The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1869-12-08
The French Detective.
BY JAMES M'CABE.

Eugene Laromle had passed through SOM
wonderful adventures in the exercise of hi
profession, and had been nearer death tina,
most men care to be. His success in ferret
ing out and bringing to Lis hit crimes OF al
kinds had won for him the bitter enmity O
all the offenders, both political and criminal
in the city. They had repeatedly vowed ven
geance against him, for they declared tha
there were NO chances of success for then
while he remained in Paris. Laromie onl,
laughed at their threats, and kept his wit
about him. He declared his readiness t.
meet them whenever they desired it, pro
vided only they would grant him fair play
This, however, was the last thing they in
tended doing. They had fired at him fire.
quently without success, and had been equal
ly unlucky with their attempts at poison
They had gotten up mock co6spiracies, with
the hope of dec6ying him into their power
but he saw through them in an instant, and
only laughed at mis- enemies for trouble
Still they had not abandoned the hope OF
capturing him, and it was very certain il
they succeeded in doing so, Mr.. Laromie,s
fate was sealed
One day he was lounging idly near one of
the most noted shops of the Palais ROYAL,
when woman passed by. She was yery
beautiful, and was richly and tastefully
dressed. She was evidently lady, and de-
cidedly one of the most beautiful the detec-
tive had ever seen.
As she passed, she looked at him fixedly
and then smiled. Instantly Laromie lifted
his hat and bowed profoundly. When he
raised his eyes again the lady had disap-
peared
He was annoyed at this, for he was an
xious to learn something of the beautiful
stranger, and from the smile she had given
him he knew she was no ways averse to such
o proceeding.
Laromie was true Frenchman in his love
OF gallantry, and this was the only thing
that ever brought him into any real danger.
Several times he had narrowly ESCAPED
death at the hands of jealous husbands, and
his friends were confident that if aver he
died by violence, woman would be the
cause of it.
During the day he could not help think
ing of the beautiful unknown who had so
fascinated him. ...s...
The next morning about the same hour.
he went again to the Palais Royal to watch
for her. He was not long kept waiting. She
soon appeared, and as she passed smiled.
The smile was accompanied by bow.
aching upon a suilden impulse. I,arou;v
started forward and placed himself BY her
side.
She interrupted his attempt to speak, saw
ing: I'VE are observed-to night at the
opera"
Zone word, madame" he exclaimed, ato
whom have l the honor of speaking?"
She laughed slightly, and handing him a
card, said: "Go, now. 1 will see YOU to-
night at the opera"
Laromie bowed low and drew back. while
the lady passed on. CHANGING at the card
she had given him, he saw written on 1t in
a delicate hand Julie de Noel; but whether
it was Madame or Madamoiselle CMrs. or
Miss the pastboard did not state and the
detective did not care. He only knew that
she was most beautiful woman and that
she had consented to grant him an inter-
view.
"Who knows" muttered Laromie. twitch.
ing lis moustache, absently, "what may
come of it? She is superb. But how the
deuce did she learn my hameg Well, it is
not strange. Every one in Paris has heard
of me-" ''4
In Pans, when one wishes to learn any,
thing respecting any inhabitant of the great
city, he can be satisfied by applying to the
chief of the police. To the office of his
chief, Laromie now bent his steps upon an
errand of this kind respecting the lady he
had just parted from. In answer to his in