us 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