as if she actually realized the presence of ghouls and goblins. Mrs.
Thayer fairly shivered with terror, but said nothing, and Lucille
continued:
"I wish I dared read the whole of the horoscope as it was divulged to me
in the lone watches of last night; but I have decided to omit all those
portions where there is a possibility that the malign spirits around you
have misinterpreted your past and future. When you were younger, you
passed your days in happiness; you were very handsome, and you could
charm the hearts of men without difficulty. There has been with you
frequently, during your past years, a man some years older than
yourself. He appears to have been a sailor; and, though often away from
you, he has always sought you out on his return. He loves you, and is
undoubtedly your true friend; he is unmarried, yet he does not wish to
make you his wife. He wears a peculiar ring which he obtained in the
East Indies. He often consults this ring, and it informs him whether he
is in danger or the reverse. You do not love this sailor as well as he
loves you, and he wishes to remove you from the other man. I cannot
understand the actions of the woman whom I mentioned yesterday; I cannot
tell whether she is living or dead. The man you love has been with her;
he gave her something in a spoon which she was forced to take. Ah! I
see! it was a medicine, a white powder--and now begins the obscurity.
Further on, I see that he visited you; you ran to meet him and plied him
with caresses. If he were your husband it would partly clear away the
cloud. Is it so?"
"Yes," Mrs. Thayer at length replied, "he is my husband."
"Well, that removes much of the uncertainty; this woman loved that man
and wished to keep him away from you; he gave her a powder to make her
sleep, so that he could escape from her."
Then, suddenly catching Mrs. Thayer's hand, Lucille glanced over it
rapidly, and again closely examined the chart. Drawing back from Mrs.
Thayer, she eyed her sternly and disapprovingly.
"Who is this other man?" she asked; "he, too, is a sailor; he is
handsome; he is brave; he is an officer; yes, he commands a ship. He has
been much with you, but he is now far away. You loved him once, but now
the other man has come between you." Then, pausing a moment, she broke
forth rapidly and harshly: "Woman, you have tried to deceive me! This
sea captain is your husband!"
Mrs. Thayer was only able to say, as she fell back, fainting:
"He is dead! he is----"
Lucille soon revived her, and then asked whether she was strong enough
to hear the remainder of her fortune. Mrs. Thayer signified her assent,
and Lucille again examined the chart. She first said:
"You cannot deceive me; your husband is away at sea; is it not so?"
"He _was_ my husband," said Mrs. Thayer, in a half audible voice; "but
he went away several years ago, and I heard that he was dead. I had
fallen in love with the other man, and, on hearing of my husband's
death, I married the man I loved. It can't be possible that Henry is
alive."
"Yes, he is," replied Lucille; "and I think he is about to return to
seek for you; but the horoscope again becomes obscure. It is as I
feared; the only means of learning the truth will be through the aid of
the dread Hermes, whose power no demon can resist. To-morrow you shall
learn all that my art can discover about your past and your future."
"But can you tell me no more than this to-day?" asked Mrs. Thayer, in a
vexed tone. "You have given me only bad news. How long shall I live and
be happy with my husband?"
"That man is not your husband, and you cannot long live happily with
him. As far as the cloud permits me to see, I can discern that something
terrible is about to happen to him. You are in danger yourself; there
seems to be a strange fatality attending your fate wherever it comes in
contact with that man; it is especially gloomy when complicated by the
presence of the other woman. As I have before told you, I cannot clearly
see from this horoscope what will be your _absolute_ future; but I can
tell you this much:--and, woman, weigh well my words, for the spirit of
prophecy is strong within me--your future is dependent upon your present
decision. Fate is unchangeable, and neither seer nor sibyl can alter its
least decree; but it is sometimes permitted to us to determine the
_contingent_ future of a person and no more. We then say, thus and thus
has been the past; the future may be thus, or it may be so; one course
of conduct now, will lead to _this_ result; the other will lead to
_that_. Yours is such a horoscope; and, even with the aid of my mighty
master, I cannot expect to do anything more than to learn definitely the
two alternatives which are to be presented to you, and the consequence
of your decision each way. To-morrow I will see you again at an early
hour, and will tell you all I have learned during the night."
"Can you tell me no more now?" demanded Mrs. Thayer, impatiently. "Is it
then true that my first husband is alive?"
"It is true," replied Lucille; "and he is at present commanding a ship
far away in the South Sea, which is the reason why you could not find
him."
"How do you know that I ever looked for him?" said Mrs. Thayer,
languidly.
"No; you did not look for him; but the other sailor who loves you, made
inquiries for a long time. I see him plainer now; he must be your
brother."
Mrs. Thayer had been very much awed by the imposing manners of Lucille,
and by the mystic surroundings in which she was placed. She was now
quite in Lucille's power, and I should have proceeded to force her to
reveal the truth about Pattmore's crime, had she been stronger
physically; but I was afraid to test her endurance too far in one day. I
had arranged a series of simple signals, which would not attract the
attention of any one but Lucille, and I therefore signalled to her that
she might close the interview. Mrs. Thayer lifted her head to look at
Lucille a few moments after the latter had spoken of her brother, and
said:
"You are the strangest woman I have ever met. You have told me things
which I believed were known only by myself. All that you have said is
the truth; but you do not tell me enough. I wish to know what I must do
to make amends for all the wrong I have done. I have been very wicked, I
know."
"If you really wish to do right, there is still a prospect that you may
be happy. My duty is to show you that you are doing wrong, and to help
you to change your course of action."
"Will you not tell me about my--"
Mrs. Thayer could not complete the sentence, but she evidently meant
Pattmore, so Lucille said:
"Yes, my child; I will tell you all to-morrow; but I think you are
unable to bear more at present. I will point out two paths, and will
show you where each one of them leads; then, if you wish, I will give
you my advice; after that, all will depend upon yourself. You can be
happy again, if you decide to follow my counsel."
"Indeed, I will try to do so," replied Mrs. Thayer. "I have suffered
myself to be led astray; but, hereafter, I will be guided by you. I
never before heard a fortune-teller who could talk as you do,--you give
such good advice."
"I endeavor to use my powers for the good of mankind," said Lucille,
solemnly. "I speak only what I know to be true. When I have told you
all, you must decide upon your course; and, if you choose the right one,
you will, doubtless, be very happy. Be careful that you do not reveal to
any one the knowledge you have this day learned from me; when you have
heard all, you can tell as much as you please. Farewell, my child; be
here promptly at ten o'clock to-morrow, for my time is precious."
Mrs. Thayer withdrew, joined Miss Seaton in the reception room, and they
returned home. Lucille then received in rapid succession the visitors
who had made appointments the previous day. She had a note-book filled
with information obtained by my detectives, and she was thus enabled to
satisfy them all immediately; or else, to postpone telling their
fortunes until the next day. Then the new arrivals were admitted long
enough to tell what they wished to know, after which they each received
appointments for the next day. When all were disposed of, Lucille came
into the back room to change her dress. I congratulated her upon her
success, and was about to withdraw with my stenographer, when the usher
came in and said that a gentleman desired an audience. From his
description, I felt confident that Captain Sumner was the person who had
arrived. I therefore begged Lucille to give him a full sitting, and to
read his past for him very thoroughly.
"By the way," I added, "you recollect that while he was away at sea, his
sweetheart, Miss Curtis, married a wealthy New York banker, named Agnew.
Well, I saw a notice the other day of the death of a banker of that name
in New York, and I feel sure that his old flame is now a widow. I want
you to refer to this fact in telling his future."
"Oh! well," said Lucille, with some vexation, "I'm rather tired of the
business already, and I don't care to spend the whole afternoon in that
hot room; so I shall get rid of him as soon as he is satisfied. If you
want to tell me anything, make a sound like the gnawing of a rat, and I
will come out."
Accordingly, I resumed my place at the door, with my stenographer close
beside me, and the Captain was ushered into Lucille's room. She motioned
to him to be seated, and then asked, in her most commanding tones:
"What can you learn from Lucille that you have not already learned from
the Hindoo or Calcutta?"
The Captain regarded her for an instant in reverent amazement; but,
finally, he said:
"I see that you know my past, and that you are truly one of those who
can read the fate of others. I am in trouble, and I wish to know when I
shall escape from it, if ever. The Hindoo told me much, but I would
know more."
Without further conversation, except to ask the day and hour of his
birth, Lucille proceeded to pore over a chart and to examine his hand.
Finally, she gazed at him steadily a few minutes, and said:
"What I have to say is the truth alone; if it be painful to you, it is
because the truth is not always pleasant. Listen calmly, therefore, to
the words which the stars declare to be true: Your parents are both
dead; your father was a sea-captain, and he brought you up in the same
profession. On one of his cruises, a Sepoy presented him with three
rings, one of which you now wear; its powers are very great, and it has
frequently rendered you important services; take care that you lose it
not. It has even saved your life. Yes," she continued, after closely
examining the palm of his left hand; "your life has been attempted three
separate times lately. You have two sisters living; one of them is
happily married and lives in comfort in an eastern State; the other
married a sea-captain, but she does not live with her husband. She is
with you, and is in poor health. Why! is it possible!" she exclaimed,
suddenly. "It was your sister who made the attempt on your life! You may
not suspect that your young and charming sister, whom you so deeply
love, could have been guilty of such an act; but, unless my powers have
failed me so that I cannot read the stars aright, such is the fact.
Wait; lest I should have made a mistake, I will try again. It seems too
horrible to be believed."
The Captain had buried his face in his hands; but now he looked up and
said:
"It is unnecessary to try again; you are right. I see that you are one
of the gifted ones of this world, and I wish you to tell me all; I can
bear it."
Lucille continued her examination of the Captain's hand as she went on
speaking:
"Your sister still has the same kind of poison with her which she used
before. She does not intend to use it herself--she has no motive for
committing suicide; but she may intend to give it to you again. You must
be careful, for that is your greatest danger. Your principal trouble for
some time has been caused by that sister. She no longer loves her
husband, who has wholly disappeared from your knowledge, and she
professes to believe that he is dead. This is not the case, however: he
is now in command of an English whaling ship in the South Sea, and he
will soon return to England."
At this, the Captain sprang up in a whirl of excitement and joy. In
relating the story to me the next day, he said that he felt like taking
Lucille in his arms and giving her a genuine sailor hug; but she looked
so fierce and wicked that he got the idea that she was a genuine witch;
and he was afraid that her beautiful white hands would turn into claws,
and that she would soon make a meal of him, if she felt so disposed.
When he sat down again, Lucille again scanned the chart and compared it
with his hand. She seemed very much disturbed at the revelations, and,
at length, she said:
"Your troubles are so closely interwoven with those of your sister that
I cannot separate them; but I never saw a horoscope so full of frightful
scenes--I do not wish to go on with it."
"Please do not stop," said the Captain; "I feel that you have the power
to tell me all, and I must know it. I will pay you anything you ask," he
added, taking out a roll of money.
"My fees are invariable," said Lucille, drawing herself up haughtily.
"You insult me by suggesting that I need to be paid extra to tell the
truth."
"I beg your pardon," replied the Captain excitedly; "but I hope you will
not refuse to tell me all you know. I can bear it, I assure you."
"Know then that your sister is deeply in love with a very bad man, who
lives two or three hundred miles from here. She became acquainted with
him in the East and he seduced her, though he was a married man, living
with his lawful wife. To quiet your sister's scruples, he had a marriage
ceremony performed; but, of course, it had no legal value, since both of
the parties were already married. She became _enceinte_ by this man, and
she caused the premature removal of the evidence of her shame by an
abortion. This crime you connived at, though you did not advise it. But
the worst is not yet told: this wicked man, finding that you were
determined to prevent him from seeing your sister, _resolved to murder
his wife_, and to marry your sister legally, supposing that her husband
was dead. He accomplished part of his design by poisoning his wife; but
he has not yet been able to carry out the whole of his plan. He is now
in danger, but he knows it not. He will soon be arrested and tried for
murder. If you can succeed in uniting your sister and her lawful
husband, they may be able to forget the past and live together happily.
All, however, depends upon her. At present she is in deep distress, but
the effect of it will be good for her. There is a strong hope that she
may be led to see the character of her wicked lover in its true light,
and that she may return penitently to the arms of her husband, if he
will receive her."
"Oh! he will, I know he will," said the Captain.
"Then, when that happens, your troubles will be at an end. Now I can
tell you but little more, as I have a great task to perform, and I must
be left alone."
On hearing Lucille say this, I immediately gave the signal, as agreed,
and she made an excuse to leave the room for a moment.
"What more do you want?" she asked.
"You have forgotten to tell him about his old sweetheart, Mrs. Agnew."
"Oh! let me skip that," said Lucille impatiently, "I am nearly
exhausted, and I cannot stand the atmosphere of that room much longer."
"Just tell the Captain about Mrs. Agnew, and then you will be through
work for the day. Try to send him off happy," I pleaded.
"Oh! yes; that is always the way: provided the Captain goes away happy,
you don't care what becomes of me. Well, I suppose I must; but I will
never undertake such a _role_ again."
When Lucille returned to the Captain, he was sitting with his face
buried in his hands; but he looked up instantly and asked whether she
had anything more to tell him.
She looked at the chart for a few minutes and then said:
"In your youth, you loved a lady of great beauty, and she returned your
love; but while you were away at sea, her parents made her believe that
you were false to her. They wished her to marry a wealthy banker, and,
in a fit of pique, she accepted him. She has always loved you in secret,
however, and now that her husband is dead--"
"Is that so?" ejaculated the Captain, springing up in great delight.
"Yes," replied Lucille; "he died a short time ago, and she is now
passing her widowhood in New York. She is stouter than she was, but she
is still handsome, and she has never ceased to love you. This completes
the reading of your horoscope."
The Captain rose to go, but paused to express his feelings. He spoke
slowly and with great emotion, since Lucille had completely secured his
confidence.
"Madam, I thank you from my heart for the revelations you have made to
me. I know that most of the things you have told me are true, and I am
satisfied of the truth of the rest also. I should like to pay you in
proportion to the value of your words to me." So saying he went out
quickly, leaving one hundred dollars on the table.
I found that Lucille's fame was becoming uncomfortably great, since the
reception-room was thronged with eager inquirers, who insisted on seeing
her, even after the close of her office hours. I, therefore, arranged
with Mr. Bangs, my general superintendent, to have a crowd of my own
_employees_ constantly in attendance, so that outsiders, seeing so many
others waiting for an audience, would not remain. By this means, Lucille
was able thereafter, to receive as many, or as few, as she chose, and
her labors were greatly lightened.
_CHAPTER X._
After the interview with Lucille, Mrs. Thayer returned to her
boarding-house with Miss Seaton, and invited the latter to spend the day
with her. She said that she was low-spirited and wanted company to keep
off the "blues." She was very nervous, and she could not take an
interest in anything. She said several times that Lucille was the most
wonderful person she had ever met, and that she had heard things which
convinced her of Lucille's supernatural powers; but she carefully
avoided stating anything definite relative to the revelations made to
her. Finally she commenced to write a long letter, and Miss Seaton
became absorbed in a novel.
After some time the Captain came in, looking very solemn, and Miss
Seaton saw that he wished to have a private talk with Mrs. Thayer.
Accordingly she rose to leave the room, remarking that she was going
down town in the evening and would like to have Mrs. Thayer accompany
her. Miss Seaton knew that it was very improbable that Mrs. Thayer would
go, on account of the fatigue and excitement of the morning; but she
hoped that the latter would give her the letter to put in the
post-office. On hearing the approach of the Captain, Mrs. Thayer had
hastily concealed her writing materials, thus showing that she was
writing to Pattmore. On entering her own room, Miss Seaton took a seat
close by a door which connected the two rooms. This door was nailed up
and the cracks had been filled with cotton; but she quickly pulled out
the filling and obtained an excellent opening to hear all the
conversation in the next room.
The Captain first asked his sister when she would be ready to return to
Springfield with him. She replied that she would go as soon as she felt
able to stand the journey.
"Annie," said he, in an impressive manner, "I fear that you are
deceiving me, and that you intend to do me harm. Why do you seek my
life? You know that I have done all I could for you, and that I will
continue to do so. Why, then, do you wish to poison me? I know that you
have poison with you, and that I am the only one for whom it can be
intended."
"No, no, you are wrong," replied Mrs. Thayer, in trembling tones; "you
are my brother, and why should I wish to injure you?"
"Annie, I know that you have poison about you," said the Captain,
firmly, "and I am afraid to remain with you any longer. I have forgiven
you once, but now it is my duty to cast you off; _you are plotting to
take my life_."
"Who told you this? What reason have I given you for thinking so?"
demanded Mrs. Thayer.
"I have been to see a wonderful fortune-teller, who----"
The words had no more than passed her lips, when he was interrupted by
an exclamation of terror and surprise from Mrs. Thayer, who started to
her feet and then fell back upon the sofa, fainting. The Captain was
much alarmed at the effect of his remark, and he could not understand
why she had fainted at the mere mention of the source of his
information. However, he did not spend any time in trying to account for
her terror; his first action was to bathe her temples with cold water,
in order to restore her to consciousness. When she had partly revived,
she lay on the sofa with her eyes closed, as if she had no strength
left. Finally she spoke in a weak voice, without looking at her brother:
"Was it a fortune-teller who told you what you have just accused me of?"
"Yes," replied the Captain, "and I know that she speaks the truth."
"My God!" exclaimed Mrs. Thayer, "how could that woman have known that?
Well, it is true that I have some poison, though, as God is my judge, it
was not meant for you; but, I was resolved that if I could not escape
from my present misery, I would take it myself. Never, for an instant,
did I intend it for you."
"In either case, Annie, I must have the poison."
Mrs. Thayer rose with great effort, and, going to her trunk, produced a
small package labeled "POISON," in conspicuous letters. She handed it to
the Captain, and he said:
"I will now destroy this package and thus remove all temptation from
you; let us both thank God that you have been prevented from carrying
out your design. O, Annie! may this be the last time that I ever shall
have reason to doubt you. The fortune-teller whom I mentioned is a
wonderful woman. I learned from her many things which I will tell you
when you are strong enough to hear them."
"I should like you to tell me very much," said Mrs. Thayer, eagerly;
"perhaps she could tell my fortune, if I should visit her."
"Yes, indeed; she could tell you all your past and future; you ought to
go there."
"Well, I guess I will try to go to-morrow, if I am strong enough," said
Mrs. Thayer.
The Captain kissed her tenderly, and said:
"Annie, never again follow the advice of an evil counsellor; you will
never be happy while you continue in a path which you know to be wrong.
The fortune-teller had good news for us both, and all will go well if
you will only be guided by the wishes of your true friends, who love you
and who desire to save you from sorrow."
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.