The Fête Champêtre.--A grand Carnival.--The disappointed married Lover.--A vain Request.--Unmasked!--An indignant Deacon.--Don Pedro taken to Peru in a man-of-war, where he is convicted and sentenced to fifteen years Imprisonment. 265 THE POISONER AND THE DETECTIVES. CHAPTER I. Mr. Pinkerton at a Water-cure becomes interested in a Couple, one of whom subsequently causes the Detective Operation from which this Story is written.--A wealthy ship-owner and his son.--The son "Found dead."--Mr. Pinkerton secured to solve the Mystery.--Chicago after the Fire. 283 CHAPTER II. The Detectives at work.--Mrs. Sanford described.--Charlie, the Policeman.--Mrs. Sanford develops Interest in Government Bonds.--Chicago Relief and Aid Benefits.--Mrs. Sanford's Story of Trafton's Death. 298 CHAPTER III. The dangerous Side of the Woman's Character.--Robert A. Pinkerton as Adamson, the drunken, but wealthy Stranger, has a violent Struggle to escape from Mrs. Sanford, and is afterwards robbed.--Detective Ingham arrested, but very shortly liberated. 319 CHAPTER IV. Connecting Links.--Mrs. Sanford's Ability as an Imitator of Actors.--One Detective tears himself away from her, and another takes his Place.--Mrs. Sanford's mind frequently burdened with the subject of Murder. 340 CHAPTER V. A moneyed young Texan becomes one of Mrs. Sanford's Lodgers.--The bonds are seen and their Numbers taken by the Detectives.--Mrs. Sanford arrested.--She is found guilty of "Involuntary Manslaughter," and sentenced to the Illinois Penitentiary for five years.--Mr. Pinkerton's Theory of the Manner in which Trafton was murdered 356 PREFACE. In presenting to the public another volume of my detective stories, I would call the attention of the reader to the fact, that these stories are literally written from facts and incidents which have come under my own observation, or been worked up by officers acting directly under my instructions.