rd upon the woman, Mr. Pinkerton. You know we are _all_
liable to err; and--and, by Jupiter! Mrs. Winslow is certainly a most
magnificent woman--a _most_ magnificent woman," and then chewed himself
out after his courtly henchman.

CHAPTER VIII.

The Case begun.-- Mr. Pinkerton makes a preliminary
Investigation at Rochester.-- Mrs. Winslow, Trance
Medium.-- A Ride to Port Charlotte.-- Harcout as a
Barnacle.-- Much married.-- Mr. Pinkerton visits the
Mediums.-- Drops in at a Washington Hall Meeting.-- Sees
the naughty Woman.-- And returns to New York convinced
that the Spiritualistic Adventuress is a Woman of
remarkable Ability.

As the interview related in the previous chapter occurred on Friday, and
I could not attend to the matter at once, I was obliged to wait until
the following Sunday evening, when I quietly took the western-bound
express, which brought me to Rochester the following noon, where I
engaged rooms at the Brackett House under an assumed name, and
immediately began a preliminary examination on my own account, having
directed my New York Superintendent to inform either Lyon or Harcout, in
the event of their calling at the agency, that I could not be seen
regarding their matter for a few days, as I had suddenly been called
South on important business.

My object in doing this was to look over the ground at Rochester myself,
and get an unbiased idea of the whole matter, so that I could properly
proceed with the work, being satisfied that this was the only way to
secure a basis to operate upon, as I was sure that I had not got at the
bottom facts in the late interview. I invariably insist on having all
the facts, and always take measures to secure them before any decided
move is made.

As a rule, however, in cases of this kind, it is almost impossible to
secure what the detective absolutely needs from the parties from whom
the information should come; as it is a principle of human nature
possessed by us all, to be very frank about our merits, and quite
careful about mentioning anything that might be construed into either a
lack of judgment or principle.

I found that the New York papers were already publishing specials
concerning the matter, with solemn editorials regarding the perfidy of
man, the constancy of woman, and the general cussedness of both; and
that at Rochester the knowledge of the commencement of the suit had just
got into the papers,