The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-12-26

keep quiet ladies and gentlemen r'
rang out the Captain-"KeeDQ Quiet. and
don't crowd around the boat so! There
VIII be room in it for you all, and be-
SIDES there is a schooner coming to our
assistance pointing to vessel bowl
ing towards us before the wind,
,, 1here was, however, q panic among
those addressed. The moment the boat
was lowered, into it they all bundled,
among them the handsome passenger.
-, nuge sea coming along, roaring like
thunder, parted the tackles, tearing the
Doat from the steamer before the lady
IN black or1 could enter it. The hand
some passenger, losing his balance, fell
over the .gunwale, and being unable to
swim, wildly. threw up his arms.
1 must acknowledge that | was so
engrOsscd with the perilOus situation of
my fair companion and myself-now
the only two left aboard the steamer
that paid little attention to the drown
ing man.
The steamer was, in fact, going down
tast,-l was already nearly engulfed in
the stormy waves, her heated and half
submerged boilers kissing as the steam
came gushing out like the spout of a
whale. {"
| was advancing to throw an arm
around the little lady, fearing to see her
washed away, when, quietly motiOninQ
me oack with one hand, she seized q
colt OF rope and threw the end to the
handsome passenger. He caught it,
When, turning to me, the lady requested
me to help haul the man aboard. |
complied, marveling at the love and do
votion thus shown by O woman +, an
acquaintance of an hour.
His power over the female sex must
DO great, / thought. He is c0nceited but
not without reason.
The idea flashed clearly across nv
mind in spite of my danger. The
schooner, however, was very near. and
l mad every reason to believe that We
should be picked up.
i was right. We were all taken
aboard the schooner, the handsome
passenger among the rest. Then the
lady in black pulled forth a revolver,
pointing it at the head of him whom
she had rescued.
Out with the red cigar-caser' she
said sternly. q would like to see
what Monsieur carries in it."
,.o. Wa1yLWhy'I, ,stammered the stran-
Before he could say another word, the
little Amazon thrust her disengaged
hand IN his pocket, pulled forth the red
to the deck. r.
=. The ring she picked up, and holding
1t up before us all, exclaimed
u have it at last. The ieweler as-
sured me it was the only one of the de-
vice In Paris-a chariot wheel! This
person is the murderer of Countess de
Marville !"
The handsome passenger stood as if
frozen to the deck, making no resistance
as the lady in black slipped Il pair of
handouts over his wrists.
!, By what right" he then stammered,
" do you"
He paused as the other threw off her
dress and false hair, revealing the per-
son of a slender man with delicate girl
ish features.
am Jean Mosqueau, the detectivew
he quietly remarked, and | robbed the
sea Of this man that the scaffold might
not be cheated"
There is little more to add. The main
proofs having been obtained, other
proofs on the prisoners trial were
brought forth, showing him guilty be-
yond doubt.
Long before his execution his name
was ascertained to be Louis ROsseneau,
a noted adventurer and gambler, who,.
however, by cool effrontery and win
ming, address, backed by his good looks,
had been enabled to move among the
first circles OF Partisan society.