y fears of future consequences to deter him.
These friendless girls would never be missed. They could pass away
from the scene, and no avenger could possibly rise up to demand an
account of them at his hands. No doubt he was forming his plans from
the day of the receipt of the letter all the way to Marseilles.

"Now, in the plot which he formed and carried out, I see several
successive steps.

"The first step, of course, was to get rid of the maid Mathilde. Miss
Lorton's description of her enables of to see how easily this could
be accomplished. She was a timid creature, who does not seem to have
been malicious, nor does she seem to have any idea of fidelity.
Gualitier may either have cajoled her, or terrified her. It is also
possible he may have bought her. This may afterward be known when we
find the woman herself.

"The next step is evident. It was to get rid of the younger Miss
Lorton, with whom he was traveling. It was easy to do this on account
of her friendlessness and inexperience. How he succeeded in doing it
we have heard from her own lips. He trumped up that story about the
steamers not running, and obtained her consent to go in yacht. This,
of course, placed her alone in his power. He picked up a crew of
scoundrels, set sail, and on the second night scuttled the vessel,
and fled. Something prevented the vessel from sinking, and his
intended victim was saved.

"Now what is the third step?

"Of course there can only be one thing, and that third step will be
an attempt of a similar kind against the elder Miss Lorton. If it is
not too late to guard against this we must do so at once. He is
probably with her now. He can easily work upon her. He can represent
to her that her sister is ill at Marseilles, and induce her to come
here. He can not deceive her about the steamers, but he may happen to
find her just after the departure of the steamer, and she, in her
impatience, may consent to go in a sailing vessel, to meet the same
fate which he designed for her sister.

"After this, to complete my analysis of this man's proceedings, there
remains the fourth step.

"Having got rid of the sisters, the next purpose will be to obtain
their property. Now if he is left to himself he will find this very
easy.

"I have no doubt that he has made himself fully acquainted with all
their investments; or, if he has not, he will find enough among
their papers, which will now be open to him. He can correspond with
their a