d 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 ric