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 m