Corset

Dorothea Trulove is young, rich, and about to marry her beloved. Ruth Butterham is young, poor, and awaiting trial for murder. Virtuous Dorothea visits prisoners in jail, comforting them with soul-saving conversations. She is fascinated by phrenology and tries to... confirm her hypothesis on the inmates that criminal tendencies can be recognized by the shape of the head and that attempts can be made to correct them. Sixteen-year-old Ruth seems to her the perfect subject for study, as her skull has not yet fully formed. However, Ruth puzzles Dorothea with tales of the supernatural power inherent in her sewing – she is convinced that she can kill with a needle and thread. Dorothea does not want to believe her, but Ruth's story refuses to leave her, and doubts creep into her soul.