Louisiana capitolian., 1879-12-13

You to stop villainous conspiracy. !
allude to the woman who pefsdpates
Mademoiselle Maurin."
"But, Madame, the official answered,
you really ore mistaken. The lady Il,
undoubtedly the actual individual she
claims to be-"
"But, repeat, she Is an impostor,"
the lady said vehemently, and rising
from her seat rs she did SO, lifted the
veil that concealed her features. "She
can be nothing else, for am the woman
she pretends to be. am Mademoiselle
Maurin."
For few moments the superinten-
dent was too surprised to speak. At
last, however, assuming his most off,
cial manner, he requested her to give
him proofs of what she said.
The first part Of her story differed but
little from that told by the first claim
ant. She had awoke to find herself tho
captive of three men wearing black
masks, and who from the slang and pa
tois of their speech, she knew at once
to belong to the lower classes of Paris.
All her offers of large rewards, however,
had been rejected with disdain, and
herself taken to an old, half-ruinous
house on tho edge of tho river, where
she had been kept close prisoner ui,-
til the preceding day, when she had
managed to make her escape.
Here certainly was q curious compli-
cation of affairs. How to decide which
was the real actress and which the i'm
postor was q dilemma. The words of
the lady before him gave an idea.
Bring me face to face with this wo-
man." she said ''Place her with me
upon the boards, and let the public be
Judge whether she or am the Maurin
| they used to know"
"Pardon me o moment, mademoiselle," /"
he said, as touching tho bell an atten-
dant entered, and after having given
him some Instructions in o low tone, he
again turned to the lady.
81 am ut your service now, mademoi-
selle," he said, ''to try tho test you sug-
gested."
Without any further delay they enter
ed carriege together, and were driven
to the actress house.
AS they entered the hall, man very
tlashily dressed came down the stairs,
and the lady caught the superintendent
by the arm.
''That is one of the men," she wllis-
pered hurriedly. "lIis mask slipped of
as he lifted me in his arms, and | am
sure he is the same"
Hardly had the words been spoken
than the superintendent had stepped
into the doorway, barring tho mans
egress.
Pierre Rouge" he said, ~ want you.
You are my prisoner
The mans only answer was revolver
that flashed like Lightning from his
Breast and buried bullet in the door.
casing an inch from the officers head.
Before he could again discharge the
weapon, however, the superintendents
fingers had closed on his throat like n
vice, and the next moment o pair OF
handouts were locked securely on his
wrists.
"Your game is mp, my good Peter y
the officer said in his calmest tones. ut
was clever conspiracy indeed, and you
deserve credit for its ingenuity. It is a
matter for twenty years at the galleys,
however, unless you save yourself by
urning States evidence.
| The rnf1ian was q coward and q trai
tor, rs such ruffiaus always are. Once
q prisoner himself, he was only too anx-
ions to have his accomplices share his
own fate, and he there and then made O
full confession. Although their object
in the first instance, had been merely tt
procure a subject for the physician, nj
sooner had they remarked the singular
resemblance between the actress and q
girl of their own class, who was wait.
rcss in a low wine-shOp, which was
their usual resort, than the scheme Of
inducing her to impersonate tho actress
and thus secure her property, entered
their minds. 1t had only failed because
they had not put her to death instead
of keeping her prisoner.
In consideration of this fact, and q,
tho earnest solicitation Of Mademoisellc
Maurin, theirsentences were made light
er than they would otherwise have beeu
As for the actress herself, she resumed
her place on the boards, where she con
t!nued to reign the favorite of the pub.
lie for years after the so nearly sue
cesSful and remarkable imposture wa'
forgotten.