The Republican journal., 1869-11-25
FOILED BY A WOMAN.
4 LEAF FROM THE DIARY OF A DETECT

Madame, it is my duty to arrest you?"
| 'YOu dare noti"
The lips were white with passion rather
than fear, and the lady stood before me like
q lioness at bay. Even then l could not help
but note the splendid beauty of this grand
lady, Tall and slender, eyes black and flash
ing-almost lurid now, the spectacle she pre-
sented, standing there in the middle Of the
| apartment, was more the appearance Of a
queen than hunted criminal,
II must?" I replied. Il do not doubt Your
innocence. Looking into your face, it is
strange that any one could couple it with
guilt; but | am constrained to do my duty,
| Madame, however ininical it may be to my
| feelings
"Will you allow me to change my dress? ?"
| she said in q tone almost pleasant. The hard
lines around her mouth had relaxed, and the
passionate glow on her face gave way to a
| pleasant smile.
''Certainly, will wait for you here
i Il wish also to send a messenger ior q
friend; will you permit him to pass9"
| ''Certainly."
This was my first interview with Eugena
Co rnille. | had seen her here for months,
the leader of our gayest and most fashionable
society In her splendid mansion she dis
penscd with the most profuse and elegant
hospitality.
A Spanish lady-a widow she had repre-
sented herself, and had been resident here
almost year. No one suspected her of be-
ing aught than what she seemed, until one
day | was ordered to arrest her as a muir
deress.
1t was now alleged, said Mr.. F., that this
young beauty was no other than the woman
who had poisoned her husband in Havana,
and fled with all his wealth. An immense
reward was offered for her apprehension, and
the circumstances that had come. to our know
ledge pointed her out beyond all doubt as the
person we We're in search Of. Yet the person
who recognized her the evening before at the
theatre advised us to be careful lest she should
escape us. | laughed at the idea. Mr.. l.,
and myself were surely sufficient to arrest a
lady. We were old enough in the ways of
cunning to defeat any such attempt. When
the lady left me stepped to the inflow, and
said to Mr.. L., who was waiting at the door
The lady desires to send 4 messenger for
Il friend; suffer him to pass
Almost at the same instant, the door of the
apartment the lady had entered opened, and
youth, apparently a mulatto boy-camc out
and passed hurriedly through the room into
the hail. and from thence into the street. 1t
was, no doubt the messenger, thought, and
picked up Il book and commenced reading.
Nearly an hour passed, and still the lady did
not make her appearance, nor did the boy
return. The friend she had sent for must
live at some distance, thought, or the lady
{ is unusually careful about her toilet, and Sc
another hour went by. At lest grew impsa-
tent, and knocked at the door.
4 '.Madamr. | can wait no longer"
There was no reply. knocked repeated
w. and at last determined to force an en-
t,.lnpp Str1npn fears hoTo SSoI mo | be-
gan to suspect, I know not what. 1t took
but 4 moment to drive in the door, and once
III the room, the mystery was revealed. The
robes ofthc lady lay upon the floor; scattered
over the floor We're suits of boys wearing
apparel, similar to that worn by the mulat-
to bow On the table was a cosmetic tha
: would stain the skin to a light delicate brown
was, foiled, for a surety; the lady escaped
IN the disguise of the messenger. | SHOULD
, have detected the ruse. felt Inundated anl
l determined TO redress my error. knew she
would not remain in the city an instant lon
ger than she could get away | hurried tl
f her bankers, but found that she had drawn
the amount due her an hour before.
"Who presented the check?" | asked @
the clerk
"a mulatto boy. 1t was made payable tC
bearer
There was yet a chance, The Frcncl
steamer lett within an hour. 1t was possible
she would seek that means of escape
Jumped into a cab and arrived there ten min
5 utcs before she left the wharf-:iust in time t(
assist an aged decrepit gentleman into the
cabin. There were a few passengers; mons
! OF which answered the description Of the per
son sought, l stood on the wharf watching
: the receding vessel until it disappeared.
was in the act Of turning away when a hack
/ man approached me with the remark:
''Nlr F did you see that old man o,
, boart9 lie had long white beard, and hai
: that fell on his shoulders"
4 Yes"
e well there's something curious abou
5 HIM"
e 'Why?"
K why sir, when lie got into my carriag
/ he was a mulatto boy, and when he got on
he was an old man"
. will not repeat the expression used thel
| it was neither refined nor polite-for
: knew the vessel would be fan out to sea be
: fore she could be overtaken | was toiled b.
woman. Nor could | help rejoicing, noy
that the chase was over, that she had escaped
Innocent or guilty, there was a charm abo,1
l. her none could resist. The spell of her won
drous beauty affected all who approache
her. 1t fingers in my memory yet, and
Il could not have the sin of her blood upon IN
conscience