w."

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