. These latter were
+put up in lots of five thousand dollars each, and were wrapped in a
+bright red tissue paper. George had put up over one hundred thousand
+dollars in this way, about a week before, and the murderer had not
+touched these packages at all; we were thus spared a loss, which would
+have somewhat crippled us. As it was, the loss in bills amounted to
+about one hundred and five thousand dollars, while exactly twenty-eight
+thousand dollars in gold eagles and double eagles, were also missing. A
+few days after the murder, one of Col. Garnett's slaves found two
+twenty-dollar gold pieces at an old fording place on Rocky Creek, just
+outside the city, and we came to the conclusion that the robber had
+dropped them there; but of course, we could not identify gold pieces,
+and so we could not be sure. The coroner closed the inquest the
+following day, and the jury found a verdict of death at the hands of a
+person or persons unknown. The funeral was attended by people from
+miles around, and there was a general determination shown to spare no
+pains to bring the murderers to justice; large rewards were offered by
+the Governor, by the bank, and by the county officials, and some of the
+best detectives in the country were employed, but all to no purpose.
+When the gold pieces were found, a number of George's intimate friends
+organized a party to search the adjoining woods for traces of the
+criminals, as it was thought they might have camped out in that
+vicinity, before or after the deed. All of George's intimate friends
+joined in the search, except Mr. Drysdale, who was so much overcome at
+the terrible occurrence, that he was quite prostrated. Nothing was found
+by this party, however; neither have the various detectives,
+professional and amateur, who have investigated the case, made the
+slightest progress toward a solution of the mystery. We have determined
+to make one more effort, Mr. Pinkerton, and therefore we have sent for
+you to aid us. It may be that you will see some trace which others have
+overlooked; you can take whatever steps you choose, and you need spare
+no expense. If you are successful, we will pay you liberally, besides
+the rewards offered."
+
+"One of the rules of my Agency," I replied, "forbids the acceptance of
+rewards; hence, I wish it understood in advance, that my only charges
+will be according to my regular schedule of prices, and that I expect
+nothing more. This is my invariable custom, whether the case be one of
+murder, arson, burglary, or simple theft; the number of detectives, and
+the time they are employed, will determine the amount I shall charge."
+
+We then arranged the financial portion of our agreement to our mutual
+satisfaction, and I began my investigations.
+
+"What detectives have you hitherto employed, Mr. Bannatine?" I asked.
+
+"I first laid the matter before two New York detectives, who had been
+highly recommended to me," he replied; "but they could offer no
+satisfactory theory to work upon, and after staying here three or four
+weeks, they said that the murder must have been committed by some member
+of a gang of gamblers; they thought the murderer would probably go to
+New Orleans to exchange his money, and that it would be easy to learn by
+going to that city, whether any gambler had had an unusual amount of
+money about that time. We were not very well satisfied with this theory,
+and so the detectives returned to New York. We next engaged two
+detectives from New Orleans, but they were equally unsuccessful. We then
+allowed the matter to rest until about a month ago, when we heard such a
+favorable account of the manner in which you had conducted a case of
+great difficulty, that we began to discuss the propriety of engaging you
+in investigating this affair. The more we heard of you, the better we
+were satisfied, and finally, we authorized Mr. McGregor to write to you
+on the subject."
+
+"Well, Mr. Bannatine, I shall do my best," I replied, "but you must not
+expect me to work miracles. Now, I am going to ask you a number of
+questions, and I wish you to answer them without regard to their
+apparent drift. Who were George Gordon's intimate friends?"
+
+"Mr. Flanders, Mr. Drysdale, Mr. Patterson, and Mr. Henry Caruthers; I
+think they were the only ones he was really very intimate with; isn't it
+so, Mr. Gordon?"
+
+"Yes; George had very few cronies," replied Mr. Gordon.
+
+"Who is Mr. Caruthers?" I asked.
+
+"He is the son of a wealthy planter living a few miles from town,"
+replied Mr. Bannatine.
+
+"Where was he the afternoon previous to the murder?"
+
+"He came into the bank for a few minutes," said Mr. Gordon, "and asked
+George to spend Sunday with him on the plantation; then he rode home."
+
+"Were there any strange men in or about the bank that day?"
+
+"None, so far as we could learn; nearly every person that I can
+recollect having seen that day was a customer, or a townsman whom I
+knew."
+
+"When George gave up carrying the safe keys home with him, where did he
+leave them?"
+
+"There is a secret drawer in that desk, which opens by pressing this
+knob, thus," said Mr. McGregor, suiting the action to the word; "we used
+to keep the keys there."
+
+"Did any one beside you four gentlemen know this hiding place?"
+
+"I am sure that no one else knew it," said Mr. McGregor.
+
+"Was it necessary for George to open the safe that night, or could he
+have done his work without going into the vault at all?"
+
+"He had work to do on the journal and ledger, and he would have to use
+the keys to get them out of the vault. He did not need to open the
+inner safe where the money was, however."
+
+"Does the outer vault key open both doors?"
+
+"No; but they were kept on the same chain for convenience."
+
+"Were the ledger and journal on George's desk when you entered the bank,
+Mr. Gordon?"
+
+"No, sir; they were put away in their usual places in the vault."
+
+"Did they show any marks of blood?"
+
+"None at all; they were perfectly clean."
+
+"Could you tell from their appearance whether George had done any work
+upon them that night?"
+
+"Yes; I am sure he had done a great deal; in fact he had finished up all
+entries to date."
+
+"Were there any papers missing besides the money?"
+
+"Yes; one or two bundles of old checks, drafts, etc., were used to
+assist in burning the murderer's clothes. They were fastened in packages
+with fine wire, and we found the wire in the grate."
+
+"Then this note, signed 'Alexander P. Drysdale,' might have been pulled
+out of one of these packages?"
+
+"I suppose so; I don't know where else it came from; do you, Mr.
+McGregor?" said Mr. Gordon, rather bewildered.
+
+"No; I never thought about where it came from," said Mr. McGregor. "I
+suppose the man built a fire of old papers and the fragments of the
+waste paper baskets, and then used that note to set them on fire from
+the lamp."
+
+"There were no papers of any value used, then?" I continued.
+
+"Oh, no; the papers were old bundles, merely kept as archives of the
+bank."
+
+I then picked up the note and glanced at it; as I did so, something
+caught my eye which sent the blood throbbing through my veins at a
+feverish speed. Enough of the date remained to show that it was drawn
+some time during the year of the murder, hence it could hardly be one of
+the archives. Besides, a note, if paid, would be returned to the maker,
+canceled; if unpaid, it would be kept among the bills receivable, in the
+inner safe; in neither case could it have been stowed away among the old
+checks and drafts. This reasoning passed through my mind quickly, and I
+realized that that little piece of paper might play an important part in
+the tragedy after all. I did not form any definite theory on the
+instant, but still I had a sort of presentiment that I had touched a
+spring which might open the windows of this dark mystery and let in the
+light of day. I did not show what I thought to my companions, but
+continued to ask questions.
+
+"Was Mr. Patterson in the bank the day of the murder, Mr. Gordon?"
+
+"Oh, no; he was not in this part of the country at that time; he had
+been in Mobile for some weeks."
+
+"I understood you to say that Mr. Flanders went no further than the
+private door with George; did he notice any one standing about when he
+came away?"
+
+"No; he stopped only an instant, while George unlocked the door, and
+then gave the jewel box to him to put away. George wished him good
+night, with the remark that he could not ask him in, as he would be too
+busy to entertain him. Mr. Flanders then came straight back to my store;
+but he said at the inquest that he heard George lock the door behind
+him, and that he saw no one around the building."
+
+"Do you know anything about his circumstances at that time? Was he in
+need of money?"
+
+"No, indeed; he had a large balance to his credit. Why, surely, you do
+not see any reason to suspect Mr. Flanders?" said Mr. McGregor.
+
+"I don't say that I suspect anybody," I replied, "but I wish to gather
+all the information possible. Now, please tell me how large a balance
+Mr. Flanders had on deposit."
+
+Mr. McGregor immediately examined the ledger for the previous year, and
+reported that the balance due Mr. Flanders at the time of the murder,
+was over twelve thousand dollars.
+
+"You see, Mr. Pinkerton," he went on to say, "we balanced our books up
+to that date, and thus we know just how each person's account stood that
+day."
+
+"Well, did you find that any of those gentlemen, who were in the habit
+of entering the bank after business hours, were in debt to the bank, or
+that they were cramped for money at that time?" I asked, carelessly.
+
+"None of them were in debt to the bank, I know," replied Mr. McGregor;
+"whether there were any of them in need of money particularly, I cannot
+say."
+
+"Had any of them tried to borrow from the bank recently?"
+
+"No; in fact, none of them had drawn out the balances due them."
+
+"Please give me a list of their balances on that day," I said; "just
+give me a memorandum of the amounts standing to each one's credit."
+
+"Whose accounts shall we give you?" asked Mr. McGregor, evidently
+wondering what object I had in view.
+
+"Well, let me have those of Mr. Flanders, Mr. Patterson, Mr. Drysdale,
+and Mr. Caruthers; also, let me know whether any of those gentlemen had
+made any loan from the bank during that year, and if so, the amount,
+date, etc., and whether a note was given, or security of any kind."
+
+Mr. McGregor, and the other two gentlemen, were completely mystified at
+my request, but they complied with my wishes, and I noted down the
+amounts given me in my note-book.
+
+The balances were as follows: Patterson, $2,472.27; Drysdale, $324.22;
+Caruthers, $817.48; and Flanders, $12,263.03. None of them had made
+loans from the bank, except Caruthers, who had once overdrawn his
+account nearly three hundred dollars, but he gave no note, as he was
+good for any amount. None of the others had given a note to the bank, or
+to any one else, so far as was known, for several years.
+
+"Now, gentlemen," I said, "please take me into the bank and show me
+exactly how the place appeared when Mr. Gordon first discovered that
+George had been murdered."
+
+Mr. Gordon rose with great effort and opened the door connecting the
+private office with the main bank. It was evidently very painful to
+him, but he did not shrink. Turning to me, he said:
+
+"Mr. Pinkerton, let Mr. McGregor go first, and light the lamp; I will
+then proceed just as I did that morning, and will point out the exact
+position of everything in the bank."
+
+Mr. McGregor accordingly lighted a large lamp, which threw a soft
+radiance over the whole interior, and the two moved the furniture into
+the position in which it had been found on that fatal morning. Mr.
+Gordon then showed me the exact position of the body, the spot where the
+paper lay, the canceling hammer, and the blood-marks. After I had been
+shown everything, I stood and thought over the matter in connection with
+the surroundings, and endeavored to re-enact the scene of the murder in
+my own mind. Bit by bit, I brought out some of the surroundings to my
+own satisfaction, and when I went back to the private office, I had a
+well-defined theory in my mind. Not that I had so narrowed down my
+suspicions, as to fix them upon any particular individual--I had not yet
+gone so far--but my theory was fully established, and I felt sure that
+by working it up carefully, I should soon discover some traces of the
+guilty party. The officers of the bank followed me in silence, and on
+resuming our seats, I said:
+
+"Gentlemen, I wish to take a day to weigh the testimony in this case,
+before I can give you any opinion about it. I would like to take this
+note, the memorandum, and the buttons to my room, and to-morrow evening
+I will tell you what conclusions I have reached. Is that satisfactory?"
+
+"Certainly; we do not wish to proceed in haste, Mr. Pinkerton," said
+Mr. Bannatine; "we will meet you then at the same hour to-morrow."
+
+"I do not wish to seem impatient," said Mr. Gordon, "but can you not
+tell me now whether you have obtained any clue from what we have told
+you, which will enable you to learn more?"
+
+Mr. Gordon's anxiety was so keen that I wished to relieve his mind
+somewhat; but, on the other hand, I did not wish to raise his hopes
+unnecessarily, lest some unforeseen thing might occur to overthrow my
+theory entirely. I replied, therefore:
+
+"Mr. Gordon, I may think I have a clue now, which, on mature reflection,
+may prove worthless; hence, I should prefer to take a day, before giving
+my opinion."
+
+"You are right, Mr. Pinkerton," he said; "I should feel worse to have my
+hopes raised, only to be dashed down again, than if I had never expected
+anything. Take your own time, and then let us know the result."
+
+"There are two questions more, which I would like answered," I said.
+"Was it possible for any person to have entered the bank by force? That
+is, were there any indications whatever, to show that the murderer might
+have possibly gained entrance during George's absence at dinner?"
+
+"No; none at all. The sheriff made a very careful examination of all the
+windows, and both doors," replied Mr. McGregor. "He thought that a gang
+of gamblers, who stopped here a few weeks, might have used nippers on
+the key of the side door after George had locked it, and that they had
+then stolen upon George, at his desk, and killed him; but, there were
+no evidences that such was the case."
+
+"Well, did any one, except you three gentlemen, know the private signal
+by which those inside the bank could tell that the person at the door,
+was one of the bank officers?"
+
+"I am not sure about that," said Mr. Gordon; "possibly some of our
+well-known friends might have been with us when we gained admittance to
+the bank, but I cannot say that I think they ever learned the signal."
+
+"You think, however, that Patterson, Drysdale, Flanders, or Caruthers,
+_might_ have known it?"
+
+"Yes; in fact, on thinking it over, I feel quite sure that Mr. Patterson
+and Mr. Drysdale did know it."
+
+"Well, I don't think I have any more questions to ask," I said. "I shall
+be here promptly at eight o'clock to-morrow evening, and if you should
+wish to communicate with me before that time, send me a message, and I
+will call at the bank. This will not attract attention, as my business
+is supposed to be cotton buying, and a visit at the bank will not be
+considered unusual."
+
+I then took charge of the papers, etc., and went to my room at the
+hotel. I merely glanced at the buttons, and bank note, hastily, as I
+knew they could serve only as corroboratory evidence in the event of
+obtaining a weak chain of proof. I then turned to the note, which I
+studied long and carefully. I was convinced that it was of recent date,
+at the time of the murder, although only the last figure of the date was
+visible. I finally looked over the blood-stained piece of paper, which
+George had nearly covered with figures. I saw at a glance, that there
+was no reading matter on it, but I began to go over his figures half
+mechanically, mentally following his addition, to verify it.
+
+Suddenly my eyes caught two numbers near the bottom of the paper. They
+were placed together, and their difference was written below; they were
+much fainter than the rest, having been made in pencil, instead of in
+ink. It was probably due to this fact, that they had never been noticed
+before, as the deep stain made it difficult to distinguish them clearly,
+without close observation. However that may be, they acted upon me like
+an electric shock, and I was obliged to walk about the room a few
+minutes, to compose my nerves. It was strange that those faint lines
+should have told so much, but it seemed almost, as if the murdered man
+had whispered his murderer's name to me. The numbers which were there
+set down were $927.78, and $324.22. _One of them was the amount of the
+half burned note of Drysdale; the other, was the amount of his balance
+in the bank._
+
+I sat up until a very late hour, thinking over the possible solution of
+the mystery, and when I finally went to bed, I had satisfied myself as
+to the identity of the murderer. The next day, I rose late, and spent
+the afternoon in arranging the points of evidence in consecutive order,
+so as to be able to present them to the bank officials in the most
+convincing manner. I then walked around town for exercise. During my
+walk, I visited Mr. Flanders' jewelry store and the county clerk's
+office.
+
+Mr. Flanders was an elderly gentlemen of very mild and courteous
+manners, and his whole appearance would lead any one to regard it as
+impossible, that he should have committed murder.
+
+Mr. Drysdale, the county clerk, was a fine looking man, of about forty
+years of age. He was of the nervous, sanguine type; was quiet and
+courteous, but haughty and reserved to strangers; he was looking thin
+and weary, as if he worked too hard, and streaks of gray were just
+visible in his hair and mustache.
+
+I talked with him for about half an hour, representing that I was a
+stranger, desirous of gaining information about the plantations of the
+county. He answered my questions politely, but as briefly as possible,
+and I saw that my presence, apparently, bored him, and interfered with
+his duties. As I was about to go, I asked him to write the name and
+address of some reliable cotton factor in my note-book, and he complied
+very willingly. I then returned to the hotel, and patiently waited until
+eight o'clock.
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER III._
+
+
+On going to the bank I found the three gentlemen awaiting me most
+anxiously. After the usual greeting we seated ourselves at the table. I
+arranged my notes for convenient reference, and began to state my
+conclusions:
+
+"Gentlemen, I have approached this case with a great deal of care, and
+have given it much thought. Aside from the importance of the interests
+involved, there are other reasons which render me cautious in forming
+and stating an opinion; other detectives of ability and experience have
+been baffled; several months have elapsed since the crimes were
+committed; and, lastly, the theory upon which I have reasoned has led me
+in such a direction that nothing but the strongest conviction in my own
+mind would warrant me in making the statement which I am now about to
+give you. Let me first, then, review the case, and show the chain of
+evidence as it appears to me:
+
+"George Gordon appears to have been a young man of more than average
+ability as a bank officer; he was cautious in his habits, and at this
+particular time he had recently been specially cautioned by Mr.
+McGregor; consequently it is likely that he would have been unusually
+careful to admit only those with whom he was very well acquainted.
+Again, the position of the furniture and the appearance of the
+blood-marks, show that George was standing at his desk, and that he was
+struck from behind. Now, he had finished his work on the books and put
+them away. What, then, was he doing? There is but one thing which throws
+any light upon this subject--the bank bill which you found in his hand.
+From its presence I infer that he was engaged in handling money; indeed,
+I may say that he must have been either receiving it or paying it out.
+That he was receiving it is not likely, for the murderer was probably
+short of funds; hence I conclude that he was paying it out. It is also
+clear that the amount must have been large, as shown by the denomination
+of the bill--one hundred dollars.
+
+"These facts and inferences lead me to believe that the murderer was a
+personal friend of George, and a customer of the bank; and I may say
+that I had reached this conclusion yesterday evening, while listening to
+the testimony of you three gentlemen, before I had discovered any
+corroborative evidence. I will now give some of the additional points
+which I have brought out since then; but I wish that you would first
+tell me whether this signature is genuine," I said, pointing to
+Alexander P. Drysdale's name on the note.
+
+"Oh, yes; there is no doubt of that," said Mr. McGregor; "I am perfectly
+familiar with his signature, and there is no question in my mind but
+that he signed that himself."
+
+"Well, gentlemen, I will now make up a possible case, and you can see
+how nearly it compares with the present matter. I will suppose that a
+man of wealth, refinement, and position, should become cramped for money
+to supply present necessities; he is intimate with the officers of a
+wealthy bank; he goes there one evening and is admitted by his friend,
+the acting cashier. He explains his embarrassment, and his friend agrees
+to lend him the amount which he requires. The friend completes his work,
+puts away his books, and figures up the amount needed. The borrower has
+a small balance to his credit, and he gives a note for the difference.
+Then the teller opens the safe, brings out a roll of bills, and begins
+to count out the amount. The safe door is left open, and the visitor
+sees within the piles of bank-notes and the rouleaux of gold. A fortune
+in cash is within his grasp with only a human life standing in his way;
+his perplexities and embarrassments come upon him with added force as he
+sees the means before him by which he may escape their power to annoy
+him. Like Tantalus, dying of thirst with the water at his very lips,
+this man gazes on the wealth piled up in that safe. Glancing around, he
+sees his friend slowly counting the paltry hundreds he is to receive;
+close by lies a heavy weapon, heretofore used for innocent business
+purposes; another glance into the safe and insanity is upon him; his
+brain is a perfect hell of contending passions; again the thought
+flashes into his mind--'Only a life between me and that money.' He
+seizes the heavy hammer and deals his victim a terrible blow behind the
+ear; as the latter falls lifeless, the murderer strikes him twice more
+to make sure that there shall be no witnesses to testify in the case.
+The deed is done, and there remains nothing to prevent him from seizing
+the contents of the safe. But first, he must protect himself from the
+danger of discovery; to this end he carefully removes his bloody
+clothing, gathers every vestige of paper within sight, and breaks up
+the waste paper baskets for fuel. He needs more flame, however, and he
+takes several packages of old papers to make the fire fiercer; then his
+eye falls on a slip of paper lying on the desk, and he twists it
+nervously into a lighter to convey fire from the lamp to the mass of
+material in the fire-place. The flame is started, and soon the clothes
+are reduced to ashes. Stealthily he packs the packages of bills and the
+rolls of coin, and when he has taken as much as he can carry, he slips
+noiselessly away, leaving no trace of his identity. No one has seen him
+enter or depart; his position is far above the reach of suspicion; every
+clue has been destroyed in the fire-place, and no witness to his guilt
+can possibly be raised up. So he thinks; and as month after month
+passes, as detective after detective abandons the case in despair, as
+the excitement dies out in the public mind, and as the friends of the
+deceased apparently give up the hopeless task of seeking for the
+murderer, his confidence becomes complete, and he no longer fears
+detection.
+
+"But stop! when his victim fell a bloody corpse at his feet, _was_ every
+witness destroyed? No, gentlemen; helpless and lifeless as that body
+fell, it yet had the power to avenge itself. The right hand convulsively
+grasps a bank note, and it is hidden from sight by the position assumed
+in falling; a slip of white paper dotted with figures at random, is also
+covered, and is quickly saturated with blood; a fragment of paper is
+found below the grate, twisted so tightly as to have burned only in
+part; lastly, the direction of the blood-spirts show that the first blow
+was struck on the left side. Now, gentlemen, do you think you can read
+the testimony of these dumb witnesses?"
+
+"My God! I do not know what to think," said Mr. Gordon.
+
+"I see where your suspicions lead," said Mr. Bannatine, "but I do not
+yet fully know whether I can see the evidence in the same light that you
+do. Please go on and tell us all you suspect, and your reasons."
+
+"Yes, Mr. Pinkerton," said Mr. McGregor, "whom do you suspect?"
+
+"Gentlemen," I replied, solemnly, "I have formed no hasty conclusion in
+this matter, and I should not accuse any man without the strongest
+reasons for believing him guilty; but I think that when I have connected
+together the links which I have gathered, you will agree with me in the
+moral certainty that George Gordon was murdered by Alexander P.
+Drysdale, and no other."
+
+"Go on, go on, Mr. Pinkerton," said Mr. Gordon, in great excitement. "It
+seems impossible, yet there are some slight fancies in my mind which
+seem to confirm that theory. Tell us all your conclusions, and how you
+have arrived at them."
+
+"Well, first, I am satisfied that only a particular friend would have
+been admitted to the bank by George that night; second, the blow was
+struck from behind, on the left side, showing that the murderer was
+probably left-handed. Mr. Drysdale satisfies both of these conditions; I
+visited him to-day and saw him write an address in my note-book with his
+left hand. Third, I have here a note for $927.78, signed 'Alexander P.
+Drysdale;' the signature, you say, is genuine, and further, you told me
+yesterday that you had not held a note of Mr. Drysdale's for some
+years. On reflection you will see that this note could not have been
+taken from the packages of bank archives which were burned, for it never
+could have been put there; moreover it is dated '1856,' and must have
+been made some time last year. As you have no record of such a note, I
+infer that it was drawn the night of the murder. Fourthly, I have
+conclusive evidence of that fact in this slip of blood-stained paper,"
+and so saying, I produced the slip upon which George had done his
+figuring.
+
+"How! where!" exclaimed my listeners.
+
+"Near the bottom of that paper you will find in light pencil marks three
+numbers arranged like an example in subtraction, while the rest are all
+additions in ink. The figures are: first, 1,252.00; then, 324.22; and
+927.78 below the line. Mr. Drysdale's balance was $324.22, and the
+amount of this note bearing his signature is $927.78. It looks to me as
+if he wanted to draw $1,252.00, and that George subtracted the amount of
+his balance in bank, $324.22, from the amount he wished to draw,
+$1,252.00, and that Mr. Drysdale then gave his note for the difference,
+$927.78. What do you think of my witness, gentlemen?"
+
+The three gentlemen put their heads together over the paper long enough
+to convince themselves that the figures were really there, and then they
+resumed their seats in silence. I had watched their faces carefully as I
+drew my conclusions, and had seen their expressions change from
+incredulity to uncertainty, then to amazement, finally turning
+gradually to half belief; but when they sat down, positive conviction
+was evident in every face.
+
+"How is it possible that these facts were never discovered before?"
+ejaculated Mr. Bannatine.
+
+"It is very simple," I replied; "the search has hitherto been conducted
+on a wrong basis. The whole endeavor seems to have been to _guess_ who
+might have done the deed, and then to find evidence to convict him. My
+plan in all similar cases is, to first examine the evidence before me,
+with a perfectly unbiased mind; then, having formed a theory by
+reasoning on general principles, as applied to the facts in my
+possession, I proceed to look about for some person who will answer the
+conditions of my theory. I may find more than one, and I then am obliged
+to make each such person the object of my attention until I obtain
+convincing proof of his innocence or guilt. The person upon whom my
+theory causes suspicion to fall, may have been hitherto regarded as
+above suspicion; but, that fact does not deter me in the least degree
+from placing that person's circumstances, motives, and actions under the
+microscope, so to speak; for experience and observation, have taught me
+that the most difficult crimes to fix upon the criminal, are those which
+have been committed by men whose previous reputation had been unspotted.
+Now, you have never connected Mr. Drysdale with this affair, because it
+has never entered your minds to suspect him; but, had you gone over the
+ground in the same manner that I have done, you would have been led to
+the same conclusion. This is the real point, where the services of an
+experienced detective, are most valuable. The plan by which a detective
+operation is to be conducted, is as important as the method of
+procedure. To find a man who is hiding from justice, his criminality
+being well known, is a task of little difficulty, compared with the
+labor involved in mysterious cases, where there is apparently, nothing
+left to identify the criminal. I claim no special credit in this case,
+since the clues have proven more numerous than had been supposed, but I
+have given you my idea of the proper way to conduct an investigation,
+simply to show you how I am accustomed to work. Let me now ask, whether
+any of you have doubts, as to the propriety of putting my detectives
+upon the trail of Mr. Drysdale, to determine the extent of his
+connection, if any, in the murder of George Gordon?"
+
+"None whatever," said Mr. Bannatine, emphatically; "it seems almost
+impossible that he should be guilty; but, in the face of the strong
+array of accusing circumstances cited by you, Mr. Pinkerton, I can only
+say: 'Go on with your work in your own way.' The innocent have nothing
+to fear, and the guilty deserve no mercy."
+
+"Amen," said both the other gentlemen.
+
+"What is your plan?" asked Mr. Gordon.
+
+"Well, gentlemen," I replied, "I have been struck with some strong
+points of resemblance between Drysdale and one of Bulwer's characters,
+Eugene Aram. You are aware, that the only evidence we can bring against
+Drysdale, is circumstantial, and that we could hardly obtain an
+indictment on the strength of it; still less a conviction for murder.
+Besides, there is a large amount of money at stake, and it is desirable
+to recover that money, as well as to convict the murderer. We must
+proceed, therefore, with great caution, lest we defeat our own plans by
+premature action. I have arranged a scheme to obtain a direct proof of
+Drysdale's guilt, and with your consent, I will put it in operation
+immediately."
+
+I then gave the details of my plan, and the gentlemen, though somewhat
+nervous as to the result, finally acquiesced in it.
+
+The next morning, I left Atkinson, for Chicago, where I duly arrived,
+somewhat improved in health, by my Southern trip. I immediately sent for
+Timothy Webster, one of my most expert detectives, to whom I gave full
+charge of the case in Atkinson. I explained to him all the circumstances
+connected with it, and instructed him in the plan I had arranged. Mrs.
+Kate Warne, and a young man named Green, were assigned to assist
+Webster, and all the necessary disguises and clothing, were prepared at
+short notice.
+
+Mrs. Warne was the first lady whom I had ever employed, and this was one
+of the earliest operations in which she was engaged. As a detective, she
+had no superior, and she was a lady of such refinement, tact, and
+discretion, that I never hesitated to entrust to her some of my most
+difficult undertakings.
+
+It will be understood by the reader, that each detective made daily
+reports to me, and that I constantly directed the operation by mail or
+telegraph. This has always been my invariable custom, and no important
+steps are ever taken without my order, unless circumstances should occur
+which would not admit the delay.
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER IV._
+
+
+About a week after my departure from Atkinson, a gentleman arrived there
+by the evening train, and went to the hotel. He was an intelligent,
+shrewd, agreeable business man, about thirty-five years old, and he
+impressed all who made his acquaintance, as a gentleman of ability and
+energy. He signed the register, as 'John M. Andrews, Baltimore,' and the
+landlord soon learned from him that he had come to Atkinson to reside
+permanently, if he could get into business there. Mr. Andrews was
+evidently a man of considerable wealth, though he made no ostentatious
+display, nor did he talk about his property as though he cared to
+impress upon other people the idea that he was rich. Still, it came to
+be generally understood, in a few days, that he had made quite a
+fortune, as a cotton broker, in Baltimore, and that he had a
+considerable sum in cash to invest, when a desirable opportunity should
+offer. This fact, together with his agreeable manners, made his society
+quite an acquisition to the town, and he was soon on familiar terms with
+all the regular boarders in the hotel, and with many prominent residents
+of the place.
+
+Some days after Mr. Andrews arrived the hotel received another equally
+popular guest. She gave her name, as Mrs. R. C. Potter, and her object
+in visiting Atkinson, was to improve her health. She was accompanied by
+her father, Mr. C. B. Rowell, a fine looking, white-haired old
+gentleman, but he remained only long enough to see her comfortably
+settled, and then returned to their home in Jacksonville, Florida, as
+his business required his immediate presence there. Mrs. Potter was a
+distinguished looking brunette; she was a widow with no children, and
+she might have passed for thirty years of age. She was tall and
+graceful, and her entertaining conversation made her a general favorite
+among the ladies in the hotel. She was not an invalid, strictly
+speaking, but the family physician had recommended that she should go to
+the dry air of northern Mississippi for a few months, to escape the
+rainy, foggy weather of Florida at that season.
+
+About a week after her arrival, she went out with two other ladies, Mrs.
+Townsend and Mrs. Richter, to explore the beauties of Rocky Creek. They
+spent a pleasant afternoon in the wooded ravines, and it was after five
+o'clock, before they returned. As they sauntered down one of the
+pleasantest streets of the town, they noticed a lady standing at the
+gate of an elegant residence, with large grounds.
+
+"Oh! there is Mrs. Drysdale," said Mrs. Townsend. "Have you met her, Mrs.
+Potter?"
+
+"Not yet, though I have heard of her so frequently, that I feel almost
+as if I knew her."
+
+"Well, I think you will like each other very much," said Mrs. Richter,
+"and we will introduce you to her."
+
+On reaching the gate, therefore, the ladies presented Mrs. Potter in due
+form.
+
+"I have been intending to call on you, Mrs. Potter," said Mrs.
+Drysdale, "but my youngest child has not been well, and I have not gone
+anywhere for several weeks. In fact, I am quite a home body at all
+times, and I always expect my friends to waive ceremony, and visit me a
+great deal more than I visit them. I hope you will not wait for me, Mrs.
+Potter, for my domestic affairs keep me very busy just now; I shall be
+glad to see you any time that you feel like dropping in."
+
+"I shall be very glad to dispense with formalities," answered Mrs.
+Potter, "and you can depend upon seeing me soon."
+
+After some further conversation, the three ladies resumed their homeward
+walk, leaving Mrs. Drysdale still waiting for her husband. He was soon
+seen by the ladies, rapidly walking up the street toward his home. He
+was on the opposite side, so that he merely bowed to them, and hastened
+on.
+
+"There seems to have been quite a change in Mr. Drysdale during the last
+year," said Mrs. Richter. "My husband was speaking of it the other day.
+He said that Drysdale was becoming really unsociable. I hope he is not
+growing dissipated, for the sake of his wife, who is a lovely woman."
+
+"Yes; she seems to be a most devoted wife and mother," said Mrs. Potter.
+"Possibly, the change in Mr. Drysdale, is due to business troubles."
+
+"Oh, no; that is impossible," said Mrs. Townsend; "he is very wealthy
+indeed, and as he is not engaged in any regular business, he cannot be
+financially embarrassed. No, I attribute his recent peculiarities, to
+religious doubts; he has not been to church since last fall."
+
+"Is it as long as that?" asked Mrs. Richter.
+
+"Yes; I recollect it, because he did not go to the funeral of poor
+George Gordon, and he has not attended service since then."
+
+"Well, if he really is in religious trouble, the minister ought to visit
+him and give him advice," said Mrs. Richter.
+
+As they walked toward the hotel, they turned the conversation into a
+different channel without reaching any conclusion as to the cause of Mr.
+Drysdale's eccentricities.
+
+A few days thereafter Mrs. Potter called upon Mrs. Drysdale and passed
+the afternoon very pleasantly. When Mr. Drysdale came home he was very
+polite and agreeable; he seemed glad to find his wife enjoying herself,
+and when Mrs. Potter rose to go, both husband and wife urged her warmly
+to come frequently.
+
+"I am going out to my plantation in a day or two," said Mr. Drysdale,
+"and I hope you will visit my wife while I am gone, as I am afraid she
+may be lonesome."
+
+"Who are you going with?" asked Mrs. Drysdale.
+
+"There is a gentleman from Baltimore, staying at the hotel," replied Mr.
+Drysdale, "and he talks of investing some money in land, so I thought I
+would take him out to see Bristed's old place next to mine. It is going
+to ruin now, but if a man like Mr. Andrews would take it, he could make
+it pay. He seems very intelligent and agreeable; I suppose you have met
+him, Mrs. Potter?"
+
+"Oh, yes; he was introduced to me the first week I was here," replied
+Mrs. Potter. "He seems to me to be a Southern gentleman with a good deal
+of real Yankee shrewdness."
+
+"That is my opinion, also," said Mr. Drysdale, "and if he buys
+Bristed's place, he will join me in some improvements which are much
+needed."
+
+"Well, good afternoon, Mrs. Drysdale," said Mrs. Potter; "I am going out
+horseback riding in a day or two, and perhaps I will stop here a few
+minutes on my way back."
+
+"Do so, Mrs. Potter; we shall be delighted to see you. Good afternoon."
+
+On Mrs. Potter's return to the hotel, she stayed in the parlor for some
+time, and as Mr. Andrews came in soon after, they had a pleasant
+_tete-a-tete_ before going to dinner.
+
+The next morning Mr. Andrews went out to get a cabinet-maker to make a
+small book-case for his room, and the hotel clerk directed him to the
+shop of Mr. Breed. The latter said that he was very busy, indeed, but
+that he could get a young man who was boarding with him to do the job.
+
+"Is he a good workman?" asked Mr. Andrews.
+
+"I think he is," replied Breed, "though I am not sure, as he came here
+only day before yesterday from Memphis. He has served his time at the
+trade, however, and he ought to be able to make a book-case neatly."
+
+"Well, send him over, Mr. Breed, and I will give him a trial. By the
+way, who was that gentleman that just passed? I have seen him several
+times, but have never met him in society."
+
+"That was Mr. Peter A. Gordon," said Breed. "He boards at the hotel,
+also, but he rarely mingles with other men except in business."
+
+"I am surprised at that," Mr. Andrews remarked, "for he appears like a
+naturally genial man; yet he has a very sad look."
+
+"Yes; he has never recovered from the shock of his nephew's murder last
+fall; he always used to be very sociable and hospitable, but now he
+seems too much cast down to care for society. You may have heard of the
+dreadful manner in which young George Gordon was murdered?"
+
+"Oh, yes; I recollect," said Mr. Andrews, "the circumstances were
+related to me soon after I arrived here. George Gordon seems to have
+been a fine young fellow, and I don't wonder the old gentleman mourns
+his loss."
+
+"He was one of the most promising young men I ever knew," said Mr. Breed
+warmly: "and speaking of poor George, reminds me that I noticed a strong
+resemblance to him in this young workman boarding with me. Ordinarily I
+would not have perceived it, but yesterday he slipped on a coat of mine,
+which was just like the one George used to wear, and the likeness was
+remarkable."
+
+"You were one of the first at the bank the day after the murder, were
+you not, Mr. Breed?"
+
+"Yes; and it was a dreadful sight. It was wonderful how Mr. Peter Gordon
+retained his presence of mind; he did not break down until he found that
+there was no hope of discovering the murderer."
+
+"Was no one ever suspected?" asked Mr. Andrews.
+
+"Oh, yes; several persons were arrested--gamblers and loafers--but they
+all proved their innocence conclusively."
+
+Mr. Andrews showed considerable interest in the murder, and Mr. Breed
+related all that was known about it. When he was about to go, Mr.
+Andrews said:
+
+"Well, it is a very mysterious affair, and I am not surprised that Mr.
+Gordon is so dejected; that horrible scene must be always before him. By
+the way, don't let your young man dress in gray, when he comes to my
+room; I should be continually haunted with a suspicion that it was a
+ghost."
+
+"Please don't speak of that to any one," said Mr. Breed, confidentially;
+"I ought not to have mentioned it myself, for young Green was frightened
+nearly out of his wits about it. As I said before, when he wears his
+every-day clothes, no one would notice any special resemblance, but in
+that particular style of dress, the likeness was really alarming. He was
+so scared, that in future, he will take great care not to be seen in any
+clothes like those of poor George."
+
+"Of course, I shall not mention the matter," said Mr. Andrews; "send him
+over this afternoon."
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER V._
+
+
+On leaving Mr. Breed, Mr. Andrews paid a visit to Mr. Drysdale, at the
+latter's office.
+
+"I hope I shall not interfere with your work, Mr. Drysdale," he said. "I
+am an idler for the present, but I try to respect the business hours of
+others, and so, if I disturb you, let me know it."
+
+"Oh! not at all, I assure you," said Mr. Drysdale, warmly. "I am never
+very busy, and just now, there is nothing whatever to do. Indeed, I wish
+I had more to do--this lack of steady work wears upon me. I need
+something to keep my mind constantly occupied."
+
+"That is where you and I differ," said Andrews; "I have worked pretty
+hard for twenty years, and now I am willing to take a rest. I don't wish
+to be wholly idle, but I like to give up a good part of my time to
+recreation."
+
+"I used to feel so, too," said Drysdale, as if his thoughts were far
+away; then, he added, hastily, as if recollecting himself: "I mean that
+I have felt so at times, but I always need to come back to hard work
+again. Will you be ready to go out to my plantation next Monday?"
+
+"Yes; Monday will suit me as well as any other day," replied Andrews.
+"When shall we return?"
+
+"I had not intended to remain there more than three or four days,
+unless you should wish to stay longer. If agreeable to you, we will
+return Thursday afternoon."
+
+"That will enable me to join our riding party the next day," said
+Andrews. "All right; I will be ready to start Monday morning. Now, I
+must be going; I only stopped to find out when you would be ready to
+go."
+
+"I am sorry you cannot stay longer," said Drysdale. "I hope that you
+will drop in without ceremony, whenever you feel like it."
+
+In the afternoon, young Green, the cabinet-maker, called upon Mr.
+Andrews, and went up to the latter's room. The work to be done, must
+have required a great deal of explanation, as Green remained nearly an
+hour. As he went out, Mr. Andrews said to him:
+
+"If we fail to return Thursday, you must be there Friday at the same
+hour. You had better take a look at the place before then."
+
+On Monday, Mr. Drysdale called at the hotel immediately after breakfast,
+and found Mr. Andrews all ready for the ride to the plantation. As they
+rode out of town, Mr. Drysdale's spirits seemed to rise rapidly, and he
+entertained his companion so successfully, that when they reached the
+plantation, they had become quite well acquainted with each other.
+Drysdale was a man of fine education, and fascinating manners; he really
+had great eloquence, and his abilities were far above the average, but
+the circumstances of his life had not been such as to develop his
+powers, and give play to his ambition; hence, he was apparently becoming
+disappointed, sour, and morose. At least, this was the impression which
+many of his friends had gained, and they accounted for the gradual
+change in his manners on the above theory; namely, that he was the
+victim of disappointed ambition.
+
+During their stay at the plantation, the gentlemen usually spent their
+evenings together, while the mornings were given up to business by
+Drysdale, and to hunting by Andrews. The plantation required a great
+deal of attention just in the spring, and Drysdale's time was pretty
+well occupied. Andrews easily formed the acquaintance of the neighboring
+planters, and he spent much of his time in paying visits around the
+country. He thought quite favorably of buying the Bristed plantation, as
+Drysdale had hoped, but the owner wished to sell another place with it,
+and Andrews did not care to buy both. Drysdale suggested that by autumn,
+the owner would be willing to sell it separately, and he advised Andrews
+to hold off until then.
+
+On Thursday, Andrews started out shooting early, agreeing to be back at
+noon, to make an early start for Atkinson, as the time required to ride
+there, was about four hours. He strayed so far away, however, that it
+was two o'clock before he returned, and they did not mount their horses
+until three o'clock. By this time, they had become much more intimate
+than one would have expected on so short acquaintance, and Drysdale
+showed a marked pleasure in the company of his new friend. During the
+first part of the ride, he was as brilliant and entertaining as
+possible, but, as they approached the town, he began to lose his
+cheerfulness, and to become almost gloomy. Both gentlemen were rather
+tired, and they soon allowed the conversation to drop almost wholly.
+
+It was early dusk when they reached the banks of Rocky Creek, about a
+mile from Drysdale's house. From this point, the scenery was bold and
+picturesque; the road passed through heavy masses of timber at times,
+and crossed many ravines and rocky gorges, as it followed the general
+direction of the winding stream. Daylight was rapidly fading into the
+night, though objects could still be distinguished quite well at a
+distance of one hundred yards. As they arrived at one of the wooded
+hillocks, over which the road passed, they were shut out from any very
+extended view, except in one direction. Here, Andrews reined in his
+horse a moment, to take a last look at the beauty of the scene, while
+Drysdale passed on a few yards in advance.
+
+The spot was rather wild and perhaps a little weird; on the right was a
+dense forest, rising some distance above the road, which curved around
+the hill-side about mid-way to the crest; on the left the hill descended
+rapidly to the creek, along which ran a heavy belt of timber, which
+permitted only an occasional gleam of water to be seen; the abrupt
+hill-side between the road and the timber was nearly cleared of
+undergrowth, but it was filled with large boulders and creeping vines;
+over the tops of the timber the country stretched away in dissolving
+views as the mists of night began to form and spread over the landscape.
+Having paused an instant, Andrews spurred his horse forward just as
+Drysdale uttered an exclamation of horror. As he came up, he saw that
+Drysdale had stopped and was holding his reins in a convulsive grasp;
+all color was gone from his face, and he was trembling violently.
+
+"What is the matter, Drysdale?" said Andrews, drawing up beside him.
+
+"My God! look there!" broke from Drysdale's ashy lips, as he pointed
+down the hill-side.
+
+At the distance of about fifty yards the figure of a young man was
+moving down the slope toward the timber. He walked slowly on, with a
+measured pace, turning his eyes neither to the right nor left. He was
+apparently about twenty-five or twenty-six years of age, and his face
+was indicative of intelligence, ability and energy. His course was
+nearly parallel to the direction of the road at that point, and only his
+profile could be seen. He wore a business suit of light gray clothes,
+but he had no hat on his head, and his curly hair was tossed lightly by
+the evening breeze. As he moved further from the road, the back of his
+head was more directly exposed, presenting a most ghastly sight. The
+thick brown locks were matted together in a mass of gore, and large
+drops of blood slowly trickled down upon his coat; the whole back of the
+skull seemed to be crushed in, while the deadly pallor of his face gave
+him the appearance of a corpse.
+
+Drysdale seemed to rally his faculties a moment and shouted in powerful
+but hoarse tones:
+
+"Say! you, sir! Who are you, and where are you going?"
+
+Although his voice might have been heard at a long distance, the figure
+continued its course without indicating, even by a sign, that he had
+heard the hail.
+
+"Why, what in the devil has got into you, Drysdale?" asked Andrews.
+"Whom are you shouting at in such a savage way?"
+
+"Don't you see that man down the hill?" he asked, in a perfect agony of
+fear and excitement. "See! right in line with that pointed rock; why, he
+is only a few yards off. My God! it can't be possible that you don't see
+him!"
+
+"Upon my word, Drysdale," said Andrews, "if you keep on, I shall think
+you are going crazy. What man are you talking about? There is no one in
+sight, and either you are trying to play a joke on me, or else your
+imagination is most unpleasantly active."
+
+"Andrews, look where I point, less than ten rods off," said Drysdale, in
+a hoarse whisper, clutching Andrews by the arm; "do you mean to say that
+you don't see a man slowly walking toward the creek?"
+
+"I mean to say," replied Andrews, deliberately, "that there is no man in
+sight from here, either on that hill-side or any where else."
+
+"God help me," muttered Drysdale, as the figure disappeared in the
+woods, "then it must have been a ghost."
+
+"My dear fellow," said Andrews, sympathizingly, as they continued their
+ride, "I am afraid you are feverish; you probably imagined you saw
+something, and you are superstitious about the matter because I did not
+see it. Tell me what it was."
+
+By this time they had passed some distance beyond the spot where
+Drysdale had seen the apparition, and he began to recover his strength
+somewhat. It was evident that he was still very much distressed, but he
+endeavored to pass the matter over.
+
+"Oh! it was nothing of any consequence," he said, "but I thought I saw
+a man crossing that clearing."
+
+"Well, what of it?" asked Andrews. "Was he a dangerous looking fellow?"
+
+"Yes; very dangerous looking, indeed;" then, suddenly, as if struck by a
+plausible idea, he added: "I thought it was a negro with a gun; you know
+what my opinions are about allowing the slaves to have fire-arms, and
+this fellow looked like such a villain that I was really alarmed. You
+are sure you saw no one?"
+
+"Quite sure," replied Andrews. "I am afraid you have worked too hard,
+and that you are going to be ill. I shall tell your wife to nurse you
+well for a few days to cure you of seeing spooks and wild niggers
+roaming 'round with guns."
+
+"No, indeed," said Drysdale, hastily; "please say nothing to my wife; it
+would only alarm her unnecessarily."
+
+"Well, take my advice and rest awhile," said Andrews. "Your nerves are a
+little shaken, and you will certainly be ill if you keep on working so
+steadily."
+
+Drysdale soon relapsed into moody silence, and when they reached his
+gate, he was a really pitiable object. He asked Andrews to take supper
+with him, but as the invitation was given only as a matter of form, the
+latter excused himself, and rode immediately to the hotel. He happened
+to meet Mrs. Potter in the parlor, but he stopped only a few minutes to
+talk to her, as he was too hungry and tired to feel like entertaining
+the fascinating widow.
+
+It was then only about seven o'clock, and Mrs. Potter proposed to Mrs.
+Townsend, and several other ladies and gentlemen, that they take a walk.
+Accordingly, they strolled through the pleasant streets, enjoying the
+balmy spring air, and often stopping at the gates of their friends, to
+chat a few minutes. As they passed the Drysdale place, Mrs. Potter said:
+
+"I want to run in to speak to Mrs. Drysdale a minute; I promised to stop
+here on our riding excursion to-morrow, but as it is postponed, I want
+to tell her not to expect me."
+
+The rest of the party stayed at the gate, while Mrs. Potter went in. She
+was ushered into the library, and Mrs. Drysdale came down at once.
+Having explained her object in calling, Mrs. Potter asked whether Mr.
+and Mrs. Drysdale would not join the party outside, for a short walk.
+
+"I am sorry to say, that my husband is quite unwell," said Mrs.
+Drysdale. "He returned from the plantation to-day, quite feverish, and
+excited, and now he is in a sort of nervous delirium. He has had one or
+two attacks before, but none so serious as this."
+
+"I sincerely hope he is not going to be ill," said Mrs. Potter. "What
+does the doctor think?"
+
+"Oh! he won't have a doctor," replied Mrs. Drysdale; "he says that I am
+the best doctor he can have, because I can soothe him."
+
+Just then, Mrs. Potter heard a heavy footstep, beginning to pace up and
+down overhead.
+
+"There, he has arisen," said Mrs. Drysdale, "and I shall find him pacing
+the room, and muttering to himself like a crazy man. You must excuse
+me, as I must go to quiet him."
+
+"Oh, certainly; I am sorry I called you away. Please let me know if I
+can do anything for you. If Mr. Drysdale should be seriously ill, don't
+be afraid to call upon me. I am an excellent nurse, and nothing would
+give me greater pleasure than to assist you; or, at least, I could look
+after the children."
+
+"You are very kind, Mrs. Potter, and I shall be glad to accept your
+assistance, especially, as the children are so fond of you; however, I
+hope Aleck's illness will be only temporary."
+
+Mrs. Potter then withdrew, and the party slowly strolled back to the
+hotel.
+
+As Mrs. Drysdale surmised, her husband's illness was very brief, and in
+two or three days, he returned to his duties at the court house. He was
+somewhat changed in looks, however, his face being haggard, his figure
+slightly bowed, and his hand tremulous. He seemed, more than ever
+before, to avoid society, and on his way to the court house, he always
+chose the least frequented streets. The change in his looks and manners,
+was noticed only by a few who had formerly been intimate with him; in
+this little circle, his eccentricities were accounted for by significant
+gestures of drinking, and it was understood among those who knew him
+best, that liquor was responsible for the ruin of another fine fellow.
+
+One peculiarity that he evinced was, a great partiality for the society
+of Mr. Andrews, and for the next week, they were together every day. He
+frequently referred, in conversation with Andrews, to the freak his
+imagination had played, while returning from the plantation, and,
+though Andrews always made light of it, and laughed at him, he evidently
+thought about it a great deal. It seemed to be a kind of relief to him
+to discuss it with Andrews, and so the latter used to humor him in it.
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER VI._
+
+
+Several days after Drysdale's return from the plantation, Mrs. Potter
+and several others, set out for a horseback ride. They enjoyed the
+afternoon exceedingly, and it was growing dark before they reached the
+town on their return. As the party passed down the street upon which
+Drysdale lived, Mrs. Potter, and another lady, lagged behind the others,
+and the main body were quite a distance in advance. Mrs. Potter
+suggested that they put their horses at full speed, in order to overtake
+their friends. Mrs. Robbins, her companion, assented, and they dashed
+off together. The latter's horse was the faster of the two, however, and
+Mrs. Potter was about fifty or sixty yards in the rear, when they
+approached the Drysdale place. There was no one in sight on the street,
+and there was so much foliage on each side, that the road was quite
+hidden from the view of the scattered houses.
+
+Suddenly, Mrs. Robbins heard a shriek and a fall behind her; quickly
+reining in her horse, she turned back, passing Mrs. Potter's riderless
+horse on the way. She soon discovered Mrs. Potter lying by the roadside,
+groaning, and in great pain. Mrs. Robbins did not stop to ask any
+questions; she saw that Mrs. Potter was badly hurt, and she knew that
+assistance must be brought instantly. She therefore, galloped up the
+drive to the Drysdale house, and hastily told them what had happened.
+In less than three minutes, Mr. Drysdale had improvised a stretcher out
+of a wicker settee and a mattress, and had summoned four stout negroes
+to bring it after him, while he and his wife hurried out to the road.
+There they found Mrs. Potter and Mrs. Robbins supporting her. She said
+that she was in great pain, from severe contusion, and possible
+dislocation of the knee joint, and that she had also sustained some
+internal injuries. In a very few minutes, they had tenderly placed her
+on the settee, and carried her up to the house. She was carefully put to
+bed, and Mrs. Robbins remounted her horse to go for a physician. The
+latter, on his arrival, said that he could hardly tell the extent of
+Mrs. Potter's injuries at once, but he thought they would not confine
+her to her bed for more than a week or two. She asked if she might be
+removed to the hotel, as she did not wish to trespass on Mrs. Drysdale's
+hospitality. Mrs. Drysdale, however, refused to hear of such a thing as
+the removal of a sick person from her house, and she said that she
+should enjoy Mrs. Potter's society enough to compensate for the slight
+trouble. It was decided, therefore, that Mrs. Potter should remain until
+she was able to go without assistance. She improved very rapidly, but
+her knee seemed to pain her considerably, and she spent most of her time
+in her room, or on a sofa under the veranda, whither her stout negro
+nurse used to carry her.
+
+[Illustration: "_She soon discovered Mrs. Potter lying by the road-side,
+groaning and in great pain._"--Page 64.]
+
+A few days afterwards, Mrs. Potter was lying awake in her room at about
+seven o'clock in the morning. Mr. and Mrs. Drysdale's room was next to
+hers, and the transom over the connecting door was open, so that
+whatever was said in one room could be easily heard in the other. Mrs.
+Potter heard Drysdale get up and open the blinds to let in the morning
+sun. He had hardly done so ere he gave a sharp cry and sank into a
+chair.
+
+"What is the matter?" asked Mrs. Drysdale, in great alarm.
+
+"Oh, nothing," he replied; "I don't feel well."
+
+"I should think you wouldn't," said Mrs. Drysdale, "for you have had the
+nose-bleed terribly. Why, it is all over the pillow and floor, and leads
+out of the door. You must have gone down stairs."
+
+"Yes, yes," he exclaimed, hastily, "I did get up in the night. I--I
+don't feel very well--I guess I will lie down again."
+
+"Is there anything I can do for you?" asked his wife, anxiously.
+
+"No, nothing at present. Just go right along with your household
+affairs, as usual; I shall be all right in a short time."
+
+Mrs. Drysdale saw that her husband was nervous and irritable, and so she
+dressed quickly and went down to superintend her domestic duties. When
+Mrs. Potter's breakfast was ready, she brought it up herself and stopped
+a few minutes to talk.
+
+"Do you know of any remedy for bleeding at the nose, Mrs. Potter?" she
+asked. "My husband had quite a severe attack last night, and he went
+down on the front veranda, and then down the gravel walk, thinking, I
+suppose, that exercise would stop it. It must have bled frightfully,
+for I could see marks of blood all the way down the path to the gate."
+
+"I suppose he let it run instead of trying to stop the flow," replied
+Mrs. Potter. "Some people think it is good for the health occasionally,
+and so they allow the nose to bleed as long as it wants to."
+
+After a few more remarks, Mrs. Drysdale went down stairs again. Mrs.
+Potter could hear Mr. Drysdale tossing about on the bed in the next
+room, muttering to himself, and occasionally speaking aloud such
+expressions as--"Oh! this is horrible!"--"What does this mean?"--"My
+God! what could have done it?"
+
+After a time he became quieter, but he did not leave his room until the
+afternoon. Soon after he got up, Mr. Andrews called to see him, having
+failed to find him at his office.
+
+"I thought you might be sick and so I dropped in to see you," he said.
+
+"I am very glad you came," replied Drysdale. "I have been a little
+unwell, and I need some one to cheer me up."
+
+"Let us take a short walk," said Andrews; "the exercise will do you
+good."
+
+As they strolled out, Andrews pointed to some blood and said:
+
+"Any one hurt in your house?"
+
+"No--yes--that is, nothing serious; one of my negroes cut his hand this
+morning," replied Drysdale, shuddering. "I can't look at blood without
+feeling sick," he explained, as he saw that Andrews was wondering at his
+agitation.
+
+As they continued their walk, Andrews noticed that Drysdale was very
+self-absorbed, and so they strolled down the street without conversing.
+Their course took them past the bank, and as Mr. McGregor was standing
+on the steps of the side entrance, he accosted them heartily.
+
+"Why, how do you do, gentlemen?" he asked. "Won't you walk in for a few
+minutes? I havn't seen you since your illness, Mr. Drysdale; won't you
+come in and rest a while?"
+
+On hearing McGregor's salutation, Drysdale started as if stung, and
+trembled violently. He had been walking along with his eyes down, so
+that he had not seen Mr. McGregor until spoken to.
+
+"No, thank you," he replied; "I think I won't have time--that is, I
+promised my wife to come back soon. You must excuse me this time."
+
+He hurried on with a nervous gesture of courtesy, and he did not recover
+his calmness until some minutes afterward. Andrews accompanied him to
+his home, and on the way they agreed to go to Drysdale's plantation for
+a short visit on the following Monday. Having settled upon the time for
+starting and returning, Andrews declined an invitation to dine with
+Drysdale that evening, and they separated. Andrews dropped into Breed's
+shop on his way back to the hotel, and there he found young Green, the
+man who had made his book-case. They talked together only a few minutes,
+and Andrews then went to his room, where he stayed the remainder of the
+day.
+
+On Monday, Andrews and Drysdale rode off to the plantation at daylight,
+and the latter's spirits seemed to lighten rapidly after leaving the
+immediate vicinity of Atkinson. In the afternoon, Andrews took his gun
+and wandered off into the woods, but he did not seem very desirous of
+shooting anything, for he soon took a position whence he commanded a
+full view of the house. In about half an hour, Drysdale came out and
+walked slowly toward a small cluster of trees, about five hundred yards
+from the house. Here, he leaned against a tree, and paused to look
+around in every direction; then he began to stride with a measured step
+in a straight line. When he stopped, he began to examine the ground
+carefully for some minutes, and finally, he seemed satisfied with his
+inspection, and returned to the house.
+
+During the remainder of their stay at the plantation, Andrews and
+Drysdale were constantly together, and the latter seemed to find the
+greatest pleasure in the former's society. He frequently recurred to the
+subject of ghosts and spooks, and always closed by discussing the
+character of the apparition he had seen on the roadside. There was no
+doubt that it had made a deep impression upon him, for he never tired of
+talking about it. Andrews laughed at him, ridiculed his vivid
+imagination, cross-questioned him, and reasoned with him upon the
+absurdity of his hallucination, but all to no effect; Drysdale
+maintained in the most dogged manner, that he had seen a ghost.
+
+On Friday, they were to return to Atkinson, and in the morning Andrews
+rode over to make a short visit to a neighbor. He was so hospitably
+entertained, however, that he did not get away until after two o'clock,
+and it was nearly three before they started on their homeward ride. As
+before, it was growing dusky, when they reached the banks of Rocky
+Creek, and Drysdale was in a state of high nervous excitement.
+
+On reaching the spot where Drysdale had seen the ghost before, he kept
+close at Andrews' side, and endeavored to appear unconcerned. Suddenly,
+he grasped Andrews by the arm with a faint groan, and said:
+
+"Andrews, look! look! for God's sake, tell me, don't you see it?"
+
+As he spoke, he pointed toward the same ghastly object which he had seen
+before. There, right under his eyes, passed the image of the murdered
+George Gordon.
+
+"There, I was afraid you would have the same folly again," said Andrews,
+soothingly, as if anxious to attract his attention away from his ghostly
+friend. "What the devil is the matter with you?"
+
+"Tell me, tell me, Andrews," gasped Drysdale, in such terror that his
+parched throat and quivering lips could hardly pronounce the words;
+"can't you see that horrible man close to the fence, walking toward the
+creek?"
+
+"I tell you, my dear fellow," replied Andrews, earnestly, "that you are
+laboring under a most unpleasant hallucination. There is absolutely no
+person, or any moving object in sight, except you and me."
+
+At this moment, the sound of approaching hoof-beats could be plainly
+heard, and Drysdale turned his head to look back in the direction whence
+they came. On looking for the ghost again, it was nowhere to be seen.
+
+"Andrews, it is gone--the earth has swallowed it up," he said.
+
+He would have fallen from his horse, if Andrews had not caught him
+around the waist, and just as he did so, Mr. Breed and Mr. O'Fallon, the
+station agent, rode up, one on each side of them.
+
+"What's the matter with Mr. Drysdale?" asked O'Fallon.
+
+"Didn't you see it? Tell me--did the ghost pass you?" Drysdale queried
+eagerly, turning toward the new comers.
+
+"What are you talking about? What do you mean by 'the ghost?'" asked Mr.
+Breed, in great wonderment.
+
+"The ghost, I say--did neither of you see a horrible figure pass out of
+sight suddenly, toward the creek yonder?"
+
+"I saw nothing, Mr. Drysdale," said O'Fallon; "did you, Breed?"
+
+"Well, I don't know what Mr. Drysdale means by a ghost," said Breed,
+deliberately; "but I think I did see something down there. I couldn't
+say what it looked like. Why do you call it a ghost, Mr. Drysdale?"
+
+"Because I have seen it twice close to me, and Mr. Andrews has not been
+able to see it at all," replied Drysdale with great difficulty. "I began
+to think it must have been imagination on my part, but now, that you
+have seen it, I know that it was a ghost."
+
+Drysdale was so helpless, that it was necessary for one gentleman to
+ride on each side of him to hold him in his saddle. On arriving at his
+place, they helped him into the house, and left him in charge of his
+wife. He immediately went to bed, and during the night, he suffered a
+great deal. Mrs. Potter heard him groaning, tossing, and muttering until
+nearly daylight.
+
+The story of the ghost was soon freely circulated by O'Fallon and
+Breed, though they could not describe the apparition at all. Still, it
+created quite an excitement, and the results were not very beneficial to
+the neighborhood, for the reason that no negro could be induced to pass
+along that part of the road after dark; indeed, there were a great many
+educated white people who would not ride past the spot alone on a dark
+night.
+
+Drysdale was confined to his room for several days, during which time he
+received no visitors except Andrews. It was curious to observe what a
+strong preference he showed for his new-found friend.
+
+Just at this time I decided to re-visit Atkinson myself, and on my
+arrival there I had a long interview with Messrs. Ballantine, McGregor,
+and Gordon. I explained to them all the steps I had taken, and they
+learned to their great astonishment that Mr. Andrews, Mrs. Potter, and
+Mr. Green were my detectives. The ghost was Green, whose resemblance to
+young Gordon was a great aid in carrying out the scheme. Mrs. Potter had
+voluntarily fallen from her horse in order to get herself carried into
+Drysdale's house, and it was she who sprinkled the blood over Drysdale's
+clothing and down the walk. After settling all our plans, I returned to
+the hotel, where I was easily able to obtain a private interview with
+Mr. Andrews and Mr. Green.
+
+I gave full instructions to Andrews, and he informed Mrs. Potter of my
+wishes, at the same time conveying to her another large bottle of blood.
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER VII._
+
+
+About one o'clock that night Mrs. Potter rose, quietly dressed herself,
+and stealthily left the house. She walked to the nearest point on the
+creek and began to drop blood from her bottle. She spilled small
+portions of it all the way back to the house, up the front walk, in the
+hall, and finally, slipping into Drysdale's room, she scattered the
+crimson drops on his pillow. She then retired to bed.
+
+When she awoke in the morning, she found Mrs. Drysdale in a very uneasy
+state of mind. She said that her husband had again been attacked by
+bleeding at the nose, and that he was quite weak from the loss of blood.
+Mrs. Potter deeply sympathized with Mrs. Drysdale, but she could assist
+her only by kind and consoling words.
+
+The family had hardly finished their breakfast when a number of the
+neighbors came in in a high state of excitement. They said that blood
+had been discovered on the grass near where the ghost had been seen, and
+that quite a crowd had gathered around it. They had found other
+blood-marks at intervals along the road, and on following the direction
+in which they traveled, it was found that they led straight to
+Drysdale's house. The question now arose, did the wounded person go from
+the house to the creek, or _vice versa_. Drysdale was terribly excited
+on learning of the discovery, and he was soon in a species of delirium.
+It was known that he was quite sick, so that the neighbors soon
+withdrew. Many thought that the blood was that of a burglar or negro
+sneak-thief, who might have gone to Drysdale's house to steal, but who
+had been frightened off before he had secured any plunder. The blood
+might have been from an old hurt. Others, more superstitiously inclined,
+believed that the ghost was in some way responsible for the blood. No
+one was able to solve the mystery, however, and it added to the terror
+with which the ghost story had inspired the negroes.
+
+Drysdale was now confined to his bed, and he would see no one except his
+wife and Andrews. He insisted that he was not sick, but only run down by
+overwork, and so refused to have a doctor. Andrews' influence over him
+was greater than that of any one else, and it was plain that the latter
+had completely secured his confidence. As I now felt convinced that
+Drysdale would surely confess in a short time, I returned to Chicago,
+leaving the whole charge of the operation with Andrews.
+
+A few nights later Mrs. Potter was troubled with the tooth-ache, and she
+lay awake most of the night. Suddenly she heard footsteps in Drysdale's
+room, and then she saw Drysdale pass her window on the veranda. He was
+dressed in slippers and night-dress, and his actions were so strange
+that she determined to follow him. Hastily putting on some dark clothes,
+she hurried cautiously after him. The night was clear with no moon, and
+she was able to distinguish his white figure at a considerable distance.
+He walked rapidly to the creek and followed its windings a short
+distance; then he paused a few minutes, as if reflecting. This enabled
+Mrs. Potter to hide herself near by in some undergrowth, whence she
+could watch him more carefully. To her great astonishment, she saw him
+walk into the creek at a shallow spot, and begin wading up against the
+current. Very soon he stopped and leaned over with his hands in the
+water, as if he were feeling for something. In a few minutes he came out
+of the stream, on the opposite side from that on which he had entered,
+and took a path to a footbridge leading across the creek toward his
+house. As soon as she saw that he was on his way back, she hastened home
+as rapidly as possible, arriving there only a few seconds before him.
+
+The next morning, Drysdale appeared at the breakfast table for the first
+time, in several days. He remarked that he felt much better, but he said
+nothing of his midnight walk, nor did his wife, as she had slept in a
+separate room; however, she was probably ignorant of it.
+
+Neither Mrs. Potter, nor Mr. Andrews could imagine what Drysdale's
+object was in making his pilgrimage to the creek at that time of night,
+especially as he had always shown the greatest aversion to that
+vicinity, ever since he had first seen the ghost. I was equally puzzled
+when I was informed of his freak, but I determined to make use of the
+incident, in case he should do the same thing again. I therefore
+instructed Andrews to have Green watch the house every night, dressed in
+his apparition suit. He was then to "shadow" Drysdale, when the latter
+went out, and if a favorable opportunity should present itself, he was
+to appear before him in full view in the role of the ghost.
+
+By this time, Drysdale had recovered sufficiently, to attend to his
+office duties, but he always seemed anxious to have Andrews with him.
+Andrews had talked very encouragingly to him, showed a good deal of
+sympathy, and thus, they had became quite confidential friends. He,
+therefore, assured Drysdale that he should be happy to give him as much
+of his company, as possible, if it would afford Drysdale any pleasure.
+
+"You are very kind, Mr. Andrews," said Drysdale; "you may think it
+strange, but I feel a sense of relief, when I am with you, especially
+lately. I wonder if I shall ever be better," he mused plaintively.
+
+"Why, certainly; we hope for your speedy recovery," said Andrews,
+cheerfully. "You let trivial matters prey on your mind, and you must
+stop it, for your health will not stand it."
+
+"Well, I shall try," responded Drysdale feebly.
+
+One evening, Mrs. Drysdale was sitting at Mrs. Potter's side, waiting
+for her husband's return. By this time, Mrs. Potter was able to sit up,
+and even to move about the room somewhat.
+
+"My husband is failing in health, I fear," said Mrs. Drysdale.
+
+"I am afraid so, too," replied Mrs. Potter, "and I feel sorry to think
+that I am a burden upon you at the same time; but, I hope to be well
+soon, and then I will help you take care of him."
+
+"You have been no burden, whatever, Mrs. Potter; on the contrary, your
+company has been a great comfort to me. But, I was thinking, that if my
+husband would try a change of air and life, it would be a great help to
+him. I should miss him sadly, but I would make any sacrifice to see him
+restored to health."
+
+At the tea table Mrs. Drysdale said:
+
+"I was just speaking to Mrs. Potter about your health, Aleck, and I
+thought that if you would go away for a time, the change of scenery, and
+habits of life, would be very advantageous. Why don't you go down to New
+Orleans with Mr. Andrews? He is always talking of going there, but he is
+too lazy to start. You could both enjoy yourselves very much, and I know
+it would do you good. You would return as healthy and happy as you
+always used to be."
+
+"I have been thinking of going there, or to some other place," said
+Drysdale, "but I can't leave just now. I think a trip would do me good,
+and as soon as I feel able to do so, I will get Andrews to go with me."
+
+Nothing of interest occurred for several days. Green kept a close watch
+every night, but Drysdale did not appear. Andrews got Drysdale to go out
+hunting with him twice, but each time, Drysdale succeeded in arriving at
+home before dark. Green had kept up his vigils for over a week, and he
+began to think there was no use in them. One night, however, as he lay
+behind a bush, watching the house, he was suddenly aware of a white
+figure gliding noiselessly by him. Forewarned, though he was, the
+ghostly stillness with which it moved, gave him quite a severe fright,
+before he recollected that it was Drysdale. He immediately followed the
+figure and noted his every movement. In the same way, as he had done at
+first, he now proceeded, and after walking up the stream a short
+distance, he reached down, felt for something at the bottom, and then
+came out. As he slowly walked home, he passed within a few feet of
+Green, who made a considerable noise to attract his attention; but,
+Drysdale passed straight on, looking neither to the right nor left, and
+Green was unable to play ghost for the lack of an audience.
+
+Green's account was the exact counterpart of Mrs. Potter's, and I was
+puzzled to account for this new move. As I sat in my office, in Chicago,
+with Green's report before me, the idea flashed into my mind, that
+possibly some of the stolen money was hidden at the bottom of the creek.
+Recollecting the gold pieces, which had been found on the banks of the
+creek, I surmised that the remainder of the gold was buried somewhere in
+the bed of the stream. I had no doubt of the eventual recovery of all
+the money, and so I decided to let that matter rest until I had complete
+evidence of Drysdale's guilt.
+
+A few days after the midnight walk, Drysdale invited Andrews to make
+another visit to the plantation, saying,
+
+"My overseer sends me word that he needs a great many things, and I
+think I had better go out to see what is wanted, myself. I would like to
+have you go with me, for, to tell the truth, I am almost afraid to go
+alone."
+
+"I shall be very glad, indeed, to go; when shall we start?"
+
+"Let us start Monday, and return Friday, as before," replied Drysdale.
+
+"Very well," said Andrews. "I shall be ready on time."
+
+At the first opportunity, Andrews informed Green of their intended
+visit, and told him that in order to insure the success of their plan,
+it would be best for him to ride out to the plantation, also, on
+Wednesday or Thursday. He could thus be on hand in his ghostly capacity
+whenever wanted. Green promised to be at a certain spot, near the
+plantation, on Wednesday afternoon, to receive instructions from
+Andrews, and all their arrangements were then completed.
+
+Andrews took breakfast with Drysdale before starting, Monday morning,
+and at table, Mrs. Drysdale said:
+
+"Aleck, Mrs. Potter is so far recovered, that I guess we shall drive out
+to the plantation on Wednesday or Thursday, and spend a day or two with
+you."
+
+"That will be delightful," replied Drysdale, "and we shall look for you
+with great pleasure."
+
+"Well, if the ladies are coming at that time, I hope they will bring our
+mail, for I expect an important letter," said Andrews.
+
+"Oh, certainly," said Mrs. Drysdale; "and, if anything should prevent us
+from coming, I will send your letters by a servant."
+
+Andrews had written to me of the intended visit to the plantation, and
+he was anxious to receive any instructions I might send, before he
+returned to town.
+
+The two gentlemen mounted their horses and cantered off. Drysdale
+appeared in better spirits than at any time for several weeks, and by
+the time they reached the plantation, he was quite gay and cheerful. He
+had a great deal to attend to, and Andrews gave him very considerable
+assistance. They were kept quite constantly busy until Wednesday noon,
+when Mrs. Drysdale and Mrs. Potter arrived in a carriage, bringing the
+mail. As Andrews had expected, there was a letter for him, in which I
+instructed him to have Green appear to Drysdale, in the small grove of
+trees, where he had acted so queerly during their last visit. From
+Drysdale's manner in this grove, I had concluded that some of the money
+was buried there, and I therefore, considered it a good place for the
+ghost to appear.
+
+On reading my letter, Andrews remarked that he should be obliged to go
+to Atkinson, to send a telegram, as his letter required an immediate
+answer, but that he should return the same evening. This, of course, was
+only an excuse to get away to meet Green, and so his horse was brought
+up at once, and he rode away. Green was punctual at the rendezvous, and
+Andrews gave him full instructions; he was to remain in sight of the
+house, on the side near the little grove of trees, until an opportunity
+should occur to appear before Drysdale. Andrews then took a long ride
+over the country, so as to delay his return to the plantation until
+after dark. During the evening, Mrs. Potter told him that Drysdale had
+visited the little grove that afternoon, but she was, of course, unable
+to follow him.
+
+The next evening, after supper, Andrews proposed taking a short walk,
+and they all started out together. By chance, they took the direction of
+the little grove, previously mentioned, and they were all in fine
+spirits. Mrs. Potter, however, was obliged to walk very slowly, owing to
+her injured knee, and Mrs. Drysdale kept her company; the two gentlemen
+were, therefore, some distance in the advance, when they reached the
+edge of the grove. Drysdale had been unusually cheerful until then, but
+as they entered the shadow, he began to lose his gayety, as if something
+disagreeable had been suggested to him. It was now approaching twilight,
+and he turned toward Andrews half pettishly, and said:
+
+"Don't go into that dismal place; let us stay out in the open walk. I
+never like to go into such----"
+
+The words died on his tongue, and he nearly fell down from fright.
+There, crossing their path in the sombre shades of the grove, was that
+terrible spectre with its ghastly face, measured step, and clotted hair.
+It passed into the deep recesses of the grove, while Drysdale watched it
+like a condemned criminal. As it moved out of sight, he fell to the
+ground like a dead man, and Andrews called for help. Mrs. Drysdale
+hurried up in great alarm, and took her husband's head in her lap, while
+Mrs. Potter chafed his hands and held her vinaigrette to his nostrils.
+Mr. Andrews quickly called some negroes from the house, and they carried
+their unconscious master to his room. He was soon restored to his
+senses, but he was in a pitiable condition. The least sound made him
+start like a person in the _delirium tremens_, and he muttered to
+himself constantly. Finally he caught Andrews by the hand and said:
+
+"Andrews, didn't you see that horrible ghost?"
+
+"No, indeed; I saw no ghost," replied Andrews. "Did either of you see
+it?" he continued, turning to the ladies.
+
+They both answered negatively.
+
+"If there really had been such a thing we certainly should have seen
+it," said Mrs. Potter.
+
+"Well, I know that I saw it, and it is terrible to think that I should
+be the only one to whom this thing appears," said Drysdale.
+
+Andrews handed him a drink of brandy, which revived his strength a great
+deal, and he again began to talk about the ghost.
+
+"I can't understand, Andrews, why you didn't see it," he said; "it
+passed within fifty feet of us, and it was truly terrible."
+
+"It is certainly very strange," replied Andrews. "Here are three persons
+that did _not_ see it, yet you insist that you did. What did it look
+like? You have never yet described it to me."
+
+Drysdale made no reply, but a look of renewed dread came over his face,
+and he reached for more brandy, which was given him.
+
+"It surely must be some disease of the brain," said Mrs. Drysdale,
+tearfully, "for he frequently imagines that he sees strange sights, and
+I am afraid to think what will happen. If he would only go to some
+watering-place, and put himself under the care of a reliable physician,
+he would soon get better."
+
+"The doctors can do me no good, my dear," he said controlling himself by
+a great effort; "do not be alarmed, but let me go to sleep for a while
+and I shall be better."
+
+Mr. Andrews and Mrs. Potter left the room in a few minutes, as Mr.
+Drysdale evidently wished to be left alone. They had ample opportunity
+for consultation, and they decided that Green had better stay near by
+all night, to watch the house and the grove.
+
+"If that is to be done," said Mrs. Potter, "I will go and put up a
+lunch which you can take to him, since if he is to remain out there all
+night, he will not be able to get anything to eat, and you know that a
+hungry ghost cannot do as well as one which is well fed."
+
+She soon prepared a large lunch, and added to it a small bottle of wine,
+which she gave to Andrews. He immediately hastened out to the grove, and
+found Green at a point where they had agreed to meet. He gave the food
+to Green, and told him to keep a close watch on the house all night; in
+case of anything occurring he was to tap on the window of Andrews' room,
+which was on the ground floor. Andrews then returned to the house,
+leaving Green to eat his lunch, drink his wine and keep watch.
+
+The night was damp and warm, and the insects were particularly active,
+so that Green's duty was none of the pleasantest. The hours slipped
+wearily by until after midnight, when he saw a white figure emerge from
+the house and approach the little grove. He hastily gained an open spot
+where, in the bright starlight, he could be plainly seen, and, as
+Drysdale advanced, he slowly paced toward him. To Green's astonishment,
+Drysdale passed within two feet of him without noticing his presence in
+any way; they passed so close to each other that Green was forced to
+step to one side, yet Drysdale walked slowly on until he reached the
+grove. Here he walked around a moment or two and then returned to the
+house. Green immediately tapped on Andrews' window and related what had
+occurred. There being no new developments, Green returned to the wood
+where he had picketed his horse, and then rode back to Atkinson.
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER VIII._
+
+
+Friday morning Drysdale appeared at breakfast and tried to appear
+natural and at ease. He spoke of his peculiar hallucination, but his
+remarks were simply repetitions of those he had frequently made before.
+Andrews again requested him to describe the appearance of the spectre,
+but Drysdale seemed averse to continuing the conversation on that
+subject, and so it was dropped.
+
+Immediately after dinner they started for Atkinson, the gentlemen on
+horseback, and the ladies in the carriage. As Andrews could offer no
+plausible excuse for detaining them, Mrs. Potter was obliged to try what
+she could do. By making two calls on acquaintances living along the
+road, she was enabled to keep back their arrival much later than
+Drysdale liked, though not late enough for her purpose. It was too early
+to have Green appear, as there were so many people traveling on the road
+that he might be seen by others and the trick exposed.
+
+It was quite evident that Drysdale was in a miserable condition. He was
+sure that he had seen the ghost of George Gordon, and he was in a state
+of momentary dread and suspense. He had entertained thoughts of leaving
+the place, but he dared not. Like Eugene Aram, he pictured himself as
+continually haunted by the spirit of his victim, and he feared lest
+others should see it, and accuse him of the murder. His health failed
+rapidly; his form was emaciated, his cheeks hollow, his eyes haggard and
+sunken. It was clearly only a question of time how soon he confessed or
+went insane.
+
+Green continued his night watches about the house, and again one night
+Drysdale passed out to the creek and acted as before. This time,
+however, he had his clothes on, and as he passed Green at arms length,
+it seemed almost incredible that he should have failed to see him. Green
+took particular pains to identify the exact spot where Drysdale had
+searched in the water, and he marked it carefully by placing a stone on
+each side of the bank opposite where Drysdale had stopped.
+
+The following night Mrs. Potter got up and went into Drysdale's room,
+where he was sleeping alone. She then dropped some blood on his pillow,
+on the floor, and around the bed. Then passing out, she left the trail
+as before from the house toward Rocky Creek. Drysdale was horrified
+early next morning when he saw the blood-stains. He groaned piteously as
+he walked about the room, and then followed the spots out to the front
+gate. On seeing that they continued beyond this, he came back with a
+most dejected and helpless look. Mrs. Potter saw him go into his room,
+and, by looking through the keyhole of the connecting door, she was
+enabled to see that he was engaged in washing out the spots on the floor
+and bed clothes. He did not appear at the breakfast table, but his wife
+told Mrs. Potter that he had had another severe attack of bleeding
+during the night, and that he was very weak in consequence.
+
+During the forenoon Mrs. Potter went in to see Mr. Drysdale, whom she
+found in great distress physically and mentally. He was anxious to see
+Mr. Andrews, and his wife sent a message to the hotel at once. In about
+an hour Andrews came in.
+
+"I am sorry to find you feeling so bad this morning," he said. "You were
+looking quite well last evening. What is the trouble? Wouldn't you like
+me to go for a doctor?"
+
+"No, thank you; I shall get along better without physic," replied
+Drysdale. "I was feeling unusually well last evening, but I had a severe
+attack of bleeding last night, and I am very weak."
+
+"Is there anything I can do for you?" asked Andrews.
+
+"Well, yes; there are some papers in my office that should be sent to
+Captain Rowland, a planter in the west end of the county, and as it is
+important that they should be delivered soon, I should be greatly
+obliged if you would get them and send them off."
+
+"Certainly, certainly," said Andrews; "where shall I find them?"
+
+"They are in the left-hand pigeon-hole of my upright desk, in the
+office, and you can send them by Dan. Marston, who lives near the
+court-house; he is very faithful and trustworthy. Any one can tell you
+where to find him."
+
+"Oh, I know Dan.," said Andrews, "he has done several errands for me.
+Where are your keys?"
+
+"They are on the bureau, yonder; but, Andrews, I wish you would come
+back after you have sent the papers. I always feel better when I hear
+you talking; when I am alone I keep thinking about that spirit, and I
+tell you it is terrible. You will come back, won't you?"
+
+"Oh, certainly, I shall be glad to keep you company while you are under
+the weather."
+
+When Andrews started off with the keys, a sudden thought flashed into
+his mind, and he first went to his room, where he obtained some blood,
+of which he had quite a supply. He then went to Drysdale's private
+office and dropped some blood on the desk, chairs and floor, and also on
+the wrapper of Captain Rowland's papers. He was well known to the deputy
+clerk, and so no one questioned his right to go to Drysdale's desk. On
+leaving the private office, he locked the door, and hurried back to
+Drysdale's house with the papers. He entered Drysdale's room in an
+excited manner, and said:
+
+"Why, Drysdale, you must have been bleeding at the office, for there is
+blood on your chairs, desk, and on these papers; look there!"
+
+As he spoke, he held out the package with its dull crimson stain. The
+shock was too much for Drysdale, and he fainted away instantly. It was
+sometime before he revived, but finally, he was able to talk again.
+
+"Please take the wrapper off those papers," he said feebly, "and put
+them into another. They are copies of papers in a law case now in court,
+and I would not like them to go out in that condition."
+
+Andrews agreed to fix them all neat and clean before sending them, and
+he then went out to attend to it. On his way down town, he met Mr.
+McGregor, to whom he related what he had done, and its effect.
+
+"Mr. McGregor," he continued, "I think it would be a good idea to
+sprinkle some blood in the bank, on the floor, and on the desk, where
+young Gordon used to stand; also, to put some blood and hair on the
+canceling hammer. Do this in the evening, and arrange to have some one
+enter the bank with you in the morning; then, the story will be
+circulated until Drysdale will hear it, and it may have a powerful
+effect upon him. I think Mr. Pinkerton would approve the plan, if he
+were here."
+
+Mr. McGregor thought favorably of the suggestion, and he agreed to act
+upon it, as soon as possible. Andrews then went back to Drysdale's
+office, wiped up the blood spots, and put Captain Rowland's papers into
+a new wrapper. Having sent them off, he returned and passed the
+afternoon with Drysdale.
+
+The latter was in a terrible condition; he seemed like a man suffering
+from hydrophobia, so sensitive were his nerves, and so depressed was his
+mind. His thoughts could turn in only one direction, and that was toward
+remorse and fear.
+
+
+    "'Tis guilt alone,
+    Like brain sick frenzy in its feverish mood.
+    Fills the light air with visionary terrors
+    And shapeless forms of fear."
+
+
+Through advices from Andrews, I was aware that things were approaching a
+crisis, and I therefore, went immediately to Atkinson, in order to be
+ready for any emergency. I arrived there the very morning chosen by Mr.
+McGregor, to carry out his project of sprinkling blood at the bank. He
+had arranged, by apparent accident, to have two planters enter the bank
+with him, and in fact, it happened that four gentlemen were present at
+ten o'clock when he opened the bank. They all entered together, and
+when Mr. McGregor had taken down the blinds, he went inside the bank
+railing. As he did so, he uttered a sudden exclamation, which caused the
+others to follow.
+
+"What can this mean!" he said, in an excited tone.
+
+The other gentlemen gathered around the ghastly scene and examined the
+blood, which lay in a pool on the floor, and in spots on the furniture
+and wall. The canceling hammer, stained with blood, and clotted with
+hair, lay close by, and every one was reminded of the appearance of the
+place, the morning after George Gordon's murder.
+
+"What can have happened?" asked old Mr. Gordon, who had just entered.
+"Surely, no one was murdered here last night."
+
+"Ah! I fear it is done by poor George's spirit!" exclaimed O'Fallon, who
+was a very superstitious man. "This looks just as it did that fatal
+morning, except that the body is not here. His spirit must be uneasy at
+the failure to discover his murderer."
+
+By this time, Flanders and several others, had entered the bank, and the
+appearance of things there, was soon circulated throughout the town. The
+excitement about the murder, was revived in all its original importance,
+and many were the speculations about the mysterious affair.
+
+Drysdale felt rather strong that morning, and about noon, he walked down
+to his gate. While there, some of his neighbors passed on their way to
+their homes, and they were all anxious to tell him about the new
+sensation at the bank. On hearing the news, Drysdale dragged himself
+into the house and went to bed. There he lay, groaning and sobbing
+piteously, and when Andrews called in the afternoon, he was so helpless
+that Andrews insisted on calling a physician. In a short time he
+returned with Dr. Sprague, who examined the patient, and prescribed for
+him. Dr. Sprague said that Drysdale would speedily recover with a proper
+amount of rest and sleep. Wakefulness and nervous irritation seemed to
+be the trouble with him, and the doctor told Andrews that he had
+prescribed morphine. He said that there was nothing serious to fear
+unless fever should set in, and if any symptoms should show themselves
+it would be necessary to call him immediately.
+
+Upon leaving Drysdale, Andrews came to me to report. I had arranged with
+Mr. McGregor, to pay a visit to the creek that night, to search the spot
+which had been visited so often by Drysdale. I therefore sent Andrews
+back to offer to remain with Drysdale during the night. This arrangement
+pleased Drysdale very much, and he was quite touched by Andrews'
+kindness. I also instructed Green to watch Drysdale's house, so as to be
+ready to appear before Drysdale, in case the latter left his house. He
+was to cross and re-cross Drysdale's path, until Drysdale should take
+notice of him, while Andrews was to be at hand immediately, pretending
+that he had fallen asleep during his watch, and on waking up suddenly
+and finding Drysdale gone, had come out in search of him.
+
+I told Mr. Bannatine and Mr. McGregor, to bring a wheelbarrow, pick-axe,
+and large shovel with them, since we should probably need the two latter
+to dig up the gold, while the wheelbarrow would be handy to carry it
+home. Everything was provided for in advance, and I felt confident of
+the success of our expedition.
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER IX._
+
+
+The night was clear and bright, and everything was favorable for our
+work. At twelve o'clock, we met as previously agreed, and hastened to
+the banks of Rocky Creek, at the spot which Green had pointed out to me
+that day. On reaching the designated place, I threw off my coat and
+waded into the creek. I soon found a large flat stone, which I removed
+to one side. I was just beginning to dig under it, when Green hurried up
+and told me that Drysdale had left the house, and that he was only a
+short distance behind. We quickly hid ourselves in the underbrush, and
+in a few moments Drysdale appeared. Green passed him back and forth,
+several times, but Drysdale paid no attention to him whatever. Suddenly
+the thought flashed upon me, that he was walking in his sleep, and I
+soon saw that such was the case. All of his midnight promenades were now
+accounted for, and it was not strange that he had not noticed Green. So
+great was the man's anxiety and nervous dread of discovery, that he
+could not rest in quiet, and he was forced to visit the spot where his
+blood-stained treasure was concealed, even in his hours of repose.
+
+He now waded into the creek, as before, but he remained a much longer
+time than usual, as he was unable to find the large flat stone in its
+accustomed spot. Finally, he discovered where I had thrown it, and he
+immediately replaced it in the very hole whence I had taken it. He then
+returned to the house, and went to bed.
+
+I again removed the stone, and while Mr. McGregor handled the pick-axe,
+I plied the shovel vigorously. In a very few minutes, we struck a piece
+of wood which gave back a hollow sound. This encouraged us to renewed
+activity, and we were richly rewarded by unearthing a large cheese-box,
+whose weight gave ample proof of the value of its contents. Having
+replaced the flat stone where we first found it, we put the box on the
+wheelbarrow, and took turns in wheeling it to the bank, where we soon
+broke it open and discovered, as we had expected, that it was full of
+gold coin in rouleaux. The counting of this large sum of money was
+rather tedious, but it was finally accomplished satisfactorily, and the
+result showed that only eighty dollars were missing.
+
+The officers of the bank were in high glee, and they asked me whether I
+had any hope of recovering the paper money.
+
+"If I am not mistaken," I replied, "I shall find the paper money also,
+within twenty-four hours. I shall go to Drysdale's plantation to-morrow
+night, and shall search the ground in that group of trees of which you
+have already heard so much. I think we shall find there all the paper
+money."
+
+The next day, Drysdale and Andrews remained together constantly; indeed,
+Drysdale did not seem willing to let Andrews leave his sight for a
+moment. He was perfectly helpless and inert. In the evening, I met my
+companions of the night previous, and we drove out to Drysdale's
+plantation, taking along the necessary tools. We secured our horses in
+the grove, and then Green led the way toward the spot where Drysdale had
+examined the ground. On making a close examination with our dark
+lanterns, we discovered a piece of sod which had evidently been taken
+up, for the edges had not yet joined with the surrounding turf. We
+quickly pulled it up and began to dig beneath it; as before, our search
+was rewarded after a few minutes of labor. At the depth of two feet, we
+came upon a large candle-box, which we carefully dug up and placed in
+one of our buggies. There was apparently, nothing more concealed in this
+spot, and so we replaced the earth, packed it down, and put the piece of
+sod back into its place. We then returned to Atkinson, where we arrived
+just before daylight. The bank officers immediately opened the box, and
+counted the paper money contained therein; it was found to agree
+exactly, with the sum stolen from the bank. The packages of bills were
+replaced in the box, which was then locked up in the vault.
+
+I sent instructions by Andrews to Mrs. Potter to again make use of the
+blood about Drysdale's house, and I also ordered Green to keep watch
+during the night. The next morning Andrews reported that Drysdale's
+terror on discovering the blood had been greater than he had ever shown
+before, and that he was fast breaking down. I therefore held a
+consultation with the bank officers.
+
+"Now, gentlemen," I said, "we have recovered the money, and we have
+sufficient evidence to convict the murderer. I think it is time to
+arrest him; don't you?"
+
+To tell the truth, I was in no easy frame of mind myself. I was morally
+sure of Drysdale's guilt, but I had no legal evidence which was
+sufficient to convict him in case he should maintain his innocence.
+Moreover I had assumed a terrible responsibility in taking such extreme
+measures with him, for there was danger that he might go insane without
+confessing his guilt, and in that case my position would have been
+really dangerous. I should have been accused of driving him crazy with
+no proper justification for my actions, and the result might have been
+most disastrous to me. The fact that I, an unknown man from the North,
+had driven a high-toned Southern gentleman insane, would have been
+sufficient to hang me by the summary process of lynch law.
+
+The fact that part of the money had been found on his plantation, would
+be only circumstantial evidence, since another man might have buried it
+there as well as Drysdale. His visits to the spots where the money was
+concealed, were not conclusive of guilt, since he was a somnambulist,
+and in his sleep-walking he was not responsible for his actions. Mrs.
+Potter suggested to me that he might have been sleep-walking the night
+of the murder, and (while in that condition,) he might have followed the
+murderer to the spot where the gold was hidden; it would then be nothing
+strange that he should go to the same spot in his subsequent
+night-wanderings.
+
+It will thus be easily understood that during the remainder of my
+connection with the case, I was in a highly wrought up frame of mind.
+Indeed, when I came to make the arrest, it would have been hard to tell
+whether Drysdale or I was the more excited. In reply to my question,
+Mr. Bannatine instructed me to take whatever course I saw fit, as they
+were all perfectly satisfied with my management of the affair. I learned
+from Andrews that Drysdale would visit his office that afternoon, as
+there were some important matters requiring his attention. Drysdale had
+told Andrews that he intended to put the office in the charge of a
+deputy for a time, so as to enable him to go off to New Orleans on a
+visit of several weeks, and he desired that Andrews should accompany
+him. He little thought that the toils were closing around him so
+rapidly, and that he should never start on his projected excursion.
+
+Having decided to arrest him immediately, I went to the office of an old
+friend of Mr. Bannatine, a lawyer, who drew up the necessary affidavit
+upon which I proposed to apply for a warrant. I then called upon the
+sheriff, and asked him to go before a justice of the peace with me,
+while I swore to an affidavit for a warrant which I wished him to
+execute.
+
+"What is the warrant for?" asked the sheriff, as he walked along with
+me.
+
+"It is quite an important case," I replied, "and I have had the
+affidavits drawn up by Mr. Wood, the lawyer, and you will see the charge
+in a few minutes."
+
+"All right," said the sheriff; "let us go to Squire Baker's."
+
+Fortunately we found the justice alone, and having stated that I wished
+to obtain a warrant, I handed him the affidavit which I had had
+prepared. He carefully adjusted his glasses and began to read the paper,
+but in a moment or two he gave a sudden start and dropped the document,
+in utter amazement. He looked at me keenly and said:
+
+"Do you mean to accuse Mr. Drysdale of murdering George Gordon?"
+
+At this the sheriff was equally astonished, and he said:
+
+"Oh! nonsense; it can't be possible. Why, do you know, my dear sir, that
+he is one of the finest gentlemen, and one of the most honorable men in
+Atkinson? Surely you are joking."
+
+"No, I am not joking at all," I replied. "I knew, of course, that you
+would be greatly surprised and shocked, but the proofs are too clear to
+admit of any doubt. The matter has been carefully examined by Mr.
+Bannatine, Mr. Gordon, and Mr. McGregor, and it is at their request that
+I have come to get a warrant. However, I can soon convince you of his
+guilt."
+
+"Well, well, it is almost incredible," said Squire Baker, "but if Mr.
+Bannatine and Mr. McGregor are convinced, I presume there must be strong
+grounds for suspicion, for they are both very careful men. I certainly
+hope, however, that it may prove to have been a mistake, and that Mr.
+Drysdale will be able to show his innocence."
+
+I then made oath to the facts, and the warrant was issued. The sheriff
+asked me when he should make the arrest, and I told him that Drysdale
+was then at his office, and he must be taken at once. We accordingly,
+went straight to his office, where we found him with Andrews. As the
+sheriff entered, Drysdale said:
+
+"How do you do, Mr. Ringwood? Take a chair."
+
+"No, I thank you, Mr. Drysdale," said the sheriff in a sympathetic tone;
+"the fact is, I am here on a very unpleasant duty, and I cannot stay
+long. I have a warrant for your arrest, Mr. Drysdale."
+
+"Warrant for me! what for?" exclaimed Drysdale, huskily.
+
+"It is for the murder of George Gordon," replied the sheriff.
+
+"Who charges me? I----"
+
+Drysdale could only shriek the above, ere he fell back into a chair
+almost lifeless. In a few minutes, he recovered somewhat, and the
+sheriff said:
+
+"Mr. Pinkerton here, has made an affidavit to the charge, and he seems
+to be acquainted with the grounds for accusing you; suppose you walk
+down to the bank with us."
+
+Drysdale gazed at me steadily for a moment, and then said:
+
+"Let me look at the warrant."
+
+He was trembling like an aspen leaf, while he was reading it, and when
+he had finished, he expressed a willingness to go with us, if Andrews
+would go too. It was now after banking hours, and the bank was closed,
+but the officers admitted us. After the door had been closed, I turned
+to Drysdale and said:
+
+"I have the unpleasant duty, Mr. Drysdale, of charging you with the
+murder of George Gordon, in this bank; have you any denial to make?"
+
+This was the signal to Green, and as I finished speaking, he passed from
+behind the desk, where he had been seated, across the spot where
+Gordon's body had fallen. He was made up exactly like Gordon, as on
+previous occasions, and though he was in sight only a second, it was
+enough. Drysdale gave a shriek, and fell lifeless, as the apparent ghost
+disappeared in the vault. It was done so quickly, that even the sheriff
+was puzzled to determine what the apparition was. Restoratives were
+applied, and Drysdale soon revived.
+
+"Great God!" he exclaimed. "Where is George Gordon? I am sure he was
+here. Did you see him, Andrews?"
+
+No one answered, and seeing that we were all looking at him in
+amazement, he sprang to his feet, exclaiming:
+
+"I deny the charge you have made against me; it is false in every
+particular."
+
+"Then, Mr. Drysdale," said I, "you will probably deny that you buried
+the gold, which was taken from this bank, in the bed of Rocky Creek.
+Here it is," I added, uncovering the box, which had been placed near by.
+
+He said nothing, but hung his head, and drew a long breath.
+
+"Will you also deny that you buried the paper money in a grove near your
+house, on your plantation?" I continued, showing him the candle box.
+
+He still said nothing, and I made a motion to Andrews to have Green
+ready for a re-appearance. Then I went on speaking.
+
+"This money has all been identified as that which was stolen from the
+bank; it was found as I have stated. I also have here a partly burned
+note of yours, which you used to light the fire in the grate. I have
+examined these fragments of buttons, and I find that they are exactly
+like those on the coat which you brought home from New Orleans just
+before the murder; they were found in the grate yonder, where you burned
+your coat, but there is enough left of them to identify them. But if you
+are not satisfied with this evidence, that we can prove you are guilty,
+I will even call upon the murdered man himself, to testify against you."
+
+As I spoke, Green slowly glided out toward us, with his white, set face,
+and bloody hair. Drysdale covered his face with his hands, dropped into
+a chair and shrieked:
+
+"Oh! my God! I am guilty! I am guilty!" and he sank back, but did not
+faint.
+
+Green instantly retired, whence he came, and Drysdale continued
+speaking, as if he obtained relief by confessing his crime.
+
+"Yes, I am guilty, and I have suffered the tortures of the damned since
+that frightful night. I do not know what made me do it, but I have never
+known a moment's peace since then. My mind has been occupied with that
+money constantly, and even in my sleep I would dream about it. Oh! it is
+terrible!"
+
+"Have you ever gone to look for it at night, Mr. Drysdale?" I asked, as
+I wished to know whether he was aware of his somnambulism.
+
+"Oh, no; I would not dare to go near it, but it has haunted me always."
+
+"How did you come to murder George?" I asked.
+
+"I can't tell," he replied, in a choking voice; "it all occurred like a
+dream."
+
+"What motive did you have? You surely could have got money without
+resorting to robbery, much less murder."
+
+"No, I could not. People think I am wealthy, but the fact is I lost a
+great deal of money in speculating when I went to New Orleans, a few
+months before the murder, and although I have a good deal of property, I
+had no ready money, and I could not work my plantation properly for want
+of it. I had purchased seven slaves from a man in New Orleans, and I
+could not pay for them. He was pressing me for the money, about twelve
+hundred dollars, and I came down to the bank to get the money from
+George. I had only three hundred dollars in bank, and so I gave my note
+for the remainder. While George was counting out the money, I was taken
+with a sort of insanity, and I struck him with a large hammer which
+happened to be at hand. Then I carried off the money and buried it,
+since which time I have never touched it. It has been a curse to me.
+This is all I have to say now."
+
+I turned to Mr. Bannatine and said:
+
+"I have now done all that I can do in this matter, I think."
+
+"Yes, you have completed your task, and the law must now take its
+course," he replied. "Mr. Ringwood, you had better take charge of Mr.
+Drysdale."
+
+Drysdale rose from his chair, wearily, and said:
+
+"I am glad the end has come at last. This affair has been killing me by
+inches, and I am glad I have confessed."
+
+The sheriff then touched him on the shoulder and said that he must go.
+
+"Yes, I am ready," he replied, "but please let me speak a few words
+privately, to Mr. Andrews; I want to send a message to my wife," he
+added, with a sob.
+
+He and Andrews then stepped into the small private office, and Andrews
+closed the door behind him.
+
+"Andrews, my friend," said Drysdale, convulsively, "I beg you to break
+this news to my poor wife. God help her and the children. Tell her that
+I feel better for having confessed, and whatever happens she must keep
+up her courage. Now, my dear friend, good bye. Tell the sheriff to come
+here and take me to jail."
+
+He wrung Andrews' hand warmly as the latter stepped to the door, but
+before the latter had reached us, we heard the ringing report of a
+pistol shot. We made a simultaneous rush for the little room, but we
+were too late. There, quivering on the floor, with a bullet in his
+brain, lay the murderer of George Gordon. The crime and the avengement
+had occurred in the same building, only a few feet separating the spot
+where the two bodies had fallen. The somnambulist had walked on earth
+for the last time.
+
+
+THE END.
+
+
+
+
+THE MURDERER AND THE FORTUNE TELLER.
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER I._
+
+
+One sultry day in the summer of 185-, I arrived in Chicago, from a tour
+I had been making through the Southern States. I had attended to a
+portion of the accumulated business which I found awaiting me, when a
+gentleman entered the outer office and asked one of my clerks whether he
+could see me immediately on some very important business. Mr. Howard saw
+by the gentleman's appearance, that the matter must be one of great
+consequence, and, therefore, ushered the visitor into my private office,
+without asking any questions.
+
+"Mr. Pinkerton, I believe?" said the gentleman, as he advanced toward
+me.
+
+"Yes, sir," I replied; "what can I do for you?"
+
+He took a letter from his pocket and handed it to me. I motioned him to
+be seated, while I read the letter. I found it to be from my old friend
+Chapman, a lawyer in New Haven, Connecticut, introducing the bearer,
+Captain J. N. Sumner. The letter stated that Captain Sumner was a
+resident of Springfield, Massachusetts, near which place he owned a
+farm. He had a moderate fortune, and he was a most estimable man. Mr.
+Chapman had known him for many years, during which time he had always
+borne himself in an upright, straightforward manner, free from all
+reproach. Lately, however, he had become involved in some very serious
+difficulties in the West, and Mr. Chapman had advised him to see me, and
+obtain my assistance in extricating himself from his troubles. Mr.
+Chapman concluded by saying, that he was confident, that, if any one
+could aid the Captain, I was the best person to consult.
+
+I had not seen Mr. Chapman for some years, the last time having been
+while I was attending to some business in which he was interested. He
+was especially noted as a criminal lawyer being employed quite as often
+for the prosecution, as for the defense. We were the best of friends,
+and had cracked many a joke at each other's expense. He did not mention
+the nature of the Captain's troubles in his letters, leaving that for
+the Captain to do himself.
+
+While I was reading the letter, I was aware that the Captain was
+observing me closely, as if desirous of reading my very thoughts. When I
+had finished, I said:
+
+"Captain Sumner, I am glad to meet you. Any one bearing a letter from my
+old friend Chapman, is welcome."
+
+As I spoke, I looked straight at him, and took in his whole appearance.
+
+He was apparently, about fifty years of age, but was very well
+preserved, not a streak of gray being visible in his dark, curly hair.
+He was slightly above the middle height, and his frame was
+proportionally powerful, his limbs being well knit, and muscular. His
+clear, hazel eyes looked frankly out beneath heavy, straight eyebrows,
+while his large Roman nose and massive chin, gave his face great
+firmness and determination. His teeth were white and regular, and his
+smile was unusually sweet and expressive. His face was much tanned from
+long exposure to the weather, and his hands were large and hard. He was
+dressed in a quiet, neat suit of gray cloth, well fitting but easy, and
+there was nothing loud or in bad taste about him. His only articles of
+jewelry were a gold watch and chain, and a seal ring with a peculiar,
+plain stone, worn on the little finger of his left hand. I gazed
+steadily at him for about two minutes, which is about as long a time as
+I need to obtain a correct opinion of a man's character. I was very
+favorably impressed by his appearance, and I prepared to hear his story
+with more interest than I should have had, if he had been a less honest,
+reliable looking man.
+
+He opened the conversation, while I was still looking straight into his
+face.
+
+"Mr. Pinkerton," he said, "I have heard a great deal about you from
+various sources, and I little thought that I should ever require your
+services; but, lately, while consulting Mr. Chapman relative to a
+possible flaw in the title to my farm, I also laid before him some other
+troubles which he acknowledged were so serious as to require the advice
+and assistance of some one with a training and experience somewhat
+different from his. He urged me so strongly to state my case to you, and
+obtain your aid, that I have finally decided to follow his advice, and
+here I am."
+
+"When did you arrive?" I inquired.
+
+"About a week ago. I looked around for a time to see if my difficulties
+had diminished,----"(and he passed his hand nervously through his hair,
+drawing a long breath)--"but I found they had increased, if anything.
+Mr. Pinkerton, when I retired from the sea and settled down on my farm,
+I thought my cares and vexations were over, and that I could find in the
+peace and tranquility of country life, a rich reward for the hardships I
+had endured while earning enough to retire on. My father, also, was a
+sailor many years, and, after passing the best part of his life at sea,
+in like manner, he was able to live his last twenty years in peace and
+content upon his farm; there I was reared, until I was old enough to go
+to sea. I have followed his example; but, instead of enjoying the peace
+he did, I find that my serious troubles are only just beginning. If I
+were at sea, I should have no fears, for there I am perfectly at home.
+No matter how the wind might blow, or the seas roll, I always brought my
+ship through in safety. I could read the signs of the weather, and could
+detect the approach of danger from the elements. I _knew_ my enemies
+were there, and that was half the battle. Here, on land, I find it so
+different; my worst enemies come to me with the smiles and greetings of
+friends; they express the tenderest wishes for my welfare, and shower
+upon me the tokens of their affection; then, having fairly won my
+confidence, they turn upon me when I least expect it, and stab me
+cruelly. I am a plain, blunt man--often irritable and unjust, I
+know--still, I never flinch from danger when I can see it; but, the very
+nature of my bringing up has rendered me unfit to cope with the wiles
+and subtleties of my fellow man. You, Mr. Pinkerton, it is said, have
+the power to see direct to the hearts of men through the shams and
+artifices by which they seek to hide their true characters, and you are
+the only man who can assist me. Oh, I wish I were back on the sea, far
+away from all my troubles. I should care but little if I never
+returned."
+
+He spoke in a low voice, but the tone was clear until the last, when his
+words were very pathetic. As he closed, his head dropped forward, and he
+sat gazing fixedly at his ring in an attitude of mournful retrospection.
+
+"Perhaps you had better wait awhile before telling me your story," I
+suggested.
+
+"Yes," he replied, looking at his watch, "it is now five o'clock, so I
+will defer making my statement until to-morrow; though I should prefer
+to make it now, if I had time. The story is a long one, and I shall have
+to take a considerable portion of your valuable time in telling it. Will
+you please to name the hour when I can meet you to-morrow, to give you
+all the facts in the case?"
+
+I had already become interested in the Captain, and, after thinking for
+a moment how I could best arrange my other business so as to grant him
+the necessary time, I told him to come at nine o'clock next morning. He
+said he would be punctual in keeping the appointment; then stepping
+forward, he took my hand and said, in a very impressive way, "Mr.
+Pinkerton, I shall meet you if I am alive. I am not afraid of death; I
+have met it scores of times, face to face, and have never flinched from
+it; but now I must take care of myself. If I don't come, just look for
+me at my boarding house."
+
+I glanced quickly at him, but could see nothing wrong about his mind.
+His eyes were clear and natural; his whole appearance showed him to be a
+plain, blunt seaman, little disposed to invent imaginary dangers. Still,
+there was in his manner, a deep melancholy which showed me that it was
+not any natural disease that he dreaded, and which caused me to exclaim:
+
+"Why, Captain, you fear death by violence, do you not?"
+
+"Yes," he replied; "but I cannot enter into details at present. I shall
+try to save myself and meet you to-morrow morning, but if I do not come,
+please send my body to Connecticut, to be interred near the rest of my
+family."
+
+He then said good-day and went out, leaving me to speculate upon his
+peculiar behavior, and to wonder what were the dangers which surrounded
+him. I was so much pleased with his frank, manly simplicity that I was
+determined to give him all the assistance in my power.
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER II._
+
+
+At nine o'clock the next morning, Captain Sumner walked into my private
+office, and I immediately locked the door to avoid interruption. I
+noticed that he was apparently much more contented than he had been the
+evening previous; but I said nothing, preferring to have him tell his
+story in his own way. He began immediately, without wasting time in
+preliminaries:
+
+"Mr. Pinkerton, I know that you are always busy, and that time is money
+to you; hence, I shall be as brief as possible. In order to begin right,
+I must go slightly into my family history. My father owned a farm near
+Springfield, Massachusetts, where my mother brought up the family while
+he was away at sea. He was as fine a seaman as ever trod a deck, and
+became Captain in one of the regular lines of East India packet
+companies while I was a mere child. I had one brother who died very
+young, leaving me the only boy of the family. I had two sisters,
+however, Lucy and Annie. My father took me to sea with him when I was
+quite a boy, and he put me through such a thorough course of seamanship
+and navigation that, by the time he was ready to resign his captaincy
+and retire to his farm, I was promoted to the position of first mate in
+the same line. This was in 1836.
+
+"About this time my mother died, and my sisters took charge of the
+domestic affairs of the farm. My older sister, Lucy, now Mrs. W. R.
+Lucas, was twenty-two years old. She was a girl of great firmness of
+character, and she has since proved herself the best of wives, being
+very domestic and fond of home pleasures. Annie, my younger sister, was
+eighteen years of age, and she was then my special pride and delight;
+as, indeed, she has been all her life. She was tall and slender, but
+well proportioned and graceful. Her features were regular and
+expressive, and her complexion was very delicate; yet it has retained
+its freshness until now, instead of fading, as is the case with most
+clear, soft complexions. She was then, and is still, a beautiful woman.
+She was very vivacious and witty, was fond of society, and cared less
+for domestic pursuits than to have a gay time in a large company. She
+was petted and indulged a great deal, being the youngest and a beauty,
+so that she was not often called upon to practice self-denial. It is
+probably partly due to this lack of restraint during her early years
+that she never has had the strength of character and devotion to good
+principles as Lucy."
+
+Here the Captain sighed heavily, and stopped speaking for a minute or
+two. I handed him a glass of ice-water, which he drank mechanically. He
+then continued:
+
+"As I before stated, I became first mate when my father retired. The
+company was a wealthy one, owning a number of ships, so that the chances
+for promotion were very good. My most intimate friend was a young man
+named Henry Thayer. We had long been ship-mates together, and had passed
+through a school of navigation at the same time. He was a thorough
+seaman, a careful, considerate officer, and a true friend. He was a
+general favorite on account of his cheerful disposition, and we soon
+became like brothers. Whenever we returned from a voyage, I would bring
+Henry out to the farm to spend a few days, and, about the time of my
+promotion, I found that he had become warmly attached to Annie. At every
+opportunity, he would run down to see her, and in every foreign port we
+entered, he would be sure to buy some rare and curious present for her.
+His affection was reciprocated by Annie, and one day, after I had made
+two or three short voyages as first mate, I returned to the farm and
+found Annie wearing an engagement ring. I laughingly asked her when it
+was to come off, and she replied, with many blushes, that they were to
+be married on Henry's return from his next voyage. I knew that Annie was
+very fond of gentlemen's society, so I advised her to try to overcome
+her taste for dress and company; since, when she was married, her
+husband would be away from home a great deal, and then it would not look
+well for her to receive much attention in his absence. She seemed to
+acknowledge the force of my remarks, and said that she should do all in
+her power to make Henry happy.
+
+"On returning to New York, I found that Henry had been just appointed
+first mate, and that I had pleased the company so well that they wished
+me to take command of a new ship which they were building. I gladly
+accepted the command, and as the ship was not ready for sea, I returned
+to the farm, where I spent two months. I was somewhat annoyed at Annie's
+conduct occasionally, as she received, and apparently enjoyed, the
+attention of several stylish young men, more than was befitting a girl
+who was engaged to be married. I frequently ran down to New York to
+oversee the rigging of the new ship, so that I did not know much about
+her acquaintances; but once, on my return, I saw a beautiful amethyst
+ring on Annie's finger.
+
+"'Where did you get that ring, Annie?' I asked.
+
+"She laughed gaily and said:
+
+"'Oh! it isn't mine; a gentleman loaned it to me to wear a few days.'
+
+"My impression was, however, that it had been given to her, and I feared
+she was forgetting Henry; so I said:
+
+"'That is a strange way of acting, Annie. You are engaged to Henry, and
+you ought to know that it is a wrong and an insult to him for you to
+receive a present from another young man. If Henry knew of this, it
+would make trouble.'
+
+"She recognized the truth of what I had said, but she was determined not
+to acknowledge that she had done wrong; so she flew into a passion and
+said, as sneeringly as possible;
+
+"'Oh! so you are left here to watch me, are you? Well, then, just report
+to him that I can get a better husband than he is, any day. I am not
+going to shut myself up, like a nun in a convent, for any man.'
+
+"I told her that I had no desire to act the part of a tale-bearer, but
+that I spoke only for her good; her conscience must tell her that she
+was doing wrong. I concluded by asking her to stay more at home, and
+thus prepare for a more domestic life. I did not see the ring after
+this, but Annie was very distant in her manner toward me; her actions
+showed as plainly as if she had spoken, that she considered me in the
+light of an unreasonable guardian, who wished to deprive her of all
+enjoyment. Her giddiness and perverseness caused me much trouble, and I
+greatly feared she would become reckless after my departure. She was my
+favorite sister, however, and no matter how she might treat me, I could
+never lose my love for her.
+
+"The first voyage in my new ship, was a very long one, and, on my
+return, I found that there had been many changes in my absence. Henry
+and Annie had been married for sometime, and Henry was then away at sea.
+As my father had died shortly after the marriage, Annie was living alone
+in New York, where I called upon her. She was pleasantly situated, and
+seemed to have everything that could be wished. Lucy was also married,
+and was living in Morristown, New Jersey. The old homestead had been
+sold at my father's death, the proceeds being divided between my
+sisters. A few thousand dollars were left to me, which I deposited in
+bank with my savings.
+
+"On my return from another long voyage, I was delighted to find Henry at
+home with Annie, and they seemed more devoted to each other than ever.
+After this, I saw Henry but twice--once in Singapore, and once in
+Calcutta. He was then as much in love with Annie, as when he first
+married her, and he said that she made him perfectly happy. The last
+time I met him, he had just been notified that he should be given the
+command of a fine ship on his return to New York; consequently he was in
+high spirits.
+
+"When I next arrived in New York harbor, I made it my first duty to call
+on Annie. Much to my surprise, I found that she was teaching music in
+Brooklyn, at a very high salary. Her musical education had been very
+thorough, so that she was perfectly competent; but I could not see the
+necessity for her to teach. She had had one child, but it had died in
+infancy, and she was living in a fashionable boarding house. I called in
+the evening, intending to ask her to accompany me for a walk, but she
+was surrounded by a brilliant company, among whom were several
+gentlemen, and all were paying her great attention. She was very
+stylishly dressed, and, to my great disgust, she seemed to be coquetting
+with several of her admirers. When I was announced, she led me into the
+library, as if anxious that the company in the parlor should not know
+that a hard-fisted, weather-beaten sailor like me, was her brother.
+Still, she spoke very kindly, and seemed glad to see me. She excused
+herself from going to walk with me on the ground that she had an
+engagement to accompany the rest of the party to the theatre; but she
+said that if I would call some other evening, she would gladly go. I was
+somewhat puzzled by her surroundings and manners, and I determined to
+have a quiet talk with her as soon as possible.
+
+"The next day, I went to Boston on very important business, and, on my
+return, I found Annie plunged into all the gayety and dissipation of New
+York fashionable life. She certainly presented a very elegant and
+stylish appearance; yet, my heart ached as I looked at her. How much joy
+it would have given me to have found her in a quiet little home waiting
+anxiously for Henry's return.
+
+"I talked with her for sometime about her affairs, and urged her to lead
+a more quiet life; but she insisted that Henry approved of her present
+way of living; of course, I could say nothing further.
+
+"'Henry is not as unreasonable as you are,' she would say. 'He knew how
+lonely I would be while he was gone, and, therefore, he told me not to
+mope and pine, but to get into good society, and try to be cheerful and
+happy.'
+
+"Still, I had an undefined feeling that Annie was in danger, and I wrote
+to Lucy about her, asking Lucy to induce her to break away from the gay
+life she was leading. Soon afterward, I went to sea again, and, during
+my absence, Henry was given command of one of the finest ships in the
+line. Two years passed quickly away, but, as I was engaged during that
+time in making short voyages to the West Indies and back, I frequently
+saw Annie in New York. She seemed to grow more and more estranged from
+me, however, and her conduct caused me great anxiety. I had seen some
+things in her deportment, which, though not absolutely wrong, were, to
+my mind, far from proper; besides, she showed a carelessness of
+appearances not at all becoming a married woman.
+
+"My next series of voyages were very long, and I was able to see Annie
+only once or twice in several years. She was now thirty-two years old,
+and was unusually and strikingly handsome. About this time, I returned
+from a long cruise, and found Annie still teaching music in Brooklyn.
+She dressed as elegantly as ever, and seemed very complacent and
+contented. I invited her to take a walk with me, and we went out toward
+one of the small city parks. As she swept along beside me, her features
+all animation, and her eyes sparkling with health and pleasure, I
+thought I had never before seen any one so beautiful. I did not wonder
+that Henry was so proud of her, or that he should indulge her so much.
+We strolled about in the park for a time, and then seated ourselves in a
+quiet spot.
+
+"'How long is it since you have heard from Henry?' I asked.
+
+"'Why, don't you know that we had a quarrel several months ago?' she
+answered, with an effort, her face turning very red.
+
+"'Annie, do you mean that you and Henry have separated?' I asked, very
+much shocked at such news.
+
+"'Yes; that is what I mean. Henry became so strict and unjust with me
+that I complained to him of his treatment. One word brought on another,
+until at last he flew into a violent passion and left me.'
+
+"On hearing Annie relate, in such a cool, off-hand manner, how she had
+driven away one of the best husbands that ever lived, I was perfectly
+thunderstruck. I had feared that something of the kind might happen, but
+now that it had really come to pass, I hardly knew what to do or say.
+
+"'Is it possible, Annie!' I said. 'Where did he go?'
+
+"'I don't know,' she replied; 'he left his ship and went off.'
+
+"'But they know at the office where he went, don't they?' I asked.
+
+"'No; he left his ship at short notice. The company tried to keep him,
+but he would not stay; and, finally, he went off without telling any one
+where he was going,' answered Annie, beginning to cry.
+
+"It seemed to me that she was crying more to avert my displeasure than
+because she missed Henry; but she was my favorite sister, and I still
+loved her. Hence, though I deeply regretted and condemned her actions, I
+could not find it in my heart to characterize her conduct as it
+deserved.
+
+"'Annie, are you not entirely to blame for this? Remember how many times
+I have cautioned you against the course you were pursuing. Tell me what
+led to your separation,' I asked, finally.
+
+"At first she refused to say anything; but, at length, I drew out that
+reports had reached Henry's ears that she was in the habit of accepting
+a great deal of attention from a certain gentleman, and that he
+accompanied her to the theatre very frequently.
+
+"'But,' she said, 'there was nothing wrong in that.'
+
+"Then, on several occasions, Henry asked her to attend the theatre with
+him; but it so happened that she had a severe headache each time. This
+made Henry jealous, and he asked her, tauntingly, why she never had a
+headache when a certain gentleman called. This sneer led to mutual
+recriminations and bitter language on both sides, until Henry went away
+in a towering rage.
+
+"I could see the whole trouble. Henry loved her passionately, and her
+conduct had driven him away in despair. I determined to search for him
+everywhere, in the hope of bringing them again together, and effecting a
+reconciliation.
+
+"The day before I sailed on my next voyage, I saw a beautiful diamond
+ring on Annie's finger.
+
+"'Annie,' I asked, sorrowfully, 'whose ring is that?'
+
+"'Why, mine, of course,' she replied; 'have you never seen it before?'
+
+"'You must have plenty of money to be able to buy such valuable jewelry
+as that,' I said. 'I think you show very bad taste to display it at this
+time, when you know that your folly has driven your husband from you,' I
+added, angrily.
+
+"She hung her head in silence, as if really ashamed, and I went away
+feeling almost guilty for having spoken so harshly to her.
+
+"My next voyage was to the East Indies, and I made inquiries about Henry
+at every port, besides 'speaking' every vessel I met at sea, but no one
+could tell me anything about him. It became evident that he had not only
+left the service of the company, but that he had disappeared from all
+the localities where he was known.
+
+"On my return to New York, I hurried over to see Annie early in the
+evening. She was dressed for the opera, and was evidently expecting some
+one. She was quite surprised to see me, but she threw herself into my
+arms and kissed me very affectionately, as she inquired whether I had
+heard any news of her dear Henry. When I told her of my poor success,
+she pretended to feel very sorry, though she did not apparently allow
+her sorrow to interfere with her enjoyment.
+
+"'Well, Annie,' I said, 'you are dressed to go out somewhere, aren't
+you? Tell me all about it.'
+
+"'Yes,' she replied, 'I intended going to the opera with Mr. Pattmore,
+but if you do not wish me to go, I will remain at home. You must stay to
+meet him; he is one of the most perfect gentlemen I have ever met. He
+belongs in Massachusetts, but he now owns a large hotel in Greenville,
+Ohio. Mrs. Pattmore and I are _such_ good friends, and all the children
+think the world of me. I have been out to visit them in Greenville
+twice, and they made my stay so pleasant that I always speak of their
+house as my home. Mr. Pattmore is in town on business, and I received a
+note from him this morning asking me to go to the opera.'
+
+"Mr. Pattmore came in just then, and we were introduced to each other.
+He was a well-built man of about forty-five years of age, with very
+agreeable, easy manners. His hair and mustache were jet black, and his
+features were rather pleasing. His eyes were large and black, but
+restless and snaky; I noticed that he never looked straight into my face
+when speaking to me. He was dressed in the height of the prevailing
+fashion, and he showed a good deal of jewelry. They both pressed me to
+accompany them to the opera, but as I was not appropriately dressed, I
+declined politely, and they went without me.
+
+"I had previously learned at the office of the company, that they had
+not heard anything of Henry, so I sorrowfully returned aboard my ship,
+almost decided to give up a sea-faring life. I was then fifty years of
+age, and I thought of buying a farm, where I could settle down at my
+ease. I knew that Annie was in a dangerous position for a handsome
+woman--left alone with no one to advise or restrain her--and I wished to
+take her with me, so as to remove her from temptation. I therefore,
+wrote to Lucy, asking her opinion, and requesting her to advise Annie to
+give up her present mode of life.
+
+"Lucy wrote a long letter in reply: she said that she very much feared
+there was something wrong between Annie and Pattmore; when Annie was
+staying at Greenville, Lucy had written twice, asking her to come to
+Morristown, where Lucy lived; Annie had promised to do so, but she had
+never come. Pattmore, Lucy said, was a prominent politician in
+Greenville, and he was looking forward to the nomination for
+congressman. Mrs. Pattmore was a very good woman, of fine appearance and
+agreeable manners; she was very domestic in her tastes and she delighted
+in taking care of her home and children. There were three children
+living, the eldest son being about twenty-one years old, and the other
+two being quite young. Mr. Pattmore's hotel was very well kept and
+popular, and he was supposed to be wealthy.
+
+"Lucy's letter added greatly to the anxiety which I felt about Annie,
+and I was very desirous of resigning my command immediately, in order to
+settle down on a farm with her, and thus remove her from the temptations
+of a gay city. I felt sure that nothing more would be necessary than a
+retired, quiet life for a few months, to prepare her to give Henry a
+joyful and affectionate welcome on his return. Circumstances, however,
+made it impossible for me to give up my ship at that time, and, at the
+earnest request of the directors of the company (in which I had invested
+a considerable portion of my savings) I consented to make one or two
+more cruises. Accordingly, I sailed for the East Indies for the last
+time, and made a very speedy and prosperous voyage. I continued my
+inquiries for Henry Thayer, but was unable to obtain any tidings of him.
+On my return, I called to see Annie, and found her occupying her old
+position as music teacher in Brooklyn. She said that Mrs. Pattmore had
+urged her so strongly to visit them that she had accepted the invitation
+twice during my absence.
+
+"I had hardly reached New York, before I was hurried away again; my ship
+was hastily loaded with a cargo for Rio Janeiro, and I again sailed in
+command. The trip was a speculative venture, which resulted very
+profitably, and, on my return, I asked to be relieved from further
+service. I was then fifty-three years of age, and I needed rest. The
+company treated me very handsomely, and I sold my shares at a high
+valuation. Having settled my affairs with the company, I hurried off to
+see Annie; but I was surprised to find that she had moved to Greenville,
+where she was teaching music to Mr. Pattmore's younger children.
+
+"I had bought a farm near Springfield, Massachusetts, sometime previous,
+and, learning that there was some slight inaccuracy in the deed, I went
+to New Haven to consult a lawyer--your friend, Mr. Chapman--relative to
+the title. While there, I wrote to Annie, asking her to come and live on
+the farm with me. She immediately replied that she was under an
+engagement as teacher for six months, and that she could not leave
+Greenville until the end of that time. She said that Lucy had asked her
+to pay a visit to Morristown, but that she had been obliged to decline
+the invitation for the same reason. In conclusion, Annie begged me to
+visit her in Greenville.
+
+"As soon, therefore, as I had settled my business affairs, I went to
+Greenville to stay a few days. Annie seemed very glad to see me, and
+appeared to be in excellent health. I repeated my proposal, that she
+should come to keep house for me on my farm, and she seemed favorably
+disposed toward the arrangement, though she asked time to think about
+it. I told her that at my death, I should leave her all my property, and
+that, meantime, she should have everything she wished. I also tried to
+talk to her about Henry, but she refused to say much, and seemed
+desirous to believe that he was dead.
+
+"I found that she had very little to do as a teacher, the children being
+too young to study; but she was much attached to Greenville, as, to use
+her own words, 'there were so many fashionable people there.' She used
+to go out driving with Mr. and Mrs. Pattmore, and sometimes with Mr.
+Pattmore alone, often going as far as fifteen or twenty miles into the
+country. I did not at all like the way she was acting, and I determined
+to use every effort to induce her to return to Massachusetts with me.
+This visit, Mr. Pinkerton, took place about two months ago.
+
+"After remaining in Greenville a few days, I went to visit Lucy in
+Morristown. We had a long talk together about Annie, and finally, Lucy
+confided to me that she feared that Annie was _enceinte_.
+
+"'Good heavens, Lucy! that is impossible!' I exclaimed. 'Our family has
+never had such a disgrace cast upon it before; it has always maintained
+its purity. No, no; it can't be possible.'
+
+"'I am not _sure_ of it,' said Lucy; 'but I know there is something
+wrong with her, and I greatly fear that she is a ruined woman.'
+
+"I hardly knew what to say or do, the mere suspicion was such a terrible
+blow."
+
+Here the Captain became greatly affected; the perspiration started on
+his forehead in large beads, and he often made long pauses, as he
+continued. His emotion would sometimes entirely overcome him, so that he
+could not speak.
+
+"Well," he went on, "Lucy wrote to Annie, and back came the answer fully
+confirming the horrid suspicion. Annie freely confessed that she was
+_enceinte_, and that Pattmore was the father of her unborn child. She
+said that she and Pattmore dearly loved each other, and that she could
+not bear the thought of separating from him.
+
+"My first impulse was to curse her and never see her again; but my old
+love for her could not be set aside, and pity soon took the place of
+anger. I could see that Pattmore had thrown a spell around her by his
+fascinating manners, and she was completely under his influence. I
+determined to save her from exposure and disgrace, if possible, and,
+therefore, started for Greenville immediately. I had intended to speak
+to Annie in a severe and indignant tone, but she rushed to meet me with
+such a glad little cry that my anger melted away, and tears sprang
+unbidden to my eyes.
+
+"'Oh! Annie! Annie!' I exclaimed, 'what have you done! How has this man
+acquired such a terrible power over you as to make you forget your
+marriage vows and live a life of infamy with him? Have you no stings of
+conscience? Think how our sainted mother would feel if she could see her
+little Annie in the power of a heartless libertine. Return with me at
+once, and I will forget everything. In the seclusion of my farm, you
+need not fear the fiery tongue of scandal, and I will be a father to
+your child.'
+
+"She stood with downcast eyes while I was speaking, but when I had
+finished she began a vehement defense of her conduct, in the course of
+which she repeated all the usual arguments of those who wish to ease
+their consciences when on the downward path.
+
+"Mr. Pattmore, she said, was a perfect gentleman; he loved her, and she
+returned his affection; it was true, unhappily, that they were both
+married, but nature had intended them for each other, and she preferred
+to obey the laws of nature to those of society; Mrs. Pattmore was a very
+fine woman, but she could not make her husband happy.
+
+"The doctrine of free-love was fully endorsed by Annie, who had learned
+it all by heart, and she advanced the most extraordinary theories in
+justification of her conduct.
+
+"For years, she said, she had held the first place in Pattmore's heart,
+and he had lavished his money upon her freely; the diamond ring I had
+seen, the rich dresses she had worn, a valuable necklace, and many other
+articles of jewelry were among the gifts he had showered upon her; they
+loved each other as husband and wife and as soon as Mrs. Pattmore should
+die, Mr. Pattmore would make Annie his legal wife.
+
+"I saw that she was completely infatuated, but I endeavored to show her
+how false her reasoning was, and to what wicked conclusions it would
+lead. I asked if she had forgotten Henry, who was liable to return at
+any moment; she could not marry until she obtained a divorce. Besides,
+the fact that they were looking forward to, and wishing for Mrs.
+Pattmore's death, was almost equivalent to committing murder, since to
+desire any person's death was morally as bad as to murder that person.
+
+"We had a long conversation, and finally Annie agreed to join me in
+Springfield in a short time. I therefore returned to the farm and
+prepared to settle down. I received no reply to several letters which I
+wrote to Annie, but at last she sent me a short note saying that she had
+changed her mind, and that she should stay in Greenville. I immediately
+replied that I would not permit her to remain there any longer, and I
+then went to consult Mr. Chapman about the matter. He acknowledged that
+he could do nothing, as Annie was her own mistress; but he advised me to
+see you, Mr. Pinkerton, and obtain your advice and assistance. As it was
+a very delicate matter, affecting the honor of my family, I did not like
+to speak about it to a third party, as I feared that the story might be
+made known publicly, and Annie's reputation would then be ruined. I
+therefore told him that I should not consult you if I could possibly
+avoid doing so.
+
+"While I was inwardly debating what was best to be done, I received a
+note from Annie, asking me to come to her, as she feared that something
+serious was about to happen. I went at once to Greenville, and found
+that she had decided to remove the evidence of her guilt by performing
+an abortion. I tried hard to dissuade her from a step which might result
+in her own death, but she was resolute in her determination not to wait
+for the child's natural birth. She said that if I would stay with her
+until she recovered, she would return to Springfield with me and never
+see Pattmore again. She spoke very feelingly about Henry, and she seemed
+so deeply and truly penitent that I was finally won over to her wishes,
+and I agreed to stay with her until she had an operation performed. I
+determined to take her to stay with Lucy, at Morristown, at first, and
+she accordingly prepared to leave Greenville.
+
+"She had a long private interview with Pattmore before leaving, and when
+she came out I saw she had been shedding bitter tears. As I stepped to
+the office desk to pay my bill, I saw Pattmore in the clerk's room back
+of the office, and he, too, seemed very much dejected. I could hardly
+keep my hands off his throat when I recollected his villainy; but I
+curbed my temper by a great effort, as I knew that a personal encounter
+between us would only publish my sister's shame to the world. On our
+arrival in Morristown, Lucy and I had a long talk with Annie, which was
+far from satisfactory to me, as I saw that she was still infatuated with
+Pattmore.
+
+"I thought best to go some distance away from the places where we were
+known during Annie's trial, and I therefore brought her to Chicago. Here
+I obtained board in a very respectable family, where there were only a
+few other boarders. Annie did not show her condition in her appearance
+at all, and no one could possibly have suspected her. I found a
+physician named Enfield, who was a noted operator in such cases, and
+Annie at once placed herself under his treatment.
+
+"I knew that I was about to assist in committing a great crime, yet I
+felt that I must shield Annie at all hazards, and so I yielded to her
+wishes in the matter. Enfield was an expert in such matters, and, in a
+short time, he brought Annie through in safety. She was recovering fast,
+when one day, on entering her room, I found Pattmore there. I went out
+instantly, as I was afraid to trust myself in the same room with him;
+but, when he had gone away, I besought Annie never again to admit him to
+her presence. She would make no promises, and finally, she fell back in
+a swoon. On recovering, she said that she would die if she could not see
+Pattmore, and I was obliged to drop the subject until she should become
+stronger. Pattmore remained in town two days, and she insisted on having
+him with her a great deal of the time.
+
+"I fear that you will consider me very weak and foolish for permitting
+this; but I have never been able to refuse Annie anything. I knew,
+moreover, that, in such a case, harsh measures would only add fuel to
+the flame, and so I continued to humor her, trusting, that in time, she
+would gradually recover her normal condition, and see the folly of her
+conduct.
+
+"Pattmore told her, during his visit, that he was in great hopes of
+receiving the democratic nomination to Congress; and, as the democratic
+party had a large majority in that district, the nomination would be
+equivalent to an election. He also said that his wife was in failing
+health, and that she seemed to grow weaker every day. I could see by
+Annie's manner, when she told me this, that she hoped to be Pattmore's
+partner in enjoying the gay life of the National Capital, though she
+did not say so directly.
+
+"One day, she brought up the subject of wills, and said that she thought
+every one owning property, ought to make a will. She said that otherwise
+a man's property, in case of sudden death, might be eaten up by the
+lawyers and court officials. I admitted the justness of her remarks, and
+told her that I should follow her suggestion. I was obliged to go East
+on business for a few days at this time, and, on the way, I left a
+letter and package with Pattmore, which Annie had asked me to deliver.
+While in New Haven, I employed Mr. Chapman to draw up my will. Lucy had
+asked me to leave all my property to Annie, as she had enough for
+herself and children, while Annie had no one to look to for an honest
+support, except myself; accordingly, I made my will in that way.
+
+"On my return to Chicago, I hurried to our boarding house to see Annie,
+and, to my intense disgust, I found Pattmore with her. The sight of him
+fondling my poor sister, was too much for me: and, although I succeeded
+in restraining myself from doing him any personal violence, I used the
+most severe language possible in characterizing his villainy, and in
+expressing my contempt for him. I concluded, by telling him that the
+affair must end then and there; that he must never address my sister
+again, or attempt to see her; and that if he dared to disregard my
+demand, he must take the consequences. They both hung their heads
+guiltily, while I was speaking, and when I closed, Pattmore quitted the
+room without a word. I found that he left town the same day.
+
+"I also went out of the house immediately, being too excited to talk
+calmly to Annie; but I returned after supper, and reasoned with her as
+gently as possible on the impropriety and wickedness of her conduct. She
+seemed to feel very sorry, and was so penitent that my hopes of saving
+her, rose considerably. She promised, with tears in her eyes, to
+overcome her unholy love for Pattmore, and never to see him again. I
+noticed, however, that when I spoke of my efforts to obtain tidings of
+Henry, she was very indifferent; but she promised to return to
+Springfield with me as soon as she was able to travel, and matters began
+to look more cheerful for the future.
+
+"A day or two after, she received a letter from Pattmore, saying that
+his wife was seriously ill, and that the physicians considered her life
+in danger.
+
+"'What is the matter with her?' I asked.
+
+"'I don't know,' she replied; 'Mr. Pattmore does not state what is her
+disease.'
+
+"I then spoke very harshly about Pattmore, and said that he, above all
+other men, was hateful to me, because he had ruined her. She replied in
+his defense, and, as our conversation seemed likely to become bitter, I
+walked out to allow time for both our tempers to cool off. On my return,
+I found that Annie had gone out for the first time, since her illness,
+but she soon came in, saying that she had taken a short walk for
+exercise. She had regained her good humor, and seemed more like herself
+than she had for sometime. She again brought up the subject of wills,
+and I told her that I had made my will while I was in New Haven. She
+asked me about it, and I told her that I had made her my sole legatee,
+and that she would be in comfortable circumstances when I died. She
+seemed very much pleased at this, and said I was a dear good brother;
+but she hoped it might be a long time before she should become heiress
+to my property.
+
+"'Who knows?' she said, laughing; 'perhaps I may die first.'
+
+"'That is possible,' I said, 'but not probable. In the course of nature,
+I ought to die many years before you; and sailors are proverbially
+short-lived.'
+
+"'Oh, nonsense!' she replied, 'you are so salted and tanned that you
+will last fifty years yet.'
+
+"She then skipped gaily into the next room and brought out a bottle of
+ale, to reward me, as she said, for being good. She poured out a glass
+for each of us, and we drank to each other's good health. In about half
+an hour I became very sick; I vomited and retched terribly, while my
+bowels seemed to be on fire. The weather was very warm, and I attributed
+my illness to some fruit I had eaten, which the ale had disagreed with.
+I suffered agony all night, but toward morning I became quieter and the
+pain gradually left me.
+
+"At daylight I casually glanced at my ring, and I was surprised to see
+that the stone had turned to a creamy white--a sure sign that my life
+was in danger. You will call me foolish and superstitious, I know, but I
+cannot help it. A belief in the virtues of this ring is a part of my
+very nature, and it has always been an unerring guide to me. This ring
+invariably predicts my good or bad fortune." And so speaking, the
+Captain held the ring out for me to see it.
+
+I looked him straight in the face, expecting to see some signs of
+insanity, or at least monomania, in his eyes, but there were none. He
+was evidently perfectly rational, and this belief was apparently as
+natural to him as a belief in a hereafter, or in any other religious
+doctrine, is to other people. After a short pause, as I glanced at the
+ring, he continued:
+
+"Now, you can see nothing strange in that stone, Mr. Pinkerton, but I
+can. From its appearance I can obtain warning of approaching good or bad
+fortune. Away out at sea, when a storm is coming, the stone turns black;
+when enemies are near me it turns the color of blood; and when I am in
+danger of death, it becomes a creamy white.
+
+"My father once saved the life of a Sepoy soldier, and, as a mark of
+gratitude, the latter presented my father with three rings of wonderful
+powers. The Sepoy said that he had obtained them from a Hindoo hermit,
+far out in the jungle. I have long tried to find other rings possessing
+the same qualities, but have never succeeded. One of these rings was
+buried with my mother, one with my father, and I have the third."
+
+I looked at the ring carefully, but could see nothing remarkable about
+it. The stone was an opal, set in a heavy gold band, peculiarly chased;
+but, aside from the popular superstition with regard to opals, there was
+nothing which would lead me to suppose that it possessed any exceptional
+powers.
+
+"When I saw you last," continued the Captain, "I meant to have asked you
+to have this ring buried with me, in case I died; but I was afraid you
+would consider the request too foolish. I wished it buried with me
+because I did not wish Annie to have it."
+
+"But why do you think Annie would take it?" I asked.
+
+"Because I know she wants it," replied Captain Sumner. "She thinks that
+it would enable her to make Pattmore love her always, and so she wishes
+to own it. Now, I think Pattmore is a villain, and I wish to separate
+her from him and destroy his influence over her. Therefore I do not wish
+her to get the ring, since its possession will induce her to continue
+her connection with that man."
+
+I confess that I did not know what to make of the Captain. If he was
+insane, he certainly had the most impenetrable mask over his insanity
+that I had ever seen. His eyes were so bright, clear and honest, that
+the most experienced physiognomist in the world would have failed to
+observe the slightest trace of cunning, or want of a balanced mind in
+their expression. During the progress of his story he had continually
+held his ring where he could see it, and several times had raised it to
+the light, in a contemplative sort of way, as if he drew some
+satisfaction from its appearance. He bowed his head in his hands as he
+ceased speaking, and some moments elapsed before he looked up, though
+when he did so he was perfectly calm.
+
+"Captain, did you find the ring of any practical value at sea?" I asked.
+
+"Yes; often it has apprised me of a coming storm in time to prepare for
+it. I have thus passed in safety through many sudden gales of the
+approach of which I have been warned only just in time to save my ship.
+My men always had perfect confidence in my ability to weather the
+heaviest gale."
+
+"Well, Captain, if you should give that ring to me, would it be equally
+prophetic in my hands?" I asked.
+
+"But I will not give it to you nor any one else; nor will I part with
+it, even in death if I can help it," replied the Captain. "The Sepoy
+told my father, that he must never allow the rings to go out of his
+family, as they would then lose their powers. I know that the fancy
+seems strange to you, and, no doubt, you think I am not exactly sane;
+but I have proved the power of the ring so often, that I know its
+virtues, and believe in them. I may be able to satisfy you of its value
+by a practical demonstration yet."
+
+I saw that he was not insane, but terribly superstitious, so I made no
+further remarks about the ring. He drew his chair closer toward me, and
+said in a low, painful whisper:
+
+"Mr. Pinkerton, I have positive knowledge that _Annie has attempted to
+poison me three times_. She put poison in that ale; she afterwards gave
+me some in a cup of coffee; and, the third time, it was administered so
+secretly, that I do not know when I took it. The first time, I recovered
+because the dose was too large, and I vomited up the poison so soon that
+it had not time to act. The second time, I took only a sip of the
+coffee, and found that it tasted bitter, so I threw it away, though the
+little I had taken distressed me exceedingly. The third time, I nearly
+died, and it was only by the prompt attendance of a physician that I was
+saved. He said it was a metal poison which probably came off from a
+copper kettle in which some fruit had been cooked. Neither he, nor any
+one else, ever suspected that I had been poisoned intentionally. When I
+recovered, I accused Annie of trying to poison me; she denied it
+vehemently at first, but I said to her:
+
+"'Annie, the ring tells me that I have an enemy near me, and you must be
+that enemy.'
+
+"I spoke as if positive of her guilt, and, as she is a firm believer in
+the ring, she finally burst into tears and confessed having given me
+poison at three different times. On her knees, she begged my
+forgiveness, and thanked God that my life had been spared. She was so
+broken down by the thought of her unnatural and wicked purpose, that I
+feared that she would have a relapse into sickness. She seemed so wholly
+contrite, that I thought she would never undertake such a terrible crime
+again, and I freely forgave her."
+
+I looked at the Captain in perfect amazement, hardly able to credit my
+own senses.
+
+"Can it be possible," I asked, "that your sister admitted that she had
+tried to poison you?"
+
+"Yes," replied the Captain; "and she said that Pattmore had encouraged
+her to put me out of the way. He had told her that he would marry her
+when his wife, (who was now dying) was dead; that I was bitterly opposed
+to him, and would never consent to their marriage; that if she would
+poison me, they would be married and go to California to live; and,
+therefore, that it would be well for her to poison me before Mrs.
+Pattmore died."
+
+"What!" I exclaimed, "is Mrs. Pattmore dying? What is her disease?"
+
+"I do not know," replied the Captain; "but I fear that _she, also, has
+been poisoned_."
+
+"How long is it since you had this talk with Annie?" I inquired.
+
+"About three days ago, and she has been sick abed with excitement and
+remorse ever since. She says that she expects to hear of Mrs. Pattmore's
+death at any time, and she is sure that Pattmore has poisoned her. Mr.
+Chapman told me, when I last saw him, Mr. Pinkerton, that you were the
+only person who could help me; and so I have come to you to save Mrs.
+Pattmore and my sister. I feel that Mr. Chapman was right, Mr.
+Pinkerton, and I beg you to give me your assistance--I will pay you
+liberally."
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER III._
+
+
+When the Captain had finished his almost incredible story, I hardly knew
+what to make of it. It was impossible to doubt his word; yet it seemed
+almost equally hard to believe that his sister could have tried to
+murder him. Pattmore's intention of killing his wife in order to marry
+Annie, was another piece of cold-blooded villainy which was almost past
+belief. The question frequently came into my mind: Are all the parties
+in their right minds? After I had thought about the matter in silence a
+few minutes, I said:
+
+"Well, Captain Sumner, yours is certainly a strange case, and I cannot
+give you any answer until I have had time for reflection. Return in
+three hours and I will then tell you my decision. I will help you if I
+possibly can do so."
+
+He rose to go, but stopped a moment as he reached the door, and said,
+with the utmost simplicity and confidence:
+
+"I _know_ you can help me if you will do so, and no one else can."
+
+After he had gone, I sent a man to the Captain's boarding house with
+instructions to learn all he could about the boarders. He reported that,
+among others, there was a Captain Sumner boarding there with his sister,
+Mrs. Annie Thayer. My detective also learned many things about the
+Captain and his sister which corroborated the account given by the
+Captain. Having satisfied myself that the Captain's story was true--in
+part at least--I sat down to reflect upon the strange medley which he
+had told me.
+
+Mrs. Thayer had, undoubtedly, committed a serious crime against her
+husband, besides making the attempt on her brother's life; but I could
+not have her punished, for her brother's object was to save her from the
+ruin in which her downward course would probably end. Pattmore, however,
+was a dangerous man, and it would be necessary to proceed with caution
+in handling him. He seemed to be a villain at heart, and it was probable
+that he only sought Mrs. Thayer's society in order to gratify his
+sensual passions. Perhaps the Captain's suspicion, that Mrs. Pattmore's
+illness was caused by poison administered by her husband, was correct;
+if so, it would be necessary to act at once, before she should become
+his victim. It was barely possible that he might intend to get a divorce
+from his wife and then marry Annie; but I did not consider this
+supposition a very probable one. He wished to be elected to Congress,
+and he would not dare to give such an opportunity for scandal as would
+ensue if he attempted that course. No; poison had been his reliance in
+one case, and he would not scruple to make use of it again. Mrs. Thayer
+was probably well informed as to all his plans, but, evidently, she
+would not willingly divulge anything prejudicial to her lover. Her
+brother was clearly unable to compel her to confess anything, or he
+would not have applied to me. Moreover he could refuse her nothing, and
+he would certainly object to any attempt to force her to give evidence
+against her will. He admitted that she was weak, vain and thoughtless;
+that she had been false to her husband; and that Pattmore had completely
+bewitched her; yet the Captain resolutely stood between her and harm.
+
+She could tell all of Pattmore's secrets if she were so disposed, and it
+would be easier to get information out of her than out of him; the
+question was--how shall I go about it?
+
+I reflected that she was very superstitious, as shown by her belief in
+the Captain's ring; it occurred to me that I might take advantage of
+that trait of her character to draw her secrets out. Why could I not
+introduce a fortune-teller to her, and thus learn all I wished to know?
+The idea seemed to me to be admirably adapted to the necessities of the
+case. I sketched out, in my mind, a skeleton plan of operations about as
+follows:
+
+I should entrust the case to one of my female detectives; she would be
+posted upon all the points of Mrs. Thayer's history; she would be
+required to learn enough of astrology, clairvoyance and mesmerism, to
+pass for one of the genuine tribe; the plan would be so arranged that
+Mrs. Thayer would voluntarily consult this fortune-teller, who would
+soon gain a complete ascendency over her superstitious nature by
+revealing to her all her past life; finally Mrs. Thayer could be brought
+to tell all she knew of Pattmore as a means of aiding the sibyl to read
+her future.
+
+This plan seemed to me the most feasible of any, and I therefore decided
+to adopt it in working up the case against Pattmore. After all, he would
+be the one against whom my efforts would be directed, Mrs. Thayer being
+only an unconscious instrument in bringing him to justice. In case it
+could be shown that he had actually attempted to murder his wife, I was
+determined that he should not escape the swift vengeance of the law.
+
+Just as I had concluded my deliberations, the Captain hurried into my
+office, the perspiration standing in great beads on his forehead.
+
+"Mr. Pinkerton, I fear we are too late!" he exclaimed in a husky voice.
+"Annie has just received a telegram from Mr. Pattmore, saying that his
+wife is dead."
+
+"_Dead!_" I repeated. "Is it possible! When did she die?"
+
+"To-day," he replied.
+
+"It will be an easy matter to discover the cause of her death," I said,
+after a moment's pause. "We must have a _post mortem_ examination held."
+
+"That may be possible," replied the Captain; "but you must recollect
+that Pattmore has a great many friends in Greenville; that, in fact, he
+is a prominent candidate for the Democratic Congressional nomination;
+and, even if he were supposed to be guilty, the party would make a
+strong fight to protect him, as they could not afford to have him
+exposed."
+
+"Is it possible that he has so much influence as that?" I asked.
+
+"Oh, yes," said the Captain; "he is a brilliant speaker, and a very
+agreeable man socially, so that he makes many friends. He is such a wily
+scoundrel that I fear we shall have great difficulty in tracing any
+crime directly to him. I do not care whether he is convicted or not,
+provided I can rescue Annie from his clutches. He has apparently cast a
+spell over her, and she is wholly controlled by him."
+
+"If that is the fact, we must use strategy, and undermine his plot with
+a deeper one. I will accept a retainer from you, Captain, and then we
+will proceed to work up the case."
+
+The financial part of the arrangement having been adjusted, I gave the
+Captain some advice as to what he should do. I told him that he must
+place implicit confidence in me, and not try to interfere in any manner
+with my plans. If he could not do this, I should withdraw at once. He
+must come in to see me often and keep me well informed; but he must not
+expect me to tell him about my plans, any further than I should see fit.
+I should try to show Pattmore's villainous character to Annie, and if I
+could gather sufficient evidence that he had poisoned his wife, I should
+bring him to justice. I then told the Captain that he ought to have a
+quarrel with Annie, at the end of which he should burn his will in her
+presence, and leave her; on going out, he should tell her that he
+intended immediately to deposit his ready money in bank, and make a will
+wholly in favor of Lucy. This would prevent Annie from again attempting
+his life, as she would have nothing to gain by his death.
+
+The Captain was satisfied to accept my conditions, and he said that he
+had full confidence in my ability. All that he desired was to save Annie
+from the power of Pattmore, and from the ruin which would inevitably
+result from their further intercourse. He then went home to have his
+quarrel with his sister.
+
+I determined to send a detective named Miller, to Greenville, to obtain
+board at the Pattmore House, and, if possible, to become intimate with
+the proprietor. This part of my plan would require prompt action, as
+Pattmore might succeed in removing all evidences of his guilt. I
+therefore, sent for Mr. Miller, and went over all the facts of the case
+with him, giving him full instructions as to his duties. He was to hail
+from Bangor, Maine, and to represent that he wished to start in the
+lumber business in Greenville, if the prospects were good. I told him to
+post himself thoroughly upon the qualities and prices of all kinds of
+lumber, lath, shingles, etc., and to read up the local history of
+Bangor. To make matters easier for him, I gave him a letter of
+introduction to a lumber dealer in Greenville, with whom I was well
+acquainted. The next day, Miller was ready, and he took passage to
+Buffalo by steamer, going thence to Greenville by rail. He then took a
+room at the Pattmore House, and soon became acquainted with the
+proprietor.
+
+The same day that I gave Miller his instructions, I sent for Miss
+Seaton, one of the detectives in the female department, and ordered her
+to make arrangements to take board in the same house with Captain Sumner
+and Mrs. Thayer. Miss Seaton was a brunette, about twenty-seven years of
+age; she was of agreeable appearance and pleasing manners; she had been
+a school teacher, and was a good judge of human nature. Mrs. Warne, the
+superintendent of the female department, said that Miss Seaton was very
+sharp, and that nothing could escape her piercing black eye. She was to
+cultivate Mrs. Thayer's acquaintance, and endeavor to win her
+confidence. This would probably be a difficult task; but I told Miss
+Seaton to be patient and discreet, and not to be discouraged, if she
+should not be immediately successful. By pretending to be in poor
+health, she could obtain Mrs. Thayer's sympathy, and their progress
+toward intimacy would be accelerated. Miss Seaton immediately moved to
+the City Hotel, whence she set out to look for a boarding place. By a
+curious coincidence, she could not satisfy herself until she came to the
+house where Mrs. Thayer was boarding on the North side. There she found
+a pleasant room adjoining Mrs. Thayer's, and it suited her exactly. That
+evening at supper, she was introduced to her fellow boarders, of whom
+there were only three besides the Captain and his sister.
+
+The employment of female detectives has been the subject of some adverse
+criticism by persons who think that women should not engage in such a
+dangerous calling. It has been claimed that the work is unwomanly; that
+it is only performed by abandoned women; and that no respectable woman
+who becomes a detective can remain virtuous. To these theories, which I
+regret to say are quite prevalent, I enter a positive denial. My
+experience of twenty years with lady operatives is worth something, and
+I have no hesitation in saying that the profession of a detective, for a
+lady possessing the requisite characteristics, is as useful and
+honorable employment as can be found in any walk of life.
+
+Previous to the early part of 1855, I had never regularly employed any
+female detectives; nor were women engaged in that capacity in any part
+of the Union. My first experience with them was due to Mrs. Kate Warne,
+an intelligent, brilliant, and accomplished lady. She offered her
+services to me in the early spring of that year, and, in spite of the
+novelty of her proposition, I determined to give her a trial. She soon
+showed such tact, readiness of resource, ability to read character,
+intuitive perception of motives, and rare discretion, that I created a
+female department in the agency, and made Mrs. Warne the superintendent
+thereof.
+
+The work of my female detectives is generally light. Zeal and discretion
+are the principal requisites, though conscientious devotion to duty, and
+rigid obedience to orders, are also essential. They are expected to win
+the confidence of those from whom information is desired, and to lose no
+opportunity of encouraging them to talk about themselves.
+
+With regard to the moral influence of their duties, I say boldly that it
+is in no respect different from that of any other position where women
+are thrown upon their own resources. It is an unfortunate fact in our
+social system, that no single woman or widow, dependent upon herself for
+support, can escape a loss of caste and position by working in the great
+field of business where she comes in competition and contact with men;
+but, aside from this general prejudice, there is nothing in the
+detective's duties to make her profession less respectable and honorable
+than there is in the duties of a lady cashier, book-keeper, copyist, or
+clerk. The detective's temptations are no greater than those of any of
+the foregoing who mingle with men in their daily business; while, on the
+other hand, the safeguards of their virtue are much more numerous, since
+all the detectives of my agency know that their conduct is under
+constant surveillance.
+
+There are instances of frequent occurrence where great criminals are
+successful in hiding all traces of their guilt so effectually as to make
+their conviction impossible without the aid of the female detective.
+Most of these men have wives or mistresses in whom they confide to a
+great extent. The testimony of these women, then, become the sole means
+by which to convict the criminals, and their testimony can be obtained
+in only one way--a female detective makes their acquaintance, wins their
+confidence, and draws out the story of the crime. Such an instance is
+given in "The Expressman and the Detective," hitherto published.
+
+I have in my employ several ladies of unquestionable purity of life, who
+are also among the most successful operators on my whole force. I take
+pleasure in offering this tribute to their ability, and their spotless
+characters.
+
+The next day the Captain called to see me, and said that, according to
+my advice, he had quarreled with Annie about Pattmore, and had worked
+himself into a great rage. Finally, he had torn up and burned his will,
+saying that he should immediately make another, leaving everything to
+Lucy.
+
+"So far, so good," said I; "she now will have no motive for poisoning
+you, so you can rest in peace."
+
+The Captain stated further that he had deposited in bank a few hundred
+dollars which he had brought with him, so that he felt comparatively
+safe for the present.
+
+That evening Miss Seaton reported that Mrs. Thayer had left the house
+shortly after the Captain. Miss Seaton had followed her to the
+post-office, where Mrs. Thayer had deposited a letter, and had received
+another at the ladies' window. She had immediately torn it open, read
+it hastily, and crumpled it in her hand, while slowly walking home. I
+was very anxious to know to whom she had written, and also who had
+written to her. I immediately wrote to Miller to watch Pattmore's mail,
+and to learn whether there were any letters in it from Chicago. If so, I
+wished him to obtain a view of the handwriting, and, if possible, to get
+possession of the letters themselves long enough to take copies of them.
+
+The next morning Captain Sumner came in again, but he had nothing to
+report.
+
+"Does Annie write much?" I asked.
+
+"No, very little," he replied.
+
+"Does she correspond with Lucy?"
+
+"Sometimes, but not regularly."
+
+"Did she not write a letter two days ago?" I inquired.
+
+"No," answered the Captain; "but why do you ask?"
+
+"Oh! for no particular reason; however I wish you would write to Lucy
+and inquire whether she has received a letter from Annie lately; also
+whether she has written to Annie."
+
+"Certainly, I will do so now," said the Captain, and, he straightway sat
+down to write to Lucy.
+
+In a few days, the Captain received a letter from Lucy stating that no
+letters had passed between her and Annie for over a month. This made it
+certain that Lucy was not Annie's correspondent.
+
+Miller sent in a report about the same time, saying that he had become
+slightly acquainted with Pattmore, who was deeply mourning the death of
+his wife. Even the mere mention of her name was sufficient to draw
+tears to his eyes, and her loss had so severely affected him that his
+friends were afraid he would never be the same man that he had been
+during her life.
+
+Miller had expressed an intention of opening an office in Greenville,
+and Pattmore had given him some valuable advice and information relative
+to the lumber market in the interior. Since getting my letter, Miller
+had noticed that Pattmore had received four letters from Chicago. Miller
+said that he had not been able to obtain possession of these letters,
+but he should make a great effort to capture those which might come in
+the future. He had taken pains to cultivate the friendship of the clerk
+of the hotel, and he was on such good terms with him as to find it
+convenient to pass a great deal of time in the office. He had noticed
+that when the clerk received the mail, all of Pattmore's letters were
+put into a particular box behind the desk, and he hoped to be able to
+secure some of them.
+
+I had devoted a large amount of thought to this singular case, and I
+finally decided that I would go to Greenville in person. I determined to
+see the coroner and find out what kind of a man he was. If possible, I
+should induce him to have Mrs. Pattmore's body exhumed and an inquest
+held upon it.
+
+I had previously written to Mr. Chapman to obtain further information
+about the Captain and his family, and had mentioned his superstitious
+belief in the ring. I said that I was not afraid of losing money, as the
+Captain offered me more than my usual scale of prices; but the Captain's
+story and his great superstition led me to think that he was a "wee bit
+daft," and that there was insanity in the family.
+
+Mr. Chapman replied that he had known the Captain's father and mother
+intimately, but there had been no sign of insanity in any of their
+actions. They had been, however, firm believers in their rings, and had
+had the rings which they had worn buried with them. They had been
+clear-headed, religious people, and it was surprising that they should
+have had such a superstitious faith in the power of those opal rings.
+The Captain had always been an honorable, straight-forward man, but he
+and his sister were even more superstitious than any of the others.
+
+"Well," I thought, on reading Mr. Chapman's letter, "the whole family
+are a strange medley; but I think I can turn their superstitious
+credulity to good account, in any efforts to learn whether Pattmore
+poisoned his wife."
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER IV._
+
+
+As soon as possible, I started for Greenville, to see the coroner; on my
+arrival, I was so fortunate as to meet Mr. Wells, an old friend, who had
+formerly been sheriff of the county. He offered to introduce me to his
+successor, Mr. Tomlinson, who had once been his deputy. Mr. Wells was
+quite wealthy, and had retired from business. Mr. Tomlinson was an
+honest, hard working carpenter, who was thoroughly reliable and zealous.
+Neither of these gentlemen, however, had the shrewdness nor the
+experience necessary to detect criminals of the character and ability of
+Pattmore. They were perfectly competent to attend to the small thieves
+and swindlers of the district, but they were wholly ignorant and
+unsuspicious of the means by which daring and skillful villains carry
+out their plans and hide the evidences of their crimes.
+
+They knew Mr. Pattmore well, as he had resided in Greenville for seven
+years. They stated that he was a scheming politician who could not be
+depended upon, and that he was trying to get the Democratic Nomination
+for congressman. Probably, he would not succeed, but he was spending
+money freely, and he would, therefore, be apt to get some good office.
+He was not wealthy, but he kept his hotel well, and did a large
+business. Mr. Wells thought that he used all his money as fast as he
+made it, either in trying to get votes, or in some other way outside of
+his business. His wife had been generally esteemed by a large circle of
+acquaintances.
+
+I told Mr. Tomlinson that I should like to see the coroner, and have him
+investigate the causes of Mrs. Pattmore's death.
+
+"Oh! that will be easy," he replied, "as I know Van Valkenburgh, the
+coroner, very well, and we are on good terms. He is a warm friend of
+Pattmore,--in fact, they are boon companions. He spends most of his time
+in idling about the Pattmore House, and only yesterday, they went
+driving together."
+
+"I am sorry to hear that," said I; "for he will not wish to do anything
+to injure his friend. How can I get an inquest called?"
+
+"I don't know," said Mr. Tomlinson.
+
+"Suppose that I should make an affidavit under an assumed name and hand
+it to you, could you not serve it on the coroner as a complaint which
+required his attention?" I asked.
+
+"No; that would not do, as it would involve me in difficulty," replied
+the sheriff; "but if I should hear people talking about the death of
+Mrs. Pattmore, and hinting at foul play, it would be my duty to lay the
+matter before the coroner. Then he, as a friend of Pattmore, could not
+do otherwise than order an inquest."
+
+I determined to act on this suggestion, and I therefore telegraphed to
+Mr. Bangs, my General Superintendent, directing him to send two of my
+detectives, Mr. Green and Mr. Knox, to meet me at the Clarendon House in
+Greenville. They left Chicago by the next train, and when they arrived
+in Greenville, I instructed them to go into the office of the hotel and
+begin a conversation about Mrs. Pattmore's death; having told them what
+I wished them to say, I sent them in. I had previously arranged that Mr.
+Tomlinson should be present. Accordingly, they took seats in the main
+hall in front of the clerk's desk, near which there was a large group of
+guests and citizens, and began to talk in loud tones.
+
+"Well," said Knox, "there are more cases of death by poisoning than you
+would suppose. Now, there was a case in this town, only a short time
+ago, in which I think that poison was used."
+
+"Oh! you mean Mrs. Pattmore," said Green. "Yes, that was a very
+suspicious affair. Was anything done about it?"
+
+"No," replied Knox; "but every one, who knows anything about the
+circumstances of her death, believes that she was poisoned."
+
+My men were soon surrounded by an excited crowd, all of whom were
+anxious to know the grounds upon which their suspicions were based. They
+replied in vague terms and insinuations, as if they knew a great deal
+more than they would tell. The news that Mr. Pattmore was suspected of
+having poisoned his wife, was soon buzzed all through the Clarendon
+House; and, as soon as the excitement had become general, my men slipped
+away and joined me in my room.
+
+Sheriff Tomlinson was immediately appealed to by many citizens to
+require the coroner to investigate the matter, and he finally went to
+the coroner's office, accompanied by quite a crowd. When the coroner
+was informed of the reports in circulation, he became quite indignant.
+
+"What! _Pattmore poison his wife!_" he exclaimed. "Why, he fairly doted
+on her, and, since her death, he can hardly assuage his grief. He is a
+gentleman in every sense of the word, and his character ought to be a
+sufficient protection against so gross a slander. This is a contemptible
+invention of his political opponents. I will soon vindicate him,
+however. I shall have Mrs. Pattmore's body exhumed, and shall call an
+inquest. Then, if any one has any charges to make, there will be an
+opportunity for them to come forward. I will not consent to see a friend
+of mine so vilely slandered."
+
+Coroner Van Valkenburgh immediately wrote an order to have Mrs.
+Pattmore's body disinterred, and, also, a call for an inquest the
+following day. He had become very indignant at the idea of connecting
+his friend, Pattmore, with such a hideous crime: he, therefore, hurried
+over to tell Pattmore of the rumors, and of the prompt measures he had
+taken to prove their falsity. He drew Pattmore into a private room and
+told him all that he had heard and done. He expected that Pattmore would
+thank him heartily for his friendly action; but, instead, Pattmore's
+face turned very white, and he asked who it was that had spread the
+rumors. The coroner said that the sheriff and several prominent citizens
+had called upon him to investigate the rumors that were circulating at
+the hotels and on the street. Pattmore became very much excited when he
+heard this, and paced up and down in a nervous, irritable manner.
+
+"Well," said Van Valkenburgh, "I will have the body exhumed to-morrow,
+and when we have disproved the calumny, this scheme of your enemies will
+do you more good than harm."
+
+"Yes," said Pattmore; "but my love for my wife is far above all other
+considerations. It is shocking to think that her body must be torn from
+the grave to refute the vile slanders of my political opponents. I do
+not know what course you usually pursue in such cases, but I would not,
+for the world, have her remains exposed to the gaze of a cruel,
+heartless crowd of strangers."
+
+Mr. Pattmore's feelings quite overcame him, at the thought of such
+desecration, and he wept.
+
+"I'll take care of that," said the sympathizing coroner; "I will have
+Dr. Forsythe make the examination, and his testimony will be sufficient
+for the jury."
+
+"Well, I shall be satisfied with any arrangements you may make," said
+Pattmore. "I hope a good jury will be summoned; I do not wish my wife's
+body to be examined by a lot of curiosity seekers."
+
+"Your wishes shall be attended to," replied the coroner. "I know who are
+your friends and I will summon no one else to sit on the jury."
+
+"Van Valkenburgh," exclaimed Pattmore, seizing the coroner's hand, "I am
+your friend for life!"
+
+He then led the way to the bar-room and invited the coroner to drink.
+
+Miller was standing in the bar-room as the coroner and Pattmore passed,
+and noticing a haggard, pallid expression on the latter's face, he
+stepped up and said:
+
+"Why, what's the matter Pattmore? Has anything gone wrong with you?"
+
+"No, Mr. Miller, nothing very serious. Some of my enemies have started
+a story that I am responsible for my wife's death; but, of course, there
+is not a word of truth in it. The coroner has taken the matter in
+charge, and his verdict will soon set at rest these scandalous lies.
+There is nothing too sacred for these political harpies and ghouls: they
+literally have dragged the loved dead from the grave in the hope of
+injuring my reputation. Well, time will show my innocence."
+
+So saying, Pattmore pressed Miller's hand warmly, as if overcome with
+emotion, and passed into the office. Mr. Green and Mr. Knox were
+watching him, and when he went up stairs, he was followed by Knox, who
+saw him go into his room. Knox immediately came down stairs and passed
+across the street to a corner where I had agreed to wait for him. Having
+heard his report I said:
+
+"Mr. Knox, you are a stranger here, so you had better go back to see
+what Pattmore is doing. You can stumble into his room, as if you had
+mistaken it for your own. Be quick!" I added, as he started, "for we
+must keep watch of him every minute until the inquest has been held."
+
+"Knox rushed into the hotel, ran up stairs and hastily entered
+Pattmore's room, where he found Pattmore writing a letter.
+
+"Oh! I beg pardon," said Knox, "I have mistaken the room," and so
+saying, he withdrew and returned to me.
+
+"So he is writing a letter, is he?" said I. "We must learn the contents
+of that letter, and I have not a minute to lose. Knox, find Green and
+Miller and bring them over here at once. Thank goodness, it is getting
+so dark that we shall not be noticed."
+
+Knox was off like a shot, and in a very few minutes all my men were with
+me.
+
+"Green," I said, "go to your hotel, pay your bill, and proceed to the
+Pattmore House. When you register your name, you must hail the clerk as
+an old acquaintance. This will be an easy matter, as hotel clerks are
+known by hundreds of people. Miller, you must be in the office at the
+same time, and you must both remain there until Pattmore puts his letter
+in the mail-box. Then, Green you must ask the clerk out to take a drink,
+and while you are gone, Miller must get possession of the letter. When
+you have secured it, come over to the Globe Hotel, where I am stopping."
+
+Green hurried off to the Clarendon House to get his carpet-bag, and
+Miller returned to the Pattmore House. I also sent Knox to watch
+Pattmore, and to follow him wherever he might go, until he retired for
+the night.
+
+Soon after Miller reached the office, Pattmore came down stairs with a
+letter, which Miller carefully scrutinized, so as to be able to
+recognize it among a group of others.
+
+"Has the mail for the West closed yet?" asked Pattmore.
+
+"No," replied the clerk, "there is still about an hour to spare."
+
+Pattmore then dropped his letter into the mail-box and went out. At this
+moment Green stepped up to the desk, registered his name, and asked for
+a room. As the clerk was attending to his room and baggage, Green
+looked intently at him, as if trying to recall his name. Then, stepping
+forward, he said, cordially:
+
+"Why, how are you? When did you come here? Let me see; the last time I
+saw you was at a hotel in Buffalo, wasn't it?"
+
+This was a lucky guess, for the clerk replied:
+
+"Havn't you seen me since then? Why, I left there over a year ago."
+
+"Well, I'm right glad to see you again," said Green; "step into the
+bar-room and take a 'smile' with me."
+
+"I can't very well leave the office just now," said the clerk.
+
+"Oh, yes you can," said Green; "your friend there will look after the
+office for a few minutes; come along."
+
+"Wait here until I come back, will you?" the clerk asked Miller, as he
+went off with Green.
+
+[Illustration: "_As soon as the clerk had left the office, Miller
+quietly extracted Pattmore's letter from the box._"--Page 157.]
+
+As soon as the clerk had left the office, Miller quietly extracted
+Pattmore's letter from the box. He had marked its appearance so well
+that he only needed one glance to identify it and he secured it so
+quickly that none of the crowd outside the desk noticed any movement on
+his part. In a few minutes the clerk returned to the desk, and Miller
+lounged out into the bar-room, whence he hurried over to meet me at the
+Globe Hotel. He there gave me the letter, which was addressed:
+
+
+                  "Mrs. Annie Thayer,
+                            "Chicago,
+                                "Illinois."
+
+
+I carefully opened it by a simple process, which did not leave any
+evidence that the envelope had been tampered with. The letter began: "My
+own dear Annie," and the writer went on to caution Mrs. Thayer that she
+must not be alarmed at the news he was about to tell her. He said that
+some of his enemies had started a report that he had poisoned his late
+wife. He had no doubt that the Whig newspapers would spread and magnify
+these reports; still, he had no fears that they would be of any
+permanent injury to him, since his friend, coroner Van Valkenburgh, had
+agreed to hold an inquest, and there would be no difficulty in proving
+his innocence. He begged her to excuse the haste and brevity of the
+note, as he only had time to dash off a few lines to assure her that all
+was well, and to warn her not to become alarmed at anything she might
+see in the newspapers. The letter was signed: "Ever your loving and
+devoted husband,
+
+ALONZO PATTMORE."
+
+
+"Well, this is certainly strange," I meditated. "Her 'devoted
+_husband_,' eh? How can that be? He has had no opportunity to marry her
+since his wife died; hence, unless he committed bigamy, this title of
+'husband' is only assumed in anticipation; yet Mrs. Thayer is,
+undoubtedly, beautiful and winning, and she may have induced him to ease
+her conscience by a form of marriage, even while his legal wife still
+lived. I must look into this more closely on my return to Chicago."
+
+I then re-sealed the letter and gave it back to Mr. Miller, with
+instructions to return to the hotel and keep a general watch on all that
+went on. He was not to mail the letter until early the next morning. As
+Miller went out Knox came in.
+
+"Well, Knox, what news?" I asked.
+
+"Mr. Pattmore has gone away in a hack," replied Knox, breathlessly.
+
+"What direction did he take?"
+
+"He drove off at a rapid rate toward the southern part of the town, and
+I could not keep up, nor get on behind. I took the number of the hack,
+though," answered Knox.
+
+"That was right," I remarked, as Knox paused to get his breath.
+
+"It was number fifty-two, and the driver seemed to be an Irishman. He
+looked like a genial, half-grown, young fellow, and I do not think I
+shall have any difficulty in pumping him when he returns, as I know
+where his stand is."
+
+"Right again," I exclaimed. "Now you had better wait around there until
+the hack returns; then get into conversation with the driver, and ask
+him to take a drink in the nearest saloon; while you are talking with
+him, you can easily learn where Pattmore went."
+
+It was ten o'clock when Knox left me, and, as I was greatly fatigued, I
+went to bed immediately. Shortly after midnight, Knox again awoke me.
+
+"What news?" I asked, starting up. "Did you succeed in learning anything
+from the hackman?"
+
+"Yes," replied Knox; "he returned a little before eleven o'clock, and I
+asked him whether he knew where there were any young ladies I could
+visit. He said that he knew several places. I then asked him to take a
+drink while we talked about it. I said, I judged, from his appearance,
+that he was just the young fellow who could take me where I wanted to
+go; that I was crossing the street to employ him in the early part of
+the evening, when he was taken by another gentleman, who probably went
+to the same kind of a place that I wanted to find. This had confirmed my
+opinion of the hackman, so I had decided to await his return. 'By the
+way,' I added, 'was I right about that gentleman?' The driver laughed
+loudly, and said that that was Mr. Pattmore, and that he did not go to
+such places. He went on to say that Mr. Pattmore's wife had been dead
+only a few days, and he supposed that Mr. Pattmore had gone out to pay
+the grave-digger, since his visit had been made to that individual at
+the graveyard gate."
+
+"Did the boy say whether Pattmore saw the grave-digger?" I asked.
+
+"Yes," continued Knox; "I pumped out all that the young fellow knew. The
+grave-digger lives in a little shanty close by the graveyard, and, on
+arriving there, Pattmore called the fellow to one side, and conversed
+with him in a low tone for some time. He then paid him some money,
+entered the hack, and told the boy to drive straight back to the
+Pattmore House, where Pattmore discharged the hackman. I drew this
+information out of the boy very easily, without appearing to take any
+special interest in the story. I then told him to drive me to some quiet
+house where I could meet some young ladies. He took me to a place near
+here, and I paid him off immediately, saying that I should spend the
+night there. As soon as he was out of sight, I came straight here,
+without going into the house at all."
+
+"By Jove!" I exclaimed, "we shall have some rough work to-night, and we
+must be quick, too. Go over to the Pattmore House, find out from the
+register what room Green is in, and wake him up as soon as possible.
+Tell him to come here, being careful that no one notices him, and to be
+sure to bring his pistols. You have yours, have you not, Mr. Knox?"
+
+"Yes; do you expect to need them?"
+
+"It is quite possible, as we shall have some risky work to-night. I will
+meet you outside, and you must tell Green to prepare for a march.
+Luckily we are all good walkers."
+
+Knox hurried away, and, in a short time, both of my detectives joined me
+in the street. We then hired a hack and drove to within half a mile of
+the graveyard, where I paid off the hackman, and we entered the grounds
+of a residence, standing some distance back from the road. My object in
+entering these grounds, was to make the hackman believe we were stopping
+there; otherwise, his curiosity would have been excited as to my reasons
+for going into the country at that hour of the night. As soon as the
+hack was out of sight, we returned to the highway, and, after a brisk
+walk, we reached the graveyard.
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER V._
+
+
+The resting places of the dead are localities which I do not much care
+to visit in the night. In the day time it is different; there is a holy
+calm about a cemetery then which impresses me with a feeling of rest,
+and I can really enjoy an hour or two in quiet contemplation of the
+monuments and humble head-stones of a large burial ground. But in the
+night, even the least superstitious person in the world will be awed by
+the solemnity pervading our cities of the dead, and will quicken his
+pace as the wind rustles mournfully through the shrubbery. I never
+should care to go into a grave-yard at night, as a matter of choice; but
+business is business, and must be transacted, no matter how unpleasant
+the surroundings may be.
+
+The first difficulty I encountered on entering the Greenville cemetery,
+was, that I did not know where Mrs. Pattmore's grave was located. We
+therefore separated to the distance of about one hundred yards, and
+advanced through the underbrush across the grounds. We arranged, before
+starting, to meet at a certain tall tree, which stood up against the sky
+in the dim starlight. Green had gone only a few rods when he came upon
+three men. Their smoky lantern threw a ghastly light upon their work,
+and they were so busily engaged in digging that they did not notice him.
+He quickly withdrew and hurried after me. It was some time after he
+overtook me before we could find Knox, but we finally met and returned
+to the place where the body-snatchers were at work. It was evident that
+they were professionals, for they had worked so rapidly as to have
+nearly succeeded in getting the coffin out of the grave.
+
+A thrill of horror even now goes through me as I think of that night;
+the white tomb-stones stood forth among the foliage, by which they were
+surrounded, like sheeted ghosts, and the waving leaves gave them the
+appearance of weird shapes in fantastic motion. The light of the lantern
+feebly glimmered in one direction, and the body-snatchers flitted about
+like restless ghouls preparing for a horrible banquet. We approached as
+quietly as possible, and, on emerging from the cover of a copse of hazel
+bushes, we made a general rush forward. The ghouls were too quick for
+us, however, and they ran away at a break-neck speed which we did not
+dare to imitate. They had the great advantage of knowing every foot of
+the ground, while we were continually obliged to dodge around some
+obstruction. First, Knox stumbled headlong over a low grave, and then I
+became entangled in some trailing vines. As I regained my feet, I saw
+Green rising from an encounter with a chain which had tripped him, and
+we simultaneously abandoned the chase. It was clearly useless to follow
+them further, but we fired at them with our revolvers in the hope of
+frightening them into a surrender. One of them instantly stopped,
+returned our fire, and then continued his flight. This satisfied me that
+they were old hands at the business of grave-robbing, and that they were
+not to be scared by long-range pistol practice. After watching for a
+couple of hours, I returned with my men to the city, being convinced
+that the body-snatchers would not make another attempt to rob the grave.
+As I walked back, I tried to account, in my own mind, for this new move
+of Pattmore. I could not see the advantage to be gained by the removal
+of Mrs. Pattmore's body, and I retired to rest with that problem still
+unsolved.
+
+Being greatly fatigued, it was eight o'clock next morning before I
+awoke. While I was at breakfast Mr. Miller came in, but he had nothing
+to report, except that Pattmore seemed greatly troubled, and looked very
+haggard. I ordered Miller to watch Pattmore closely, and to engage him
+in conversation as much as possible. I then went in search of Sheriff
+Tomlinson, whom I soon found. Believing him to be a thoroughly
+trustworthy man, I related to him all that had occurred the night
+before. He was much astonished at my story, and said that he was sorry I
+had not asked him to accompany me, as he knew the graveyard well. If the
+body-snatchers had been caught, they might have been able to give very
+important testimony at the inquest. Pattmore might have been held to
+appear before the grand jury on their testimony alone.
+
+"Yes," I replied; "no one regrets their escape more than I do; but I am
+almost equally annoyed by the fact that I cannot reach a satisfactory
+conclusion as to Pattmore's motive in having his wife's body carried
+off. Of course, if the coroner's men should have found the body gone,
+every one would suspect Pattmore of having had it removed. However, I
+propose to solve the mystery in some way. By the way, Mr. Tomlinson,
+when do you expect the body to arrive?"
+
+"It will be here by eleven o'clock, and the men having it in charge,
+will take it directly to Coroner Van Valkenburgh's office."
+
+"I suppose he will impanel a jury," I remarked.
+
+"Certainly," the sheriff replied; "and it would be well for you to be
+present to watch the proceedings. Pattmore must be made to face the
+music in some way."
+
+Accordingly, I watched the coroner's office until I saw the hearse
+arrive, and, when the coffin was carried in, I followed it. The
+coroner's assistants reported that some body-snatchers had been at work,
+and had attempted to steal Mrs. Pattmore's body, having succeeded in
+getting the coffin nearly out of the grave; but they had evidently been
+interrupted, as they had left all their tools behind, and had not tried
+to open the coffin. They had been more successful in another case,
+however; the body of a woman had been taken from a grave in the Potter's
+Field, (which was devoted to paupers, etc.) and had been carried to a
+spot near Mrs. Pattmore's grave. The supposition was that the robbers,
+wishing to procure female subjects for dissection, had chosen those two
+graves as containing the bodies of persons who had most recently died.
+
+On hearing this story, I saw through the trick at a glance. The sheriff
+was in the office, and I beckoned to him to join me outside.
+
+"Mr. Tomlinson," I said. "I wish you to send a man to the graveyard to
+learn the name of the other woman, whose body was found; get a
+description of her age, height, size, and general appearance, as I feel
+sure that Pattmore's intention was, to substitute her body for that of
+his wife."
+
+"By Jupiter! that's so!" exclaimed Mr. Tomlinson; "but I should never
+have thought of that. I will attend to your request myself, while you
+can remain here to watch the proceedings before the coroner. I will go
+to the cemetery and make a thorough investigation. It is my duty to
+become acquainted with all the facts in the case," and he started off,
+accompanied by Mr. Green, whom I sent with him.
+
+In a short time, Pattmore walked into the office and sat down. He wore a
+martyr-like expression, and, though he controlled his feelings
+sufficiently to appear outwardly calm, I could see that, inwardly, he
+was racked with fear and nervousness.
+
+The coroner hastily impaneled a jury, consisting wholly of Pattmore's
+personal and political friends. The coffin was then opened, as a matter
+of form, and the jury merely looked at the rapidly decaying corpse.
+Pattmore refused to look at the body, on the ground that he did not wish
+to mar the sweet memories of his beloved wife's features, which he had
+seen only in the flush of life and beauty, even by a glance at her
+merely mortal remains in their present condition.
+
+Dr. Forsythe testified that he had attended the late Mrs. Pattmore in
+her last illness, and that dysentery was the cause of her death. He was
+corroborated by another physician who had been in consultation with Dr.
+Forsythe during the last day or two of the patient's life. As no other
+witnesses were called, the jury immediately returned a verdict that
+Mrs. Pattmore's death had resulted from natural causes; namely,
+dysentery.
+
+I was watching Pattmore closely during the interval before the verdict
+was delivered, and I saw plainly that, in spite of the farcical
+character of the inquest, he was in a state of nervous dread lest
+something unforeseen should occur to reveal his criminality. When the
+verdict was read, an expression of relief and triumph came into his
+face, and he received the congratulations of his friends like a man who
+had just escaped a great danger. I had too little evidence to warrant me
+in showing my hand at that time, by accusing him in person;
+nevertheless, I was satisfied of his guilt, and I decided to use other
+means to bring him to justice.
+
+In about an hour, Sheriff Tomlinson returned from the graveyard, with
+Mr. Wells and Mr. Green. They had made notes of the condition in which
+they had found Mrs. Pattmore's grave, and they had written out a full
+description of the other corpse found near by. The body was that of a
+woman of about the same size, age, and general appearance as Mrs.
+Pattmore.
+
+I had heard of an eminent physician in Greenville, named Dr. Stuart. On
+inquiring for him, Mr. Tomlinson took me to the doctor's office and
+introduced me. He was a man of great ability, and he had a high
+reputation throughout the West as a scientific analytical chemist.
+
+I at once laid the facts in the Pattmore case before him, and said that
+I wished him to analyze carefully the contents of the stomach and bowels
+of the late Mrs. Pattmore, in order to determine whether she had been
+poisoned. I said that it was a difficult case to undertake, owing to
+Pattmore's political influence; but I felt sure that a thorough
+investigation would establish his guilt beyond question.
+
+The Doctor replied that, under most circumstances, he should hardly feel
+inclined to comply with such a request, since he had no right to make
+such an analysis, unless he had the consent of the relatives of the
+deceased; or, upon the coroner's order. Still, he had a natural desire
+for fair play, and the facts which I had presented to him seemed to
+point toward the possibility that a foul crime had been committed;
+hence, he would perform the analysis, provided that his action should
+never be made known to any one, until he should be called upon to
+testify in court. Of course, if no trace of poison should be found, the
+theory of death by that means would have to be abandoned, and his
+connection with the affair need never be disclosed.
+
+"I have never met you before, Mr. Pinkerton," concluded Dr. Stuart, "but
+your reputation is well known to me, and I feel sure that you would not
+have made this request unless there were strong reasons for such action.
+I have full confidence in you, and I will give you all the aid in my
+power. Where is Mrs. Pattmore's body now?"
+
+"It is in the coroner's office," I replied, "and it will be taken back
+to the grave in about an hour."
+
+"Well, Mr. Pinkerton, can't you obtain possession of it in some way? I
+shall only want it for a short time."
+
+"That is what puzzles me," I replied; "I am afraid Pattmore will follow
+the body to the grave."
+
+"Then, if he should do so, can't you get two men who know how to handle
+a shovel quickly, to disinter it a second time?" asked the Doctor.
+
+"Yes; I will take two of my own men," I said; "I can trust them more
+than any one else."
+
+"Oh, nonsense!" exclaimed the Doctor, laughing, "you can do better than
+that. You had better offer the regular grave-diggers ten dollars to
+leave the body a short time in your possession before burying it; or, if
+Pattmore should insist upon seeing it buried, they can easily disinter
+it for you, and it will take me only a short time to remove the
+intestines. I shall then seal them up for the present, as I am too busy
+to make the analysis just now; but when I shall have finished my present
+work, I will take up this case. You can depend upon hearing from me at
+the earliest possible moment."
+
+It was then arranged that Mr. Wells and sheriff Tomlinson should be
+present to witness the removal of the bowels from Mrs. Pattmore's body;
+the sheriff further decided to give an official order for the analysis,
+so as to protect Dr. Stuart in case of any accident. If any signs of
+poison were found, the Doctor's charges would be paid by the county;
+otherwise I should be responsible for the amount. I then went out to see
+the grave-diggers, and used such convincing arguments that they
+willingly agreed to disinter the body. My arguments were brief, but
+cogent, and were presented to them about in the following way:
+
+"Mr. Grave-digger, you look like a man of discretion, who knows how to
+open his hands and shut his mouth. I wish to obtain the body of the late
+Mrs. Pattmore for a short time. I will give you several excellent
+reasons why you will be willing to let me have it. In the first place,
+I will give you twenty-five dollars for the job; secondly,----"
+
+"Wa-al, I guess you needn't go any furder," drawled the grave-digger,
+with a knowing wink; "twenty-five o' them reasons are enough for me; so
+just tell me where you want the body, and I'll see that it's
+forthcoming."
+
+I have always found that half the argument may be dispensed with if the
+matter is only _presented in the proper light_.
+
+In accordance with the agreement, therefore, the body was again taken
+from the grave in the presence of Mr. Wells, Sheriff Tomlinson, Dr.
+Stuart, my detectives, and myself; the necessary parts were removed by
+the Doctor, and the body was re-buried; finally, the Doctor placed the
+portions which had been removed in a jar of alcohol, and it was then
+sealed up to await the Doctor's analysis.
+
+Of one thing I felt certain; and that was, that the regular
+grave-diggers and the body-snatchers of the night before were the same
+persons; hence, I feared that they might give Pattmore information of
+our proceedings. I communicated my opinion to the Sheriff, and suggested
+that a slight hint from him might induce the men to keep silence for
+their own protection. Accordingly he spoke to them about the occurrence
+of the previous night, and said that for the present he did not intend
+to make any investigation to learn who were the body-snatchers on that
+occasion.
+
+"But," he added, significantly, "if I ever discover that Mr. Pattmore,
+or any one else, has been informed of this action which I have just
+taken, I shall consider it my duty as Sheriff, to bring to punishment
+immediately the men who attempted to rob this grave last night--_and I
+don't think I shall have any trouble in finding them_."
+
+While returning to the city, I impressed upon Sheriff Tomlinson the
+necessity of procuring all the evidence that could be reached relative
+to Mrs. Pattmore's death. I asked him particularly to find the nurses
+who attended her, and to learn all that they could tell about the
+symptoms of the patient; the kind and amount of medicines administered;
+the effect of the doses; and, in general, all the particulars of Mrs.
+Pattmore's illness and death. The Sheriff promised to do all in his
+power, and Mr. Wells also agreed to give his assistance in bringing out
+the whole truth.
+
+On arriving at the Globe Hotel I met Miller, who gave me a copy of a
+letter which Pattmore had written to Mrs. Thayer, as soon as the
+coroner's jury had given their verdict. The letter contained a brief
+account of the inquest and the finding of the jury. It said that she
+could understand his feelings of great relief that all had turned out so
+well for him. The letter was signed, as in the former case, "Your loving
+husband."
+
+Mr. Miller said that Pattmore's manner had wholly changed since the
+close of the inquest; before he had been morose and irritable; now he
+was all vivacity and good spirits. One of his first acts, after the
+verdict had been given, was to write the above-mentioned letter, which
+Miller had secured as before. Having taken a copy of it, Miller had
+mailed it in the general post-office.
+
+"You have done very well, Mr. Miller," I said, "and I wish you to
+remain here to watch Pattmore's movements and intercept his letters. I
+shall return to Chicago to-night, and you must inform me by telegraph if
+Pattmore leaves here."
+
+Having completed all my arrangements, I returned to Chicago, taking Knox
+and Green with me.
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER VI._
+
+
+My first action, on reaching my office, was to send for Mrs. Kate Warne,
+the Superintendent of the Female Department of my force. She made a full
+report of all the work in her charge during my absence, and brought up
+among other cases, that of Captain Sumner.
+
+"Miss Seaton," said Mrs. Warne, "reports that she has progressed
+somewhat toward an intimacy with Mrs. Thayer, but that she has learned
+very little except by observation. Mrs. Thayer seems to be greatly
+troubled at times, but she is very reserved, and does not appear anxious
+to make any one her confidant. She goes to the post-office regularly
+twice a day, but she rarely goes anywhere else. Once she went to a
+druggist's store, but, being unable to get what she wanted, she entered
+another one and purchased a small package."
+
+"Has Miss Seaton been able to examine any of Mrs. Thayer's trunks or
+bureau drawers?" I asked.
+
+"Only once," replied Mrs. Warne; "she succeeded in getting into one of
+her trunks, and there found an immense quantity of letters signed
+'Alonzo Pattmore,' some of them dating back several years."
+
+"Were they long, sentimental and--in short, were they to be classed
+under the head of love letters?" I asked, with a smile.
+
+"Yes; Miss Seaton so reports them."
+
+"Well," I said, "let her continue to watch Mrs. Thayer, and to seek to
+win the latter's confidence. By the way, what kind of books does Mrs.
+Thayer read?"
+
+"Oh! anything that is romantic."
+
+"Then, tell Miss Seaton to get 'Eugene Aram' and read it. She can make
+such allusions to it as will make Mrs. Thayer wish to read it too. The
+effect of the story on her mind will, perhaps, prepare her for the train
+of thoughts which I wish to excite in her."
+
+"Oh! that reminds me," said Mrs. Warne, "Mrs. Thayer complains that she
+sleeps very poorly, and dreams a great deal. She has been wondering
+whether she talks in her sleep."
+
+At this moment, one of my clerks entered and said that Captain Sumner
+wished to see me. I immediately sent word that he could come into my
+private office; at the same time, I requested Mrs. Warne to step into
+the next room for a few minutes, as I should need her, as soon as the
+Captain had gone. When the Captain entered, I was busily engaged in
+examining some papers, and I greeted him as if he were an old friend
+whom I had not seen for months.
+
+"Why, how are you, Captain Sumner?" I said, shaking his hand, warmly. "I
+am delighted to see you."
+
+"I'm pretty well," he replied; "but have you heard the news?"
+
+"No; what news?"
+
+"Read that," he said, handing me the Greenville _Advocate_, and pointing
+to an account of the inquest on Mrs. Pattmore's body.
+
+The paper contained a full report of the coroner's proceedings, and an
+editorial on the subject. The editor spoke in the highest terms of
+Pattmore, and congratulated him on his triumphant vindication. I read
+all that the _Advocate_ contained relative to the case, and then
+remarked:
+
+"I wonder who started that investigation."
+
+"I can't imagine," replied the Captain; "though, as the paper says, the
+story might have been originated by his enemies, for mere political
+effect."
+
+"Yes; that is possible," I replied; "but there was no use in attempting
+anything of that kind. The result must have strengthened him, even among
+his opponents."
+
+"I am afraid so, too," said the Captain. "We shall have a hard time in
+obtaining any proofs of his guilt, now that he is so popular."
+
+I saw that the Captain did not suspect that I had been connected, in any
+way, with the Greenville inquest; I therefore, changed the subject.
+
+"Well, it will all come out right, if you have patience. How is Mrs.
+Thayer?"
+
+"Not at all well," he replied; "she is very restless, and she complains
+of being nervous; besides, she is more reserved with me than ever. Don't
+you think I had better try to induce her to go home with me? I should
+feel more comfortable if she were on the farm in Connecticut, as she
+would then be out of Pattmore's power. Sometimes I think there is no use
+in trying to reform her; for, she seems so infatuated with that man that
+I only wonder she has not run away with him before now. I know that she
+will marry him at the first opportunity."
+
+"We must prevent that," I replied; "for the present, I think she had
+better remain here."
+
+I then asked the Captain to excuse me a moment, and, stepping into the
+next room, I called my stenographer to the door; by leaving the door
+ajar, the conversation between the Captain and myself could be easily
+heard in the next room. The short-hand writer, therefore, was able to
+take down everything that was said. Returning to the Captain, I
+commenced a friendly chat, in the course of which, I led him on to talk
+about his family. I especially desired to draw out the particulars of
+Annie's history, and the honest old gentleman talked so freely that I
+obtained a very full account of all that he knew about her. In the
+conversation which we had about his own affairs, the Captain gave me the
+following story to account for the fact that he was an old bachelor:
+
+"It seems somewhat strange," he said, "that I am unmarried, as I have
+always been a great admirer of the fair sex; but, the fact is, I had one
+strong affection, and that has lasted me all my life. The last time I
+was with her, she promised to be my wife, and we pledged ourselves to be
+eternally faithful to each other. I sailed for Singapore the next day,
+and, on my return, I was to lead her to the altar. I felt that I had
+secured a prize far beyond my merits, for she seemed to be superior to
+me in every way. The days dragged along slowly and wearily, while on the
+voyage; but, at length, we returned to New York. I immediately hurried
+up from the landing-place, all impatient to see my sweetheart. As I
+passed up the dock, I met an old acquaintance.
+
+"'Where away so fast?' he asked, as he stopped me.
+
+"'I am going to see Miss Curtis,' I replied.
+
+"'Why, she married a rich banker, six months ago,' he said.
+
+"'Oh! did she?' I exclaimed; 'I am glad she was so fortunate.'
+
+"Then I returned aboard ship, feeling completely crushed. Since that
+time I have never paid attention to any other woman, for I can never
+forget her. Once afterward I met her on Broadway, on her way to her
+carriage. She nodded carelessly, with a 'How d'ye do, John?' and was
+quickly whirled away out of my sight. I have never heard from her since
+then.
+
+"After the Captain had told me everything about Annie and himself that
+he could recollect, I asked him to excuse me, pleading an important
+engagement at that hour. As soon as he had gone, I requested my
+stenographer to write out his notes in long hand as quickly as possible,
+and I returned to consult with my female superintendent.
+
+"Mrs. Warne," I said, "we shall have a difficult task in working upon
+Mrs. Thayer; she seems to be very reticent and wary. I have decided to
+attack the superstitious side of her nature, which seems to be her
+weakest point; and, in order to do so successfully, I shall need your
+services. How do you think you would succeed as a fortune-teller?"
+
+"A fortune-teller!" she exclaimed, laughingly; "that is certainly a new
+_role_; however, I think I might learn to take the part after a few
+lessons."
+
+"Yes," I replied, "the tricks of the trade are easily learned. Here is
+a book which explains all the secrets of the profession. It is called
+'The Mysteries of Magic and the Wonders of Astrology; by Dr. Roback.'
+You can take it to read at your leisure; but, after all, the costume and
+make-up are the principal things necessary. You will be obliged to trust
+largely to your own judgment and tact in working upon Mrs. Thayer's
+feelings. I suppose she has some vague ideas about astrology, etc., but
+I have no doubt of your ability to mystify her thoroughly. One thing is
+certain, Mrs. Warne, that we must have a fortune-teller of our own, and
+I do not know of any one so competent as yourself. I will rent an office
+for you near by, and the duties will interfere very little with your
+other work."
+
+"I will undertake it," she said, decidedly, after a moment's thought; "I
+will make it a success, too, if you will give me my own way about it."
+
+"All right," I answered; "success is all that I require."
+
+Mrs. Warne then withdrew to make her preparations.
+
+In a day or two I received a letter from Miller. He said that the talk
+over the inquest was gradually subsiding; that there were some few
+persons who were not fully satisfied with the manner of conducting the
+inquiry, but that the general effect had been favorable to Pattmore;
+that the latter had began to drink a great deal, though not enough to
+become intoxicated; that he, (Miller,) had been taken into Pattmore's
+confidence to a considerable extent; and that the latter had expressed
+an intention of going to Cincinnati to make a visit. In conclusion, he
+said that Pattmore was doing his utmost to appear cheerful, but that he
+looked very haggard, and seemed to be in great trouble.
+
+Miss Seaton reported to Mrs. Warne the same day, that she was becoming
+more intimate with Mrs. Thayer, though the latter manifested no desire
+to take any one into her confidence. The day previous Mrs. Thayer had
+gone to the post-office, where she had received a letter, as usual. She
+had torn it open, as if very anxious to learn the news it contained for
+her, and had then crumpled it nervously in her hand, after reading it.
+
+Miss Seaton also described a scene which had taken place that morning.
+Mrs. Thayer was in her room about eleven o'clock; soon afterward Miss
+Seaton went to the door and knocked. No answer being given, she went in
+quietly, intending to surprise Mrs. Thayer. She found the latter deeply
+absorbed in telling her own fortune with a pack of cards. Miss Seaton
+laughed pleasantly, and said:
+
+"So you were telling your fortune, were you? Well, how did it come out?"
+
+Mrs. Thayer looked somewhat confused at first, but she gathered up the
+cards mechanically, and said:
+
+"I don't know how to tell my fortune; do you?"
+
+"Yes, indeed, I used to be a splendid fortune-teller," replied Miss
+Seaton. "Let me try to tell your fortune."
+
+She then shuffled the cards, dealt them in three piles, and turned up
+the last card, which happened to be the queen of hearts.
+
+"Now let us see what your fortune _has_ been, what it _is_, and what it
+_will_ be," said Miss Seaton. "You are represented by the queen of
+hearts; this pile contains your past; that one your present; and the
+third your future."
+
+So saying, she turned up the top card of each pile. By an odd
+coincidence the present and future were both clubs, the past being a
+diamond.
+
+Miss Seaton said, gravely:
+
+"Your past has been pleasant, but your future is unpromising."
+
+"Yes, it is always so," replied Mrs. Thayer, despondently.
+
+Then, as Miss Seaton was about to go on, Mrs. Thayer threw all the cards
+into a heap, saying:
+
+"No, I don't want to hear any more; I shall have the same luck
+throughout; clubs always come to me."
+
+"Have you always had such bad fortune?" asked Miss Seaton.
+
+"Oh! no; only a few years ago, I used to be as happy as a bird; sorrow
+was unknown to me, and one enjoyment seemed to pass away only to be
+succeeded by another. Now I have nothing but trouble all the time."
+
+"Your lot seems hard," remarked Miss Seaton, in a sympathizing tone;
+"probably you feel worse since your husband has been dead."
+
+"Dead!" exclaimed Mrs. Thayer, springing up; then, recovering her
+presence of mind, she sat down, muttering: "yes, yes, of course, he's
+dead."
+
+"What do you mean?" said Miss Seaton. "Is it long since he died?"
+
+"I do not feel well to-day; and I shall not try to read my fortune again
+when I am so nervous," replied Mrs. Thayer, evading Miss Seaton's
+question.
+
+Seeing that Mrs. Thayer wished to change the subject, Miss Seaton did
+not press her further. The two ladies remained together until dinner
+time, and Miss Seaton read a portion of "Eugene Aram" aloud. Mrs. Thayer
+became deeply interested in the book, and borrowed it to read.
+
+Next morning I received a telegram from Miller, briefly stating that
+Pattmore had left Greenville. His destination was Chicago, though he had
+given out that he was going to Cincinnati.
+
+I knew that he could not arrive that day, as the railroad connections
+were not promptly made at that time; but I instructed Mr. Knox and Mr.
+Green to be prepared to "shadow" him, on his arrival at the depot the
+next morning, and to keep upon his track constantly, while he remained
+in Chicago. I also sent word to Miss Seaton to make some pretense for
+calling upon Mrs. Thayer early in the forenoon, and to remain with her
+as long as possible. I knew that Pattmore would communicate with Mrs.
+Thayer immediately on his arrival, and my object was, to have some one
+to witness their meeting.
+
+On entering my office early the next day, I was surprised to find
+Captain Sumner awaiting me, in a great state of excitement.
+
+"That man has come here again, Mr. Pinkerton," he broke out,
+impetuously. "He came before breakfast and went straight to Annie's
+room. I called her to the door and expostulated with her, until she
+agreed to send him away as soon as possible. I then came here directly
+to inform you."
+
+"Quite right, Captain," I replied; "there is nothing like taking prompt
+action in such cases. You can return to the house now, and trust to me
+for the rest."
+
+"But I'm afraid she will run away with that villain," said the Captain.
+
+"Of course, we must prevent that," I replied; "I shall have a plan
+prepared, in case they attempt to run away together; but, I do not think
+Pattmore is quite ready yet for such a step. Keep your spirits up,
+Captain, and don't borrow trouble."
+
+"I have all confidence in you, Mr. Pinkerton," he said as he went out;
+"but I shall be much happier when I am back on my farm."
+
+According to instructions, Miss Seaton called on Mrs. Thayer, though she
+did not gain admittance to her room. When Mrs. Thayer opened the door,
+Miss Seaton saw that she had been crying, and that she was evidently
+much disturbed. She asked Miss Seaton to excuse her, as she had company
+from the East.
+
+About noon Pattmore returned to his hotel, as the Captain would not
+permit him to dine at the boarding house. As Mrs. Thayer did not come
+down to dinner, Miss Seaton again visited her, and found her dressing to
+go out. She asked Miss Seaton to remain until she was dressed, but said
+that she was going out driving in the afternoon and to the theatre in
+the evening. In a short time, the Captain came in, and Miss Seaton
+retired. The Captain asked Mrs. Thayer what she meant by breaking her
+promises not to see Pattmore again.
+
+She replied that Pattmore was a man she could not help loving; that she
+had tried her best to overcome her passion, but in vain; and that she
+could not break off the connection so abruptly, but that she would
+endeavor to do so gradually in the future. Then she kissed the Captain,
+saying that she was never so happy in her life, and that she was going
+out driving with Pattmore that afternoon. The Captain remonstrated with
+her without effect, and, seeing that he could not move her from her
+purpose he came straight to my office to report.
+
+Pattmore came again in the afternoon and took Mrs. Thayer out driving.
+She looked superb as she went off, having recovered entirely from her
+illness. She was in a perfect flutter of happiness and excitement, which
+gave her a brilliant color, and added to the brightness of her eyes. She
+was agitated by conflicting influences; on one side, was her brother,
+determined to separate her from her lover, and justly blaming her
+course; on the other, was Pattmore, claiming her love, and urging her to
+abandon her brother's protection.
+
+They were gone about three hours, and, on their return, they seemed very
+complacent and much less excited than when they set out. In the evening,
+they went to the theatre together, being "shadowed" by Mr. Knox. He took
+a seat close behind them, in order to listen to their conversation; but
+he overheard nothing of any consequence.
+
+Captain Sumner had a long talk with his sister next morning, in relation
+to their return to Connecticut. He begged her to go immediately, and
+thus escape from Pattmore's influence; but she opposed his wish, on the
+ground that she was too weak to make the journey. He then lost his
+temper, and replied that she was strong enough to go around to places of
+amusement with Pattmore, and it was very strange that she could not
+travel slowly home. This show of anger on the Captain's part, caused her
+to commence crying, as she knew that he could not resist so powerful an
+appeal to his sympathy. The result equalled her anticipations. The
+Captain soon lost all his irritation and began to console her, as if she
+were a spoilt child; finally, she induced him to go driving with them
+that afternoon. The Captain told me afterward, that Pattmore behaved
+with great propriety during the drive, and that they did not seem to be
+so much in love with each other as he had supposed. I smiled inwardly at
+the old sailor's simplicity; for I noticed that they had gone out in an
+open barouche, (instead of a close carriage, such as they had used the
+day before,) and they had remained away only one hour, instead of three.
+
+On their return from the drive, Pattmore and Annie went to Mrs. Thayer's
+sitting room, and the Captain went down town. At four o'clock, Miss
+Seaton knocked at Mrs. Thayer's door; but, receiving no answer, she
+tried to enter quietly. She found that the door was locked on the
+inside, however, and she was, therefore, obliged to withdraw to her own
+room to watch. It was six o'clock before Pattmore came out, having been
+nearly three hours in Mrs. Thayer's room with the door locked.
+
+Mr. Knox "shadowed" Pattmore on his departure from the boarding house,
+and saw him take the nine o'clock train for Greenville. I immediately
+notified Mr. Miller by telegraph, directing him to renew his intimacy
+with Pattmore, and to remain in Greenville until further orders.
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER VII._
+
+
+Mr. Miller was not idle during the time that Pattmore was away. His
+first action was to learn who were the nurses attending Mrs. Pattmore in
+her last illness. One of them had left the city, but the other, being an
+old resident of Greenville, was soon found. She was quite an elderly
+woman, with no family except one daughter. The latter was a seamstress,
+and Mr. Miller soon made her acquaintance by employing her to make some
+shirts for him. He kept up friendly relations with them by taking both
+mother and daughter out riding occasionally in the summer evenings; and
+in various ways he ingratiated himself into the old lady's confidence.
+It was not long before he was able to draw out all the particulars of
+Mrs. Pattmore's illness.
+
+He learned that when she first became seriously sick, Mr. Pattmore began
+to show a very tender solicitude for her health.
+
+He even insisted upon preparing her medicine and giving it to her
+himself. Mrs. Pattmore, however, did not seem to appreciate his watchful
+care, for she told the nurse that she did not like to take her medicine
+from her husband; she also asked very particularly whether the medicine
+which she took was that which the doctor prescribed.
+
+Mrs. Reed, the nurse, said that she did not like the effects of the
+medicine at all. It was put up in small yellow papers, and when Mrs.
+Pattmore took a dose of it she was always taken with violent vomiting;
+her bowels and stomach would become very hot, and the pain would be so
+severe as to cause her to scream terribly. Then Mr. Pattmore would give
+her a dose of another kind of medicine, which would soon relieve the
+patient and cause her to fall into a deep sleep.
+
+When Dr. Forsythe called, Mrs. Pattmore always informed him very
+carefully about the effect of the medicine, but he treated it as a case
+of common occurrence, and said that those symptoms invariably
+accompanied an attack of dysentery. After the Doctor had gone, Mr.
+Pattmore would return to the room with the same medicine, and his wife
+would exclaim:
+
+"Oh! has the Doctor ordered that horrid medicine again? I cannot stand
+it long. Oh! what shall I do?"
+
+Then her husband would tell her that it pained him almost as much as
+herself to see her suffer so, and that he would willingly take it
+himself if he could thereby save her from pain; but she must recollect
+that she was very dangerously sick, and that a failure to obey the
+Doctor's instructions might prove fatal to her. Mrs. Pattmore would be
+too feeble to protest long, and she would take the medicine; the same
+symptoms as before would then result, and each day she seemed to grow
+weaker and weaker.
+
+The day of Mrs. Pattmore's death the Doctor was unable to call; hence
+only Mr. Pattmore and Mrs. Reed were present when she died. Pattmore
+spoke very endearingly to his wife and tried to caress her, but she
+pushed him away, gave him one long, reproachful look, and fell back
+dead. Pattmore professed to be overcome with grief, and tears flowed
+down his cheeks, as he requested Mrs. Reed to arrange for the funeral,
+and to spare no expense. He stopped at the door as he was leaving the
+room and said:
+
+"By the way, Mrs. Reed, if any one inquires about it, you can say that
+dysentery was the cause of my beloved wife's death."
+
+Miller said that there was little doubt that Mrs. Reed suspected foul
+play in connection with Mrs. Pattmore's death; but she was a very
+discreet woman, and would not spread any story which she could not
+prove. It was only by very skillful management that he had been able to
+induce her to talk upon the subject at all. She knew that Pattmore was
+very popular, and that she would be speedily silenced if she attempted
+to suggest anything against his character; hence she preferred to keep
+her suspicions to herself.
+
+On receiving this report from Miller, I sent him instructions to
+continue his acquaintance with Mrs. Reed, and to keep a close watch upon
+her movements, for it was possible that she, too, might be induced to go
+away. As she would be an important witness, it would be necessary not to
+lose sight of her. At the end of the week I received another report from
+Miller, stating that Pattmore had called a select meeting of his
+political supporters in the district, and had laid the plans for an
+energetic effort to obtain the Congressional nomination. Miller had been
+taken into their confidence, and he was working hard to secure the
+election of Pattmore delegates to the approaching convention. This gave
+him ample opportunity to become intimate with Pattmore, and he felt sure
+that the latter would not take any important steps without consulting
+him.
+
+I was much pleased to hear this news, as it showed me that Pattmore was
+no longer in fear of detection; moreover, it satisfied me that politics
+would detain him in Greenville for some time, and there would be no
+immediate danger of his marriage with Mrs. Thayer. Having a prospect
+that he would not return to Chicago to interfere with my plan for some
+weeks, I decided to proceed with my attack on Mrs. Thayer's credulity
+and superstition. In the afternoon, therefore, I sent for Mrs. Warne,
+and asked whether she had secured rooms in which to play the part of a
+fortune-teller.
+
+"Yes," she replied, "I have rented three rooms on Clark street, which
+are just suited for the purpose. There are two entrances, so that you
+can slip in at any time without being seen by my visitors."
+
+"Well, you had better have them fitted up as soon as possible. I will
+drop in to look at them to-day."
+
+"No," she answered, "I don't wish you to come until I have completed my
+preparations. The rooms are on the second floor, and have not been
+occupied for some time; hence they will need considerable cleaning. You
+are too busy to attend to the furnishing and arranging, so I will
+relieve you of all the trouble; only give me _carte-blanche_ for the
+purpose of furnishing the rooms, and I know you will not regret it."
+
+"All right," said I; "you have my permission to do as you please, and
+you can get whatever money you need from the cashier. All I ask is that
+everything be done in the best manner. When you are ready to begin
+operations let me know, so that I can have an audience with the great
+fortune-teller in advance of the general public."
+
+During the next four days, nothing of any consequence occurred. The
+Captain reported that his sister was gaining so fast in health and
+strength that he thought she was able to go back to Connecticut. Of
+course, I was obliged to oppose the journey at that time, since I wished
+to bring Mrs. Thayer before my fortune-teller. Miss Seaton reported that
+she was on quite intimate terms with Mrs. Thayer; but the latter never
+talked about her own affairs. She wrote daily to Pattmore, and received
+daily letters in reply.
+
+At length, Mrs. Warne reported that her temple of magic was in complete
+order, and that she would be ready to receive me that afternoon.
+
+"Very well," I replied; "I will drop in to have my fortune told about
+three o'clock. Have you arranged it wholly to your own satisfaction?"
+
+"Yes; it is nearly perfect."
+
+"Whom have you engaged for an usher?" I inquired.
+
+"You must not ask questions now," she answered, laughing. "I have taken
+more liberties than I ever dared to take before; but I think, when you
+consider the object to be gained, that you will be satisfied."
+
+"Well, I hope your rooms are as mysterious as your answers would lead me
+to expect," said I. "However, I shall be there promptly at three
+o'clock, so I will restrain my curiosity for the present."
+
+At the appointed hour, therefore, I called at the rooms, where I was
+received by a young negro of the blackest type. He was dressed in full
+Turkish costume, and his actions gave me the impression that he was
+dumb. This black mute first ushered me into a very large front room,
+elegantly furnished in the style of a modern _salon_. Heavy curtains
+hung in graceful folds from richly gilded cornices, sufficiently
+obscuring the windows to prevent the strong glare of the afternoon sun
+from penetrating directly into the room; arm-chairs and sofas were
+plentifully scattered about, to accommodate the throng of persons who
+were expected to visit the fortune-teller; the walls were hung with
+engravings and paintings; and on the floor was a thick Brussels carpet
+into which my feet sank noiselessly, as I walked about inspecting the
+pictures and furniture. After scanning the sable usher for a few
+minutes, I said:
+
+"Now, if that color would wash off, I should feel sure of finding one of
+my office boys, named Jack Scott, underneath." The mute grinned
+responsively, and I saw that I had guessed correctly. "Well, Jack," I
+continued, "I don't think you need fear detection. Where is Mrs. Warne?"
+
+Jack still remained mute; but he went into another room, and soon
+beckoned me to follow him. As I crossed the threshold, the door closed
+noiselessly behind me. It took me several seconds to accustom my eyes to
+the change in the light. Then I began to gather an idea of the
+surroundings, and my surprise at Mrs. Warne's success was equalled only
+by my admiration of her good taste and judgment.
+
+The room was nearly square, but a large mirror, at the end opposite the
+entrance, gave a duplicate view of the whole; the shape of the mirror
+being that of a large doorway, the effect was to give an appearance of
+two rooms, instead of one. The walls and windows were hung with some
+dark colored material, which wholly shut out every ray of sunlight; but
+a soft, dim radiance was shed from five swinging lamps, one in each
+corner and the fifth in the centre of the room. These lamps were of
+bronzed silver, of Oriental patterns, and were all in motion; the corner
+lamps swinging back and forth toward the centre, and the centre one,
+swinging slowly around in a circle. On the walls, were hung several
+charts and mystic symbols, while the floor was covered with a close
+matting of white straw, upon which was painted the common representation
+of the signs of the zodiac. A number of small globes stood upon a low
+shelf in one corner, and on a table in the centre of the room was a
+large globe standing on a chart. With the exception of one large
+easy-chair and a lounge, there were no other articles of furniture in
+the room. A pair of skeletons stood facing each other, one at each side
+of the mirror, and their ghastly appearance, duplicated in the mirror,
+added to the unnatural effect. Near the table was a small portable
+furnace upon which stood a peculiarly shaped retort, and from this,
+issued a pungent, aromatic incense.
+
+While I was examining the globe and chart, Mrs. Warne slipped into the
+room, through the folds of a curtain at one side of the mirror, and
+swept down toward me. I should hardly have known her, so great was her
+disguise; her face and hands were stained a clear olive, and her hair
+hung down in heavy masses to her waist; her dress was of rich material,
+trimmed with Oriental extravagance; the sleeves were large and flowing,
+and the skirt trailed over a yard. In her right hand she carried a small
+wand, around which two serpents twined. Her whole appearance was
+dignified and imposing. The light and atmosphere added to the general
+effect, and I felt wholly satisfied with Mrs. Warne's work.
+
+"Well, Mrs. Warne," said I, "you have certainly made a great success;
+but I am afraid I shall not be so much pleased when the bills come in."
+
+"Don't be very much alarmed on that score," replied Mrs. Warne. "I have
+been very economical. Many of the most expensive articles have been
+hired for the occasion, while the rest have been picked up cheap at
+auction sales. The expense, I assure you, will not be great."
+
+"All right," I rejoined; "the Captain will have to foot the bill,
+whatever it may be; but, if we succeed in our object, he will not have
+any reason to regret the cost."
+
+Mrs. Warne showed me the door through which she had entered, and asked
+me to seat myself behind the curtains. She then called her usher into
+the room, and conversed with him; though they spoke in low tones, I was
+able to hear every word. The door where I was sitting, was hung on
+noiseless hinges, and it led into the last room of the suite; from this
+room, another door opened on a hall leading to a pair of side stairs. I
+was thus able to reach my ambush without entering by the front way.
+
+"Now, Mrs. Warne, nothing remains to be done but to advertise you
+thoroughly," I said, after I had inspected all her preparations.
+
+"Very well," she replied; "but you must recollect that I shall not be
+able to oversee all my general work, unless you make my office hours as
+a fortune-teller very short. Three hours will be the longest time I can
+spare daily."
+
+I then returned to my office and wrote out the following advertisement:
+
+
+                 THE GREAT ASIATIC SIBYL,
+     L. L. LUCILLE, the only living descendant of Hermes,
+       the Egyptian, who has traveled through all the
+         known parts of the world, now makes her first
+           appearance in Chicago. She will cast
+             the horoscope of all callers; will
+               tell them the events of their
+                 past life, and reveal what
+                   the future has in store
+                     for them. She has
+                       cast the horo-
+                         scope of
+                         all the
+                         crowned
+                       heads of Eu-
+                     rope, Asia, Africa,
+                   and Oceanica; she will
+                 cast the horoscope, or celes-
+               tial map, for the hour and mo-
+             ment of the inquiry for any visitor
+           with the same care, and by the same
+         method as that used in the case of the Sultan
+       of Turkey, and the Pacha of Trincomalee. She
+     will remain only a short time in Chicago; hence the
+                   SORROWFUL AND AFFLICTED,
+    who wish to know what the future has in store for them,
+                  had better CALL AT ONCE.
+                       She will tell
+                WHO LOVES YOU; WHO HATES YOU;
+               and who is trying to injure you.
+                      She will show you
+                YOUR FUTURE HUSBAND OR WIFE.
+      L. L. LUCILLE is the
+            Seventh Daughter of
+                  a Seventh Daughter.
+                        She never fails to give satisfaction.
+                              Visit her and learn your fate.
+
+     Office hours--10 a. m. to 1 p. m.
+                         Fee $10.00.
+                OFFICE AT THE TEMPLE OF MAGIC,
+                    50 SOUTH CLARK STREET.
+
+
+This advertisement was inserted in the daily newspapers for a week, and
+I also had a number of small handbills printed for distribution in the
+street. In this way Lucille's name was brought before the public very
+conspicuously. At that time the trade of fortune-telling was not so
+common as it is now, and those engaged in it rarely had the means to
+advertise themselves so extensively; hence Lucille's half column in the
+newspapers attracted an unusual amount of attention.
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER VIII._
+
+
+The next morning Miss Seaton called on Mrs. Thayer as usual, and found
+her eagerly reading Lucille's advertisement in one of the newspapers.
+Miss Seaton asked Mrs. Thayer whether she was ready to go out for their
+regular morning walk, and Mrs. Thayer soon prepared to accompany her.
+They first went to the post-office; and, as they walked away, after Mrs.
+Thayer had received a letter, they met a boy distributing hand-bills.
+They each took one and walked along slowly in order to read Lucille's
+glowing advertisement. Mrs. Thayer folded her bill up carefully and
+said:
+
+"I wonder whether this woman can do what she claims; if I thought so, I
+would call on her myself."
+
+"Well, I don't have much faith in these people, as a rule," replied Miss
+Seaton, "but it is a fact that some of them really have a strange and
+inexplicable power to foresee events. Whether it is a genuine science,
+or a mere application of general rules of physiognomy to the particular
+features of each visitor, I do not profess to say; but there is no
+doubt, I believe, that they have been very successful in reading the
+future for some people."
+
+"I am so glad to hear you say that," said Mrs. Thayer, "for I was afraid
+that you would laugh at me. Now I have a real desire to see this woman,
+just to test her powers. The moment I read her advertisement in this
+morning's paper, I had a strong presentiment that she could help me out
+of my troubles, and I determined to visit her. See, here we are, right
+at the door, No. 50 Clark street. Won't you go up with me while I get my
+fortune told, Miss Seaton?"
+
+"Oh, certainly; if you really wish to try your fortune, to-day is as
+good a time as any other."
+
+They therefore ascended to Madam Lucille's rooms and rang a bell at the
+reception-room door. The sable usher immediately admitted them and asked
+them to be seated for a short time, as Madam was engaged at that moment.
+He then left them alone, while he went to inquire how soon they could
+have an audience with the great sibyl. Having told Mrs. Warne who her
+visitors were, the usher hurried over to my office and informed me. I
+instantly called my stenographer, and we proceeded quickly to the back
+room, where we took our seats behind the curtain.
+
+A lady was already in Mrs. Warne's room, but she was easily dismissed
+with instructions to return next day. When she retired, Mrs. Thayer was
+admitted, and Miss Seaton wished to follow, but this could not be
+allowed, as only one could have an audience at a time. Mrs. Thayer
+entered the room with her veil down; and, what with her nervousness and
+the superstitious terror inspired by the weird appearance of the room,
+she was hardly able to walk to the visitor's chair. When she became
+somewhat accustomed to the peculiar light, she saw Madam Lucille
+standing beside the table. Her tall, commanding figure struck Mrs.
+Thayer with awe, and Mrs. Warne already felt sure of drawing out
+everything that she knew.
+
+"Come hither, my daughter," said Lucille, in a clear, sweet voice.
+
+Mrs. Thayer advanced falteringly, and sank into the large chair which
+the sibyl pointed out.
+
+"What would you know, my child?" continued Lucille. "State your errand
+quickly; as my time is short, to unfold the mysteries of the future.
+Like the Wandering Jew, I must forever advance upon my mission. What do
+you seek to know?"
+
+Lucille's powerful mind, aided by her fantastic surroundings, had gained
+a complete ascendency over Mrs. Thayer's superstitious nature; in a
+voice trembling with emotion, she replied:
+
+"I have come to learn my future."
+
+"Then you must unveil; I can tell you nothing until I see your face,"
+said Lucille.
+
+Mrs. Thayer slowly removed her veil and sat motionless, regarding the
+fortune-teller as a frightened bird watches a snake.
+
+"You wish to know your destiny, do you?" asked Lucille, gently. "Well, I
+can tell it, if the stars are propitious; but I must first look at your
+hand."
+
+She paused and waved her wand with several mysterious gestures over Mrs.
+Thayer's head; then she swept forward and took her hand.
+
+"Tell me the day and hour of your birth," continued Lucille.
+
+"I was born about daybreak on the eighteenth of October, 1816," replied
+Mrs. Thayer; "I cannot tell you the exact hour."
+
+"That will be sufficiently accurate for the present," said Lucille;
+"though it may cause me much trouble in casting your horoscope."
+
+Lucille continued to examine the lines of the hand, and presently
+commenced speaking in a low, but clear voice:
+
+"Your parents are dead, and also one brother; your father passed through
+great dangers safely--ah! I see, he was a sailor. You have been
+surrounded by other sea-faring people; still, I cannot certainly tell
+what relationship they bore to you. I shall learn all when I cast your
+horoscope. Your father acquired moderate wealth, of which you have
+received your share; but you desire more, and you are not too scrupulous
+as to how you get it. Why, what means this?" she exclaimed, starting
+back and fixing a piercing glance on the cowering woman before her. "You
+are in danger! Yes; there is danger all about you, but it is impossible
+to tell now how it will end. There is a man in your trouble, who claims
+to love you; and there is a woman who comes between you. Ah! what is she
+doing!" she suddenly demanded in tragical tones, starting back with a
+look of terror in her eyes.
+
+Mrs. Thayer fell back as if stabbed to the heart, and her whole attitude
+denoted guilty fear. Lucille, fearing that she would faint, handed her a
+glass of water, which soon revived her strength.
+
+As soon as Mrs. Thayer had sufficiently recovered, Lucille again took
+her hand and carefully examined it; she then continued:
+
+"I cannot do much now, but you must come again, when I have more time;
+then I will cast your horoscope, and will be able to tell you all you
+can wish to know----" Breaking off suddenly, she changed her tone and
+demanded imperiously: "Who is this woman? Is she his enemy, or yours?
+_Are you sure that man loves you?_"
+
+"Oh, yes; I am sure he does," Mrs. Thayer replied, hastily.
+
+"Then what is the trouble between you and this woman?" asked Lucille.
+"She is older than you, yet she constantly crosses your path." Then,
+closing her eyes, Lucille broke out passionately and rapidly, like a
+person in a trance: "Why does she act so? What is the matter with her?
+She is often interfering with you, but is always followed by that man;
+he must be her enemy. See! a shadow falls over her! What does it mean!
+She fades away and vanishes--_it must be death_!"
+
+"Death!" shrieked Mrs. Thayer, and then she fell back lifeless.
+
+[Illustration: "_'Death!' shrieked Mrs. Thayer, and then she fell back
+lifeless._"--Page 199.]
+
+Lucille did everything possible to revive her visitor, but it was some
+minutes before she recovered sufficiently to be able to stand alone. She
+finally joined Miss Seaton, but promised to call the next day to have
+her horoscope read. She left a fee of ten dollars for the prepayment of
+the labor which Lucille would be forced to perform in reading the stars.
+When Miss Seaton and Mrs. Thayer left the room, the latter was scarcely
+able to walk, so much was she agitated and alarmed. They reached their
+boarding house in safety, however, and Mrs. Thayer at once retired to
+her room.
+
+A large crowd of visitors had already assembled in Madam Lucille's
+reception room, so that there seemed to be a fair prospect that all the
+expenses of the affair would be paid out of the fortune-teller's
+receipts. Indeed, from the very first, Mrs. Warne had a great many more
+callers than she could attend to; but, by granting each one a short
+interview on the first day, long enough to learn what information they
+desired, it was an easy matter to satisfy them all to an exceptional
+extent. I put two good detectives at work to find out everything
+possible about the parties making the inquiries, and Lucille was thus
+able to astonish them with the accuracy of her knowledge as to the past.
+Of course, she was at liberty to exercise her own judgment as to her
+predictions for the future, since no one could tell whether they would
+prove true or not.
+
+When every one had gone, Mrs. Warne changed her dress and returned to my
+office, where we had a hearty laugh over the superstitious folly of the
+many ladies who had consulted her. She told me many amusing secrets,
+which her fair visitors had confided to her, and I learned that some of
+the most fashionable people in the city had invoked her aid. She was
+rather fatigued by her labors, however, as the weather was warm, and the
+atmosphere of her room, at times, became almost suffocating. She said
+that she had made an engagement to admit Mrs. Thayer the first one, the
+next morning.
+
+"Very well," said I, "you have succeeded in startling her very much
+indeed, and to-morrow you will be able to do much more. Be careful,
+however, to warn her against informing any one else of what you have
+told her, until her whole future is determined. It will not do to have
+her alarm Pattmore."
+
+"I will caution her particularly on that point," replied Mrs. Warne; "I
+think I understand pretty well about how far I can go without terrifying
+her too much. I will send for Miss Seaton, and learn how Mrs. Thayer has
+acted since visiting me."
+
+In the afternoon, Captain Sumner came in and asked what steps I had
+taken in his case. I told him that I could not tell him what I had done,
+nor what I was doing; but he could rest assured that the best talent I
+had was employed in his behalf; if everything worked as I hoped, I
+should accomplish the object which he sought, inside of a month.
+
+"Well," he replied, "I should like to take Annie back to Springfield as
+soon as possible; for I fear that she is again losing her health, and
+for the last day or two, she has been quite ill. Yesterday she received
+a letter from Pattmore, which I tried to snatch from her; but she was
+too quick for me, and I obtained only a small part of it. Here it is,"
+he continued, showing me the lower corner of a letter; "see how he signs
+himself."
+
+I took the fragment and saw the same signature as that which Pattmore
+had used in his former letters: "Your affectionate husband." The Captain
+went on:
+
+"My blood got up when I read this, and I told her that if she ever saw
+Pattmore again, I would shoot them both; that I would no longer permit
+her to disgrace our family. Then she also flew into a violent passion,
+and said that she loved Pattmore, and that he intended to marry her
+when he next came to Chicago. As usual, she finally succeeded in
+appeasing my anger, and she promised to leave Pattmore forever. I also
+agreed to make my will in her favor, and we thus became friends again. I
+may now be able to get her away, as she has promised to go as soon as
+she is able; but I can easily destroy my will, if she refuses to keep
+her promise. What do you think about it?"
+
+"Well, it can't do much harm, I guess, for you are probably in no
+particular danger just now."
+
+"Then I will make my will to-day. By-the-by, there is a great
+fortune-teller in town; have you seen her advertisement?"
+
+"Yes," I replied; "but there is nothing unusual in that. You can find
+such people here at all times."
+
+"I know that," said the Captain; "but they are generally mere humbugs,
+while this one appears to be of a different class. She has been in the
+East Indies, and the fortune-tellers there are not humbugs, as I know by
+experience. I shall go to see her to-morrow. I had my fortune told once
+by a Hindoo in Calcutta, and he was correct in every particular as far
+as he went."
+
+After the Captain had gone away, I sent for Mrs. Warne and told her that
+she would receive a visit from the Captain next day, and that she could
+learn all about his past history by referring to the conversation which
+my stenographer had taken down some time before. I then looked over a
+report I had just received from Miller, who was still watching Pattmore
+in Greenville. There was little of importance in it except an account of
+a conversation between Miller and Pattmore, in which the latter said
+that he was staking everything upon the hope of getting the
+congressional nomination; if he should fail in that, he would not remain
+in Greenville, but would go to Kansas to live. Miller added that
+Pattmore received letters daily from Mrs. Thayer.
+
+I immediately wrote to Miller to secure a copy of one of Mrs. Thayer's
+letters; and, if possible, to intercept every one of them. I felt
+confident that she would describe her visit to the fortune-teller in
+part, at least, and I was anxious to know how much she would reveal to
+him. Besides if he were disposed to be superstitious, he would probably
+be more or less affected by her account, and I might use the knowledge
+thus gained, to good advantage.
+
+Late in the evening, Miss Seaton came in and told Mrs. Warne that Mrs.
+Thayer had been greatly agitated by her interview with Lucille; that she
+had shown great dejection and grief all the way home; and that she had
+immediately retired to her room, where she had thrown herself on the
+bed; that she had risen, late in the evening, and had written a very
+long letter, which she had asked Miss Seaton to put in the post-office
+for her, being too weak to go out herself. Of course, Miss Seaton gave
+the letter to Mrs. Warne, who immediately brought it to me. I opened it
+at once and hastily read it through. It began, "My dear husband," and
+went on to describe her visit to Lucille. She gave a full account of all
+that Lucille had said, and also related the effect which the
+fortune-teller's revelations had had upon her. She said significantly
+that Pattmore could understand how much she had been alarmed by the
+references to the woman who came between them, for the inference was
+that Lucille meant Mrs. Pattmore. However, she was going, she said, to
+have her full fortune told the following day, and she would write all
+about it in her next letter.
+
+I had the letter copied and sent to the post-office in time for the
+first mail.
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER IX._
+
+
+I had sent word to my New York correspondent to make a thorough search
+for Henry Thayer, as I wished to learn definitely whether he was alive
+or dead. By communicating with the London board of underwriters, my
+agent learned that Henry Thayer was in command of an English whaler in
+the South Sea. At the latest advices from him, he was nearly ready to
+sail for England, as he needed only a few more whales to complete his
+cargo. I received this information the morning after Mrs. Thayer's first
+visit to Lucille, and I communicated the news to Mrs. Warne at once,
+instructing her to make the best possible use of it in her coming
+interview with Mrs. Thayer.
+
+Shortly before ten o'clock the next morning, I took my place behind the
+curtain. In a few minutes Mrs. Thayer and Miss Seaton arrived, and Mrs.
+Thayer was promptly admitted to Lucille's presence. She removed her veil
+and sank into the visitor's chair with an expression half of longing and
+half of dread. Again Lucille waved her snaky wand, and, as before, the
+room was filled with the fumes of burning incense. Lucille looked at
+Mrs. Thayer's face intently, and said:
+
+"My child, I am pleased to see you; I have worked at your horoscope
+unremittingly, but it is not completed to my satisfaction. There is
+some peculiar influence about you which prevents a clear reading of your
+future. Even your past, though much of it is easily determined, seems
+obscured by strange inconsistencies--not to say impossibilities. Some of
+the results were so startling as to make it necessary for me to refuse
+to reveal them, until, by a second test, I can decide whether there was
+no mistake in the solution of certain calculations. To-night, therefore,
+I shall do what rarely is necessary in reading the horoscope of ordinary
+humans--I must invoke the aid of my progenitor and master, Hermes. It is
+a dreadful task; one for which I must nerve myself to meet the greatest
+dangers and the most frightful scenes; but I never shrink from the path
+of duty, and I have confidence that the sanctity of my mission will give
+me safe conduct, even through the hosts of demons who must be met before
+I can come face to face with the great Egyptian king."
+
+Lucille spoke with a weird earnestness, and a far-away look in her eyes,
+as if she actually realized the presence of ghouls and goblins. Mrs.
+Thayer fairly shivered with terror, but said nothing, and Lucille
+continued:
+
+"I wish I dared read the whole of the horoscope as it was divulged to me
+in the lone watches of last night; but I have decided to omit all those
+portions where there is a possibility that the malign spirits around you
+have misinterpreted your past and future. When you were younger, you
+passed your days in happiness; you were very handsome, and you could
+charm the hearts of men without difficulty. There has been with you
+frequently, during your past years, a man some years older than
+yourself. He appears to have been a sailor; and, though often away from
+you, he has always sought you out on his return. He loves you, and is
+undoubtedly your true friend; he is unmarried, yet he does not wish to
+make you his wife. He wears a peculiar ring which he obtained in the
+East Indies. He often consults this ring, and it informs him whether he
+is in danger or the reverse. You do not love this sailor as well as he
+loves you, and he wishes to remove you from the other man. I cannot
+understand the actions of the woman whom I mentioned yesterday; I cannot
+tell whether she is living or dead. The man you love has been with her;
+he gave her something in a spoon which she was forced to take. Ah! I
+see! it was a medicine, a white powder--and now begins the obscurity.
+Further on, I see that he visited you; you ran to meet him and plied him
+with caresses. If he were your husband it would partly clear away the
+cloud. Is it so?"
+
+"Yes," Mrs. Thayer at length replied, "he is my husband."
+
+"Well, that removes much of the uncertainty; this woman loved that man
+and wished to keep him away from you; he gave her a powder to make her
+sleep, so that he could escape from her."
+
+Then, suddenly catching Mrs. Thayer's hand, Lucille glanced over it
+rapidly, and again closely examined the chart. Drawing back from Mrs.
+Thayer, she eyed her sternly and disapprovingly.
+
+"Who is this other man?" she asked; "he, too, is a sailor; he is
+handsome; he is brave; he is an officer; yes, he commands a ship. He has
+been much with you, but he is now far away. You loved him once, but now
+the other man has come between you." Then, pausing a moment, she broke
+forth rapidly and harshly: "Woman, you have tried to deceive me! This
+sea captain is your husband!"
+
+Mrs. Thayer was only able to say, as she fell back, fainting:
+
+"He is dead! he is----"
+
+Lucille soon revived her, and then asked whether she was strong enough
+to hear the remainder of her fortune. Mrs. Thayer signified her assent,
+and Lucille again examined the chart. She first said:
+
+"You cannot deceive me; your husband is away at sea; is it not so?"
+
+"He _was_ my husband," said Mrs. Thayer, in a half audible voice; "but
+he went away several years ago, and I heard that he was dead. I had
+fallen in love with the other man, and, on hearing of my husband's
+death, I married the man I loved. It can't be possible that Henry is
+alive."
+
+"Yes, he is," replied Lucille; "and I think he is about to return to
+seek for you; but the horoscope again becomes obscure. It is as I
+feared; the only means of learning the truth will be through the aid of
+the dread Hermes, whose power no demon can resist. To-morrow you shall
+learn all that my art can discover about your past and your future."
+
+"But can you tell me no more than this to-day?" asked Mrs. Thayer, in a
+vexed tone. "You have given me only bad news. How long shall I live and
+be happy with my husband?"
+
+"That man is not your husband, and you cannot long live happily with
+him. As far as the cloud permits me to see, I can discern that something
+terrible is about to happen to him. You are in danger yourself; there
+seems to be a strange fatality attending your fate wherever it comes in
+contact with that man; it is especially gloomy when complicated by the
+presence of the other woman. As I have before told you, I cannot clearly
+see from this horoscope what will be your _absolute_ future; but I can
+tell you this much:--and, woman, weigh well my words, for the spirit of
+prophecy is strong within me--your future is dependent upon your present
+decision. Fate is unchangeable, and neither seer nor sibyl can alter its
+least decree; but it is sometimes permitted to us to determine the
+_contingent_ future of a person and no more. We then say, thus and thus
+has been the past; the future may be thus, or it may be so; one course
+of conduct now, will lead to _this_ result; the other will lead to
+_that_. Yours is such a horoscope; and, even with the aid of my mighty
+master, I cannot expect to do anything more than to learn definitely the
+two alternatives which are to be presented to you, and the consequence
+of your decision each way. To-morrow I will see you again at an early
+hour, and will tell you all I have learned during the night."
+
+"Can you tell me no more now?" demanded Mrs. Thayer, impatiently. "Is it
+then true that my first husband is alive?"
+
+"It is true," replied Lucille; "and he is at present commanding a ship
+far away in the South Sea, which is the reason why you could not find
+him."
+
+"How do you know that I ever looked for him?" said Mrs. Thayer,
+languidly.
+
+"No; you did not look for him; but the other sailor who loves you, made
+inquiries for a long time. I see him plainer now; he must be your
+brother."
+
+Mrs. Thayer had been very much awed by the imposing manners of Lucille,
+and by the mystic surroundings in which she was placed. She was now
+quite in Lucille's power, and I should have proceeded to force her to
+reveal the truth about Pattmore's crime, had she been stronger
+physically; but I was afraid to test her endurance too far in one day. I
+had arranged a series of simple signals, which would not attract the
+attention of any one but Lucille, and I therefore signalled to her that
+she might close the interview. Mrs. Thayer lifted her head to look at
+Lucille a few moments after the latter had spoken of her brother, and
+said:
+
+"You are the strangest woman I have ever met. You have told me things
+which I believed were known only by myself. All that you have said is
+the truth; but you do not tell me enough. I wish to know what I must do
+to make amends for all the wrong I have done. I have been very wicked, I
+know."
+
+"If you really wish to do right, there is still a prospect that you may
+be happy. My duty is to show you that you are doing wrong, and to help
+you to change your course of action."
+
+"Will you not tell me about my--"
+
+Mrs. Thayer could not complete the sentence, but she evidently meant
+Pattmore, so Lucille said:
+
+"Yes, my child; I will tell you all to-morrow; but I think you are
+unable to bear more at present. I will point out two paths, and will
+show you where each one of them leads; then, if you wish, I will give
+you my advice; after that, all will depend upon yourself. You can be
+happy again, if you decide to follow my counsel."
+
+"Indeed, I will try to do so," replied Mrs. Thayer. "I have suffered
+myself to be led astray; but, hereafter, I will be guided by you. I
+never before heard a fortune-teller who could talk as you do,--you give
+such good advice."
+
+"I endeavor to use my powers for the good of mankind," said Lucille,
+solemnly. "I speak only what I know to be true. When I have told you
+all, you must decide upon your course; and, if you choose the right one,
+you will, doubtless, be very happy. Be careful that you do not reveal to
+any one the knowledge you have this day learned from me; when you have
+heard all, you can tell as much as you please. Farewell, my child; be
+here promptly at ten o'clock to-morrow, for my time is precious."
+
+Mrs. Thayer withdrew, joined Miss Seaton in the reception room, and they
+returned home. Lucille then received in rapid succession the visitors
+who had made appointments the previous day. She had a note-book filled
+with information obtained by my detectives, and she was thus enabled to
+satisfy them all immediately; or else, to postpone telling their
+fortunes until the next day. Then the new arrivals were admitted long
+enough to tell what they wished to know, after which they each received
+appointments for the next day. When all were disposed of, Lucille came
+into the back room to change her dress. I congratulated her upon her
+success, and was about to withdraw with my stenographer, when the usher
+came in and said that a gentleman desired an audience. From his
+description, I felt confident that Captain Sumner was the person who had
+arrived. I therefore begged Lucille to give him a full sitting, and to
+read his past for him very thoroughly.
+
+"By the way," I added, "you recollect that while he was away at sea, his
+sweetheart, Miss Curtis, married a wealthy New York banker, named Agnew.
+Well, I saw a notice the other day of the death of a banker of that name
+in New York, and I feel sure that his old flame is now a widow. I want
+you to refer to this fact in telling his future."
+
+"Oh! well," said Lucille, with some vexation, "I'm rather tired of the
+business already, and I don't care to spend the whole afternoon in that
+hot room; so I shall get rid of him as soon as he is satisfied. If you
+want to tell me anything, make a sound like the gnawing of a rat, and I
+will come out."
+
+Accordingly, I resumed my place at the door, with my stenographer close
+beside me, and the Captain was ushered into Lucille's room. She motioned
+to him to be seated, and then asked, in her most commanding tones:
+
+"What can you learn from Lucille that you have not already learned from
+the Hindoo or Calcutta?"
+
+The Captain regarded her for an instant in reverent amazement; but,
+finally, he said:
+
+"I see that you know my past, and that you are truly one of those who
+can read the fate of others. I am in trouble, and I wish to know when I
+shall escape from it, if ever. The Hindoo told me much, but I would
+know more."
+
+Without further conversation, except to ask the day and hour of his
+birth, Lucille proceeded to pore over a chart and to examine his hand.
+Finally, she gazed at him steadily a few minutes, and said:
+
+"What I have to say is the truth alone; if it be painful to you, it is
+because the truth is not always pleasant. Listen calmly, therefore, to
+the words which the stars declare to be true: Your parents are both
+dead; your father was a sea-captain, and he brought you up in the same
+profession. On one of his cruises, a Sepoy presented him with three
+rings, one of which you now wear; its powers are very great, and it has
+frequently rendered you important services; take care that you lose it
+not. It has even saved your life. Yes," she continued, after closely
+examining the palm of his left hand; "your life has been attempted three
+separate times lately. You have two sisters living; one of them is
+happily married and lives in comfort in an eastern State; the other
+married a sea-captain, but she does not live with her husband. She is
+with you, and is in poor health. Why! is it possible!" she exclaimed,
+suddenly. "It was your sister who made the attempt on your life! You may
+not suspect that your young and charming sister, whom you so deeply
+love, could have been guilty of such an act; but, unless my powers have
+failed me so that I cannot read the stars aright, such is the fact.
+Wait; lest I should have made a mistake, I will try again. It seems too
+horrible to be believed."
+
+The Captain had buried his face in his hands; but now he looked up and
+said:
+
+"It is unnecessary to try again; you are right. I see that you are one
+of the gifted ones of this world, and I wish you to tell me all; I can
+bear it."
+
+Lucille continued her examination of the Captain's hand as she went on
+speaking:
+
+"Your sister still has the same kind of poison with her which she used
+before. She does not intend to use it herself--she has no motive for
+committing suicide; but she may intend to give it to you again. You must
+be careful, for that is your greatest danger. Your principal trouble for
+some time has been caused by that sister. She no longer loves her
+husband, who has wholly disappeared from your knowledge, and she
+professes to believe that he is dead. This is not the case, however: he
+is now in command of an English whaling ship in the South Sea, and he
+will soon return to England."
+
+At this, the Captain sprang up in a whirl of excitement and joy. In
+relating the story to me the next day, he said that he felt like taking
+Lucille in his arms and giving her a genuine sailor hug; but she looked
+so fierce and wicked that he got the idea that she was a genuine witch;
+and he was afraid that her beautiful white hands would turn into claws,
+and that she would soon make a meal of him, if she felt so disposed.
+
+When he sat down again, Lucille again scanned the chart and compared it
+with his hand. She seemed very much disturbed at the revelations, and,
+at length, she said:
+
+"Your troubles are so closely interwoven with those of your sister that
+I cannot separate them; but I never saw a horoscope so full of frightful
+scenes--I do not wish to go on with it."
+
+"Please do not stop," said the Captain; "I feel that you have the power
+to tell me all, and I must know it. I will pay you anything you ask," he
+added, taking out a roll of money.
+
+"My fees are invariable," said Lucille, drawing herself up haughtily.
+"You insult me by suggesting that I need to be paid extra to tell the
+truth."
+
+"I beg your pardon," replied the Captain excitedly; "but I hope you will
+not refuse to tell me all you know. I can bear it, I assure you."
+
+"Know then that your sister is deeply in love with a very bad man, who
+lives two or three hundred miles from here. She became acquainted with
+him in the East and he seduced her, though he was a married man, living
+with his lawful wife. To quiet your sister's scruples, he had a marriage
+ceremony performed; but, of course, it had no legal value, since both of
+the parties were already married. She became _enceinte_ by this man, and
+she caused the premature removal of the evidence of her shame by an
+abortion. This crime you connived at, though you did not advise it. But
+the worst is not yet told: this wicked man, finding that you were
+determined to prevent him from seeing your sister, _resolved to murder
+his wife_, and to marry your sister legally, supposing that her husband
+was dead. He accomplished part of his design by poisoning his wife; but
+he has not yet been able to carry out the whole of his plan. He is now
+in danger, but he knows it not. He will soon be arrested and tried for
+murder. If you can succeed in uniting your sister and her lawful
+husband, they may be able to forget the past and live together happily.
+All, however, depends upon her. At present she is in deep distress, but
+the effect of it will be good for her. There is a strong hope that she
+may be led to see the character of her wicked lover in its true light,
+and that she may return penitently to the arms of her husband, if he
+will receive her."
+
+"Oh! he will, I know he will," said the Captain.
+
+"Then, when that happens, your troubles will be at an end. Now I can
+tell you but little more, as I have a great task to perform, and I must
+be left alone."
+
+On hearing Lucille say this, I immediately gave the signal, as agreed,
+and she made an excuse to leave the room for a moment.
+
+"What more do you want?" she asked.
+
+"You have forgotten to tell him about his old sweetheart, Mrs. Agnew."
+
+"Oh! let me skip that," said Lucille impatiently, "I am nearly
+exhausted, and I cannot stand the atmosphere of that room much longer."
+
+"Just tell the Captain about Mrs. Agnew, and then you will be through
+work for the day. Try to send him off happy," I pleaded.
+
+"Oh! yes; that is always the way: provided the Captain goes away happy,
+you don't care what becomes of me. Well, I suppose I must; but I will
+never undertake such a _role_ again."
+
+When Lucille returned to the Captain, he was sitting with his face
+buried in his hands; but he looked up instantly and asked whether she
+had anything more to tell him.
+
+She looked at the chart for a few minutes and then said:
+
+"In your youth, you loved a lady of great beauty, and she returned your
+love; but while you were away at sea, her parents made her believe that
+you were false to her. They wished her to marry a wealthy banker, and,
+in a fit of pique, she accepted him. She has always loved you in secret,
+however, and now that her husband is dead--"
+
+"Is that so?" ejaculated the Captain, springing up in great delight.
+
+"Yes," replied Lucille; "he died a short time ago, and she is now
+passing her widowhood in New York. She is stouter than she was, but she
+is still handsome, and she has never ceased to love you. This completes
+the reading of your horoscope."
+
+The Captain rose to go, but paused to express his feelings. He spoke
+slowly and with great emotion, since Lucille had completely secured his
+confidence.
+
+"Madam, I thank you from my heart for the revelations you have made to
+me. I know that most of the things you have told me are true, and I am
+satisfied of the truth of the rest also. I should like to pay you in
+proportion to the value of your words to me." So saying he went out
+quickly, leaving one hundred dollars on the table.
+
+I found that Lucille's fame was becoming uncomfortably great, since the
+reception-room was thronged with eager inquirers, who insisted on seeing
+her, even after the close of her office hours. I, therefore, arranged
+with Mr. Bangs, my general superintendent, to have a crowd of my own
+_employees_ constantly in attendance, so that outsiders, seeing so many
+others waiting for an audience, would not remain. By this means, Lucille
+was able thereafter, to receive as many, or as few, as she chose, and
+her labors were greatly lightened.
+
+
+
+
+_CHAPTER X._
+
+
+After the interview with Lucille, Mrs. Thayer returned to her
+boarding-house with Miss Seaton, and invited the latter to spend the day
+with her. She said that she was low-spirited and wanted company to keep
+off the "blues." She was very nervous, and she could not take an
+interest in anything. She said several times that Lucille was the most
+wonderful person she had ever met, and that she had heard things which
+convinced her of Lucille's supernatural powers; but she carefully
+avoided stating anything definite relative to the revelations made to
+her. Finally she commenced to write a long letter, and Miss Seaton
+became absorbed in a novel.
+
+After some time the Captain came in, looking very solemn, and Miss
+Seaton saw that he wished to have a private talk with Mrs. Thayer.
+Accordingly she rose to leave the room, remarking that she was going
+down town in the evening and would like to have Mrs. Thayer accompany
+her. Miss Seaton knew that it was very improbable that Mrs. Thayer would
+go, on account of the fatigue and excitement of the morning; but she
+hoped that the latter would give her the letter to put in the
+post-office. On hearing the approach of the Captain, Mrs. Thayer had
+hastily concealed her writing materials, thus showing that she was
+writing to Pattmore. On entering her own room, Miss Seaton took a seat
+close by a door which connected the two rooms. This door was nailed up
+and the cracks had been filled with cotton; but she quickly pulled out
+the filling and obtained an excellent opening to hear all the
+conversation in the next room.
+
+The Captain first asked his sister when she would be ready to return to
+Springfield with him. She replied that she would go as soon as she felt
+able to stand the journey.
+
+"Annie," said he, in an impressive manner, "I fear that you are
+deceiving me, and that you intend to do me harm. Why do you seek my
+life? You know that I have done all I could for you, and that I will
+continue to do so. Why, then, do you wish to poison me? I know that you
+have poison with you, and that I am the only one for whom it can be
+intended."
+
+"No, no, you are wrong," replied Mrs. Thayer, in trembling tones; "you
+are my brother, and why should I wish to injure you?"
+
+"Annie, I know that you have poison about you," said the Captain,
+firmly, "and I am afraid to remain with you any longer. I have forgiven
+you once, but now it is my duty to cast you off; _you are plotting to
+take my life_."
+
+"Who told you this? What reason have I given you for thinking so?"
+demanded Mrs. Thayer.
+
+"I have been to see a wonderful fortune-teller, who----"
+
+The words had no more than passed her lips, when he was interrupted by
+an exclamation of terror and surprise from Mrs. Thayer, who started to
+her feet and then fell back upon the sofa, fainting. The Captain was
+much alarmed at the effect of his remark, and he could not understand
+why she had fainted at the mere mention of the source of his
+information. However, he did not spend any time in trying to account for
+her terror; his first action was to bathe her temples with cold water,
+in order to restore her to consciousness. When she had partly revived,
+she lay on the sofa with her eyes closed, as if she had no strength
+left. Finally she spoke in a weak voice, without looking at her brother:
+
+"Was it a fortune-teller who told you what you have just accused me of?"
+
+"Yes," replied the Captain, "and I know that she speaks the truth."
+
+"My God!" exclaimed Mrs. Thayer, "how could that woman have known that?
+Well, it is true that I have some poison, though, as God is my judge, it
+was not meant for you; but, I was resolved that if I could not escape
+from my present misery, I would take it myself. Never, for an instant,
+did I intend it for you."
+
+"In either case, Annie, I must have the poison."
+
+Mrs. Thayer rose with great effort, and, going to her trunk, produced a
+small package labeled "POISON," in conspicuous letters. She handed it to
+the Captain, and he said:
+
+"I will now destroy this package and thus remove all temptation from
+you; let us both thank God that you have been prevented from carrying
+out your design. O, Annie! may this be the last time that I ever shall
+have reason to doubt you. The fortune-teller whom I mentioned is a
+wonderful woman. I learned from her many things which I will tell you
+when you are strong enough to hear them."
+
+"I should like you to tell me very much," said Mrs. Thayer, eagerly;
+"perhaps she could tell my fortune, if I should visit her."
+
+"Yes, indeed; she could tell you all your past and future; you ought to
+go there."
+
+"Well, I guess I will try to go to-morrow, if I am strong enough," said
+Mrs. Thayer.
+
+The Captain kissed her tenderly, and said:
+
+"Annie, never again follow the advice of an evil counsellor; you will
+never be happy while you continue in a path which you know to be wrong.
+The fortune-teller had good news for us both, and all will go well if
+you will only be guided by the wishes of your true friends, who love you
+and who desire to save you from sorrow."
+
+The Captain then went out and left Mrs. Thayer dozing on the sofa.
+
+In the evening, after supper, Miss Seaton went to Mrs. Thayer's room to
+see whether the latter wished to take a walk. Mrs. Thayer was not able
+to go out, but she asked Miss Seaton to put a letter in the post-office
+for her. Miss Seaton took the letter and brought it straight to Mrs.
+Warne, who delivered it to me at once. I opened it and read it aloud to
+my stenographer, who took down its contents as fast as the words fell
+from my lips.
+
+The letter contained a full account of Mrs. Thayer's second visit to
+Lucille, and it betrayed great fear of discovery and punishment. She
+said that she had thought their secret to be perfectly safe, but now she
+knew that there was at least one person who could disclose their guilt
+to the world, since that person had the power of finding out everything.
+She begged him to come to Chicago, to see Lucille, and have his fortune
+told; he would then learn the wonderful extent of her powers, and would
+be able to decide what was the best course to pursue. She thought he
+ought to fly for safety at once, since the fortune-teller predicted that
+he was in great danger. As for herself, she expected to go East soon, as
+her brother was anxious to start. If Pattmore did not come to Chicago
+immediately she might never see him again; she could not bear the idea
+of separation, but she knew that it must come. It was evident that Mrs.
+Thayer had wholly forgotten Lucille's injunction to maintain silence
+upon the subject of her revelations, and I debated an instant whether I
+should send the letter; but I finally decided to let it go, as he would
+receive it too late to interfere with my plans, even if he should come
+to Chicago. I sent a letter to Miller by the same mail, telling him to
+keep a strict watch on Pattmore, as I feared that he might leave
+Greenville suddenly. In case of such a movement Miller must telegraph to
+me instantly.
+
+Miller's reports for several days had been to the effect that Pattmore
+was working very hard to secure the Congressional nomination, but that
+he seemed very much troubled about some other matter. He had changed his
+mind about going West, and had asked Miller to go to Galveston, Texas,
+with him, in case he failed to get the nomination. Although he still had
+hosts of friends, he did not confide his plans to any one except Miller.
+This showed me that there would be but little probability that Pattmore
+would come to Chicago without Miller's knowledge. That same evening
+Miller sent me a telegram stating that Pattmore had just received a long
+letter, evidently from Mrs. Thayer; on reading it he had shown great
+excitement, and had afterwards become gloomy and dejected to an unusual
+degree. Miller wished to know whether I had any special instructions
+about the letter. As this was the letter which Miss Seaton had secured
+the day before, I replied that he need not trouble himself about it, but
+that he must keep a close watch upon Pattmore, and endeavor to retain
+him in Greenville as long as possible.
+
+By the early mail next morning I received a letter from Dr. Stuart, of
+Greenville; having finished the work upon which he had been engaged, he
+had begun the analysis of Mrs. Pattmore's bowels; he said that he would
+let me know the result within a few days.
+
+The whole affair was now gradually drawing to a focus, and I felt
+confident of a successful termination. I therefore instructed Mrs. Warne
+to describe me to Mrs. Thayer, and to say that I was watching her
+movements constantly.
+
+About nine o'clock that morning Mrs. Thayer went out as usual with Miss
+Seaton, and they proceeded straight to Lucille's rooms. They were the
+first arrivals, and Mrs. Thayer was admitted to Lucille's presence at
+once; but Miss Seaton immediately went back to her boarding-house, as I
+wished to have Mrs. Thayer return home alone. Mrs. Thayer was in a more
+impressionable state than ever before. The day was dark and lowering,
+showing every sign of an approaching storm; outside there had been the
+noisy bustle of active business life, while within the limits of
+Lucille's mystic chamber all was hushed in a deathly silence. The
+monotonous swinging of the lamps, the perfume-laden air, the ghastly
+skeletons, and the imperious bearing and powerful will of Lucille--all
+struck upon her imagination with resistless force. As she sank into the
+seat which Lucille pointed out, she felt like a criminal entering the
+prisoner's dock for trial. She felt that she must relieve herself from
+her load of guilt or she would forever suffer the torments of remorse.
+
+"Well, my child," said Lucille, in her most solemn tones, "to-day you
+have come to learn all, and I trust that you have nerved yourself to
+sustain the revelations which I have to make. I have been through many
+difficulties and terrible dangers since I last saw you, and a very sad
+story has been laid before me. Your situation is one of great peril, and
+upon your own decision this day will rest your hopes of happiness
+hereafter. Still, you must not be cast down; if you will only resolve to
+do what is right, your sorrows will gradually pass away, while health
+and happiness will steadily return to you. Your worst crime was the
+destruction of your unborn child, for that was a sin against nature
+herself; but true repentance will save you from the effects of that sin,
+further than you have already suffered."
+
+This was the first time Lucille had mentioned the fact that she knew of
+the abortion; yet it seemed perfectly natural to Mrs. Thayer that
+Lucille should know it; hence, beyond turning very pale at the memory of
+her suffering, she did not manifest any special emotion on hearing
+Lucille's words.
+
+The sibyl continued speaking as she gazed, first at Mrs. Thayer's hand,
+and then at the chart:
+
+"This man, whom you so wrongly love, does not return you the affection
+of a true husband; he loves you only for selfish, sensual purposes; he
+will fondle you as a plaything for a few years, and then he will cast
+you off for a younger and more handsome rival, even as he has already
+put away his first wife for your sake. If you do not give him up now,
+some day he will throw you aside or trample you under foot. Think you he
+will fear to do in the future what he has done in the past? When he
+wearies of you, have you any doubt that he will murder you _as he has
+already murdered his wife_?"
+
+Lucille had spoken in a rapid, sibilant whisper, leaning forward so as
+to bring her eyes directly before Mrs. Thayer's face, and the effect was
+electrical. Mrs. Thayer struggled for a moment, as if she would rise,
+and then fell back and burst into tears. This was a fortunate relief,
+since she would have fainted if she had not obtained some mode of escape
+for her pent-up feelings. Seeing that there was no further danger of
+overpowering Mrs. Thayer, as long as she was able to cry, Lucille
+continued:
+
+"Yes, the heartless villain murdered his wife by poisoning her. I can
+see it all as it occurred; it is a dreadful scene, yet I know that it
+must be true--a woman of middle age is lying in bed; she has evidently
+been very handsome, but now she shows signs of a long illness; your
+lover, her husband, enters, and he wishes to give her some medicine; but
+see, she motions him away, though she is unable to speak; she must know
+that he is going to poison her; yet she cannot help herself, and the
+nurse does not suspect his design. Now he has given her the poison, and
+she is writhing in an agony of pain. He professes to be much afflicted,
+and, oh, heavens! with the treachery of Judas, he attempts to kiss her!
+Now it is all over; with one last, reproachful look, she has passed to
+that land where 'the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at
+rest.' She is dead, _and her husband is her murderer_."
+
+"Oh! for God's sake, spare me, spare me!" exclaimed Mrs. Thayer, between
+her sobs. "I cannot listen to the description of such a death-bed scene
+without horror. I know I have been very guilty, but I shall try to make
+amends in the future. Have pity on me, I beg of you, and do not
+overwhelm me with such terrible scenes."
+
+"You must hear all," said Lucille, firmly. "There are two more acts in
+this tragedy to which you must listen; the first is a weird scene in a
+church-yard by night, and the clear starlight only half reveals the
+actors; there are three men engaged in digging at this woman's grave;
+yes, even in death, her body cannot rest in peace. Near by lies the
+corpse of another woman, whose cold, white face is turned up mutely to
+the silent stars; now the men reach the coffin and try to drag it from
+the grave. What is their object? Ah! I see! they wish to substitute one
+corpse for the other, so that the poison will never be discovered in
+case of an inquest upon the body of the murdered woman. Suddenly three
+other men rush upon the grave-diggers before they have been able to pull
+the coffin from the grave; a chase ensues, and pistol-shots are fired;
+but finally the resurrectionists escape, though they have been foiled
+in their purpose. The last scene is the inquest: the coffin is brought
+in, but the murderer dare not look upon the face of his victim; a sham
+investigation is held, and he is cleared by the verdict of the jury; but
+other watchful eyes have been regarding the proceedings; keen detectives
+have been at work, and they now step in, unknown to the public, and take
+quiet possession of the corpse; the stomach is removed for analysis, and
+a chemist of great reputation takes charge of it; poison has been found;
+positive proof of your lover's guilt have been obtained, and he will
+suffer the penalty of his crime. You also are in danger, but if you tell
+the truth, you will be saved."
+
+As Lucille impetuously placed before Mrs. Thayer the occurrences which
+my investigations had disclosed, it seemed to the latter as if she were
+the victim of a horrible nightmare. She felt that she was surrounded by
+unseen foes, who were gradually tightening the toils in which she and
+Pattmore had become entangled. She was neither brave nor
+self-sacrificing; she had a sensitive dread of exposure, trial, and
+punishment, which was aggravated by a knowledge of guilt and an
+uncertainty as to the extent to which she had become legally liable;
+also, she had none of the spirit of devoted affection which sometimes
+prompts a woman to bear the greatest hardships for the sake of the man
+she loves; hence, she was ready to do anything to save herself, even at
+the expense of Pattmore's life. As Lucille concluded her terrible
+recital, Mrs. Thayer shrieked in an agony of remorse and fear:
+
+"Oh, have mercy on me! I am lost! I am lost! Tell me what I can do to
+escape punishment; I will obey you wholly--I will do anything you tell
+me. Oh, save me, save me! I know you can if you will."
+
+It was some time before Lucille could restore her to a quiet state of
+mind, but at length her sobs ceased and Lucille continued:
+
+"The worst is now past, and if you will return to your brother and
+confess all, he will forgive you. When you are called upon to tell what
+you know about this wicked man, you must do so without reserve. You will
+never see him again except in prison. If you do as your brother wishes,
+you will regain your light heart and sweet disposition; your real
+husband will come back to you, and your future will be one of
+happiness."
+
+Mrs. Thayer sat motionless, with her face buried in her shawl;
+occasionally a long, choking sob would make her whole frame quiver, but
+otherwise she gave hardly a sign of life.
+
+"Let me see your face," commanded Lucille.
+
+As Mrs. Thayer slowly raised her tear-stained countenance, Lucille gazed
+intently into her eyes, and again examined the lines of her hand; then
+she went on speaking:
+
+"There is another man near you, whose presence you do not suspect;
+neither have you ever seen him; but he is watching you all the time. You
+will soon meet him, for he wishes to talk with you. He is only of medium
+height, but he is very well built and powerful; he has a full face,
+ruddy complexion, brown hair, and gray eyes; he wears full whiskers all
+around his face, and his expression is kindly but resolute. He is a very
+determined man, and when he tries to do anything he never gives up
+until he has accomplished his object. He has great power, and if you
+follow his counsel he can save you from harm; but you must trust him
+fully and tell him the whole truth, for he can instantly detect any
+falsehood or evasion, and he will be very dangerous to you if you try to
+deceive him. This is all I have to tell you at present, my child; I wish
+you well, but I cannot devote more time to you. I hope you will give
+heed to what I have told you, and that you will decide to follow the
+right path. There are many now awaiting an audience with me, and I must
+hasten to admit them, since I cannot tarry long in one city. I have been
+here now some time, and I must soon journey on; the waste places of the
+far West call to me--yea, even the deserts of the barren hills. I must
+plunge into solitude for a time, to commune with Nature."
+
+Then, raising her arms, Lucille placed both hands lightly on Mrs.
+Thayer's head and said, solemnly:
+
+"May the Spirit of Eternal Truth go with thee, my child, to guide thee
+forevermore! Farewell."
+
+When Mrs. Thayer looked up, after a few minutes of silence, Lucille had
+disappeared, having slipped into the room where I and my stenographer
+were listening. Seeing that the fortune-teller had dismissed her, Mrs.
+Thayer drew down her heavy veil and left the room. One of my men was
+stationed at the front door to watch her movements, so that when I
+joined him, after a few minutes hurried talk with Lucille, he pointed
+out to me the direction she had taken. I hastened down the street until
+I caught sight of her; then, seeing that she was on her way back to her
+boarding-house, I decided not to speak to her just then. The street was
+quite crowded, and I preferred not to risk having a scene in the
+presence of so many spectators. Therefore I walked at a safe distance
+behind her until she was across the bridge; but, on reaching a quiet
+neighborhood, I overtook her and said:
+
+"Mrs. Thayer, I believe?"
+
+It must be remembered that she had no acquaintances in Chicago except
+her fellow-boarders; hence my recognition of her would have startled
+her, even had she never been told to expect me. But, as it was, my
+appearance gave her a great shock, since she was at that moment
+revolving in her mind the information given her by Lucille. Therefore,
+when she was addressed by a stranger, whom she at once recognized as the
+man about whom Lucille had given her a forewarning, she was struck
+almost speechless with fear. She could only ejaculate:
+
+"Oh! God help me! that man has come!"
+
+I saw she was nearly ready to faint, so I took her arm and said:
+
+"Mrs. Thayer, I wish you to accompany me to my office."
+
+She was so weak that I supported her a short distance until one of my
+men, who had remained within call, could bring a hack. I then helped
+Mrs. Thayer into the carriage and told the driver to proceed at once to
+my office. Mrs. Thayer said nothing, and showed no objection to my
+wishes; but she was greatly alarmed, and she could not take her eyes off
+my face. She had a sort of helpless, questioning look, which I was glad
+to see, since it was evidence that she was now wholly under my control.
+
+When the carriage stopped, I assisted her to walk up stairs into my
+private office, where my stenographer had already taken a position to
+hear without being seen. I gave her a comfortable chair, and handed her
+a glass of water, for I saw that she was very faint. As soon as her
+color began to show that she had revived I said:
+
+"Mrs. Thayer, you perceive that I am well acquainted with you. I am
+sorry that you are in trouble, and I wish to be your friend, if you will
+allow me to be so; all I ask is that you tell me the whole truth about
+all your difficulties."
+
+"Are you really my friend?" she asked, in a trembling voice; "can I rely
+upon what you say, and be sure that you will not take advantage of me?
+Oh, sir, my heart seems ready to break, and I know not what to think. I
+am a poor, weak woman, completely in your power."
+
+"You need have no fear of me," I replied, "I know nearly everything
+relative to your troubles, but I wish you to tell me all the facts; then
+I shall know precisely what to do to help you. It is possible to raise a
+criminal charge against you, but it is my desire to prevent that;
+therefore, you must tell me everything, without any reservation
+whatever."
+
+"Who are you?" she asked, after a few moments of thought. "You have not
+told me your name, yet I know you; I have heard of you before, and I
+know it will be useless for me to try to hide anything from you, but I
+would like to know your name."
+
+"My name is Pinkerton," I answered, "but I cannot tell you how I know
+you, nor why I take an interest in your affairs. I wish you to give me a
+full account of your relations with Pattmore ever since your first
+acquaintance with him."
+
+I then gave her a glass of wine to strengthen her, and asked her to
+proceed. As she spoke at first in a very low voice, I professed to be
+hard of hearing, in order that she should speak loud enough for my
+stenographer to hear also.
+
+She first referred to her early married life, when she was perfectly
+happy in Henry's love; then she said that he made several very long
+voyages, and when he came home he remained only a few days each time.
+During one of these voyages, she met Pattmore and his wife in Brooklyn,
+and they became well acquainted. Afterward Pattmore frequently came to
+Brooklyn alone, and he always spent much of his time in her society. She
+did not realize the danger of his intercourse at first; but, gradually,
+he began to make love to her, and, finally, he accomplished her ruin.
+Thenceforward she was wholly under his control, especially after Henry's
+desertion of her. He brought her to his own hotel on the plea that she
+would be company for his wife, and she lived as his mistress, in fact,
+though not outwardly, until her brother came to take her away. Her
+brother succeeded in awakening her remorse, and she determined to return
+to Connecticut with him. Pattmore, however, opposed this action very
+strongly, and offered to marry her immediately, saying that his wife was
+sure to die soon from quick consumption, since all her family had died
+of that disease at about her age. They were therefore secretly married,
+and she then wrote to her brother that she should not return to
+Connecticut. When she discovered that she was _enceinte_ she was much
+alarmed, and she again decided to return to her brother after the
+abortion had been performed, but Pattmore had a strong control over her
+still. As soon as she was able to go out, after her illness, Pattmore
+wrote to her to get a certain prescription put up by a druggist. She did
+so, and then sent the powders to him. In a short time Pattmore came to
+Chicago and told her that he had arranged to poison his wife. She was
+very much shocked at first, but he told her that Mrs. Pattmore could
+only live about a year anyhow, and that she would suffer a great deal
+during her rapid decline; hence he argued that there could be no harm in
+hastening her death to save her from many weeks of pain. He said that he
+had already commenced to poison her, using small doses, so as to break
+down her system gradually. While he was there Captain Sumner came back
+from the East, and he was very angry at Mrs. Thayer for permitting
+Pattmore to visit her. Then Pattmore told her to poison her brother in
+order that she might inherit his property. This proposition perfectly
+horrified her, as she really loved her brother; but Pattmore said that
+they never could live together as long as Captain Sumner was alive, and
+that he was afraid the Captain would some day get into a passion and
+kill them both. In this way he worked on her feelings until she agreed
+to give her brother some of the powder which she had sent to Greenville.
+Accordingly she made three attempts to poison her brother, but
+fortunately she was not successful. Pattmore then returned to
+Greenville, and soon afterward his wife died. He had visited her only
+once since that time, but they corresponded regularly. He was very
+guarded in his letters as to what he said about his wife's death, but
+she knew that he had carried out his plan, because he had told her so
+distinctly when he last saw her. He said that he had given her small
+doses every day until she died; but the doctor believed that she had
+died of dysentery, so that he was all safe.
+
+When she had finished, I said:
+
+"Well, Mrs. Thayer, I suppose you are aware that you are not legally
+Pattmore's wife?"
+
+"Yes, I am," she said, with a sort of blind persistency; "his first wife
+is dead, and as I was legally married to him I am now his wife."
+
+"No, Mrs. Thayer," I replied, "I will show you that your pretended
+marriage was no marriage at all; when it took place Pattmore's wife was
+alive, and he could not contract a second legal marriage; again, you
+have no evidence that your husband is dead, and it is therefore probable
+that you could not marry again legally. Hence, as he _certainly_
+committed bigamy, and as you _probably_ have done the same, there could
+be no legal marriage between you."
+
+"Yes, Mr. Pinkerton," she acknowledged, sadly, "I know you are right,
+but still I cling to that belief. If I could be sure that Henry was
+alive, I should not regard Pattmore as my husband; but, as his wife is
+dead, and Henry is also dead to me, I shall think that I am Pattmore's
+wife."
+
+"Well, you can have your doubts set at rest very soon," said I, "for I
+have received letters from England saying that Henry is on his return
+from a whaling voyage in the South Sea."
+
+"Is that so?" gasped Mrs. Thayer. "Well, I was told that, but I could
+hardly believe it. Oh, what shall I do? It was all my fault that Henry
+left me; he loved me truly, and I once loved him. Oh, if he would only
+forgive me, and love me, I might hope to be happy again; but I fear he
+can never pardon the wrongs I have done him."
+
+"Do not despair, Mrs. Thayer," I said; "Henry may be willing to forgive
+and forget if you show yourself ready to return his affection. However,
+the first business is to circumvent Pattmore, and you must lend your
+assistance."
+
+"What are you going to do with me?" she asked, in a timid voice.
+
+"I shall let you go home," I replied; "but I shall keep a strict watch
+upon your actions, and if you show a spirit of true repentance, I will
+shield you from the penalties of your crimes. You will be called upon to
+testify in court against Pattmore, and then your brother will take you
+to his farm in Connecticut. You can go now, but your brother must come
+here and become responsible for your appearance when wanted. One thing
+more, Mrs. Thayer; you are receiving letters from Pattmore every day;
+now, I wish you to send me all his letters without opening or answering
+them. If you attempt to deceive me in anything I shall be obliged to put
+you in prison."
+
+"Oh, no, no!" she said, eagerly; "you can trust me, I assure you, for I
+know that I am in your power; a fortune-teller told me so."
+
+"Well, well, I don't care anything about fortune-tellers--I never saw
+one that wasn't a humbug--but you may depend upon it that I cannot be
+deceived, and I will not be trifled with. You can go home now and tell
+your brother to come over here to become your security."
+
+So saying, I called a carriage and sent her home in charge of one of my
+men. On returning to my office, I found Mrs. Warne awaiting me. I
+complimented her very highly on her success, and told her that she need
+not continue the business of fortune-telling more than a day or two
+longer. I told her to be careful not to receive Mrs. Thayer again,
+however, but to instruct the usher to tell her that Madam Lucille never
+received any lady a second time after having completed her horoscope.
+
+In about half an hour Captain Sumner came in. I told him that I was now
+master of the situation, and that I would make a decided move in a day
+or two.
+
+"Yes," said the Captain, "Annie has told me a great deal, and she says
+that I must become responsible for her, and guarantee that she shall not
+leave town. How have you accomplished all this? I cannot understand it."
+
+"Some day perhaps I will tell you all about it," I replied, "but I
+cannot do so just now. I wish you to bring your sister here to-morrow
+morning; I will prepare an affidavit for her to sign, and then we shall
+soon have Pattmore under arrest."
+
+"Well, if you will only have him punished as he deserves," said the
+Captain, "I shall consider no reward too great for you. He is a snake in
+the grass, who has ruined my sister, and covered our family with shame.
+Now I want revenge."
+
+"I shall do all in my power to have him punished," I said; "and I am
+very well pleased to see the end so near. By the way, you might write
+to Mr. Chapman to inform him of our success."
+
+"I will, indeed," said the Captain, enthusiastically; "if it had not
+been for him, I never should have thought of coming to you, Mr.
+Pinkerton."
+
+"Well, good-day, Captain; come here with Mrs. Thayer about ten o'clock
+to-morrow morning."
+
+I immediately placed the facts before my lawyer, and requested him to
+prepare an affidavit for Mrs. Thayer to make relative to Pattmore's
+guilt. The next morning it was ready, and Mrs. Thayer swore to the facts
+as therein set forth. I then told the Captain to remain in Chicago until
+I should send for him, and that evening I took the train for Greenville.
+
+On my arrival there I called on Dr. Stuart and learned that his analysis
+had been finished that day. He had found enough poison in Mrs.
+Pattmore's bowels to make it certain that she had died from that cause,
+and not from natural disease. I then made an affidavit, charging
+Pattmore with murder, and I also filed Mrs. Thayer's affidavit in the
+court. Everything was done quietly, so that Pattmore was arrested before
+any one except the sheriff and the judge knew that a warrant had been
+issued. The arrest created immense excitement; a bitter political
+campaign was in progress, and it was charged, as before, that the arrest
+was made for political effect. The grand jury was in session, however,
+and I sent for Captain Sumner and Mrs. Thayer at once. The testimony of
+Mrs. Thayer, the nurse, and the grave-diggers, made a pretty strong
+case; but when I clinched the whole matter with the testimony of Dr.
+Stuart, there was no longer any doubt in the minds of the jury as to
+Pattmore's guilt. He was immediately indicted for murder in the first
+degree, and was consigned to prison to await trial.
+
+The trial took place very soon afterward, and the lawyers for the
+defense made a very strong fight to clear their client. They were
+successful to the extent of saving him from execution, but he was
+sentenced to a term of ten years in the penitentiary.
+
+
+Some years after Pattmore was sentenced, I was walking down Broadway,
+New York, when I happened to meet Captain Sumner. Our greetings were
+very cordial, and I invited him to visit me at my New York office.
+
+"I shall be very glad, indeed, to come," he said; "I often think of you,
+and I can never forget how much I am indebted to you. By the way, I
+should like to bring a friend with me."
+
+"Do so, by all means," I replied; "I shall always be glad to see any of
+your friends. But how is Mrs. Thayer? Do you intend to bring her to see
+me?"
+
+"No; she is not in this country now," he answered, with a pleasant
+smile; "but she was in good health when I last heard from her, and was
+very happy, indeed. Henry Thayer returned to the United States about a
+month after we had settled down on my farm, and he immediately came to
+see me. I need not tell you how delighted he was to find Annie waiting
+for him. Their old love for each other returned with redoubled power
+and now nothing could separate them. When Annie began to speak of her
+past follies and errors, Henry stopped her instantly: 'No, Annie,' he
+said, 'let the dead bury the dead--we will live for the future. Our past
+shall be forgotten except such memories as are pleasant.' They have
+resided for several years in China, where Henry is a partner in a
+wealthy firm. They have two lovely children, and life runs very smoothly
+and pleasantly for them. I know that this great change in her life was
+largely due to you, Mr. Pinkerton, and I shall never cease to be
+grateful for your exertions to save her from misery. I owe you still
+another debt, which I will tell you about to-morrow, when I bring my
+friend to see you."
+
+"I am very glad to know that Mrs. Thayer is so happy," I said; "give my
+regards to her when you write. I must hurry on now, Captain, as I have
+an important engagement; so good-bye. Bring your friend any time
+to-morrow afternoon."
+
+So saying, I shook his hand and passed on. The next day he came sailing
+in, with a fine looking lady of middle age leaning contentedly on his
+arm.
+
+"Mr. Pinkerton," said the Captain, with a very complacent expression,
+"I'm spliced. Allow me to introduce Mrs. Sumner--lately Mrs. Agnew."
+
+THE END.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Somnambulist and the Detective, by 
+Allan Pinkerton
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