Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1880-04-24
FoIIED By a WoHAN.

"Madam, it is my duty to arrest
your
"You dare not"
The lips were white with passion,
rather than fear, and the lady stood
before me like a lioness at bay.
Even then | could not help but note
the splendid beauty Of thisgrand lady.
Tall and slender, eyes black and
flashing-almost lurid now; the
spectacle she presented, standing there
in the middle of the apartment, was
more the appearance Of D queen than
a hunted criminal. ea izi
~ must" ! replied. ~ do not
doubt your innocence; looking in
your face, it is not marked with
guilt. But am constrained to do.
my duty, madam, however inimical it
NAV be to feelings
Will you allow me to change my
dress r. she said, in a tone almost
pleasant. The hard lines around the
mouth mad relaxed, and the passionate
glow on the face gave way to apleas-
ant smile.
"Certainly, Twill wait for you here"
81 wish to send messenger for a
friend; will you allow him to pass9'
Certainly"
This was my first interview with
Eugene C0rmille. had seen her
here for months, the leader of our
gayest and most fashionable society.
In her splendid mansion she dispensed
the most profuse and elegant
hospitality.
A Spanish lady-a widow she lad
represented herself-and had been a
resident here almosta year. No one
ever suspected her of being auyht but
what she seemed It'll one day was
ordered to arrest her as murderess.
It was now alleged, said Mr.. F.,
that this young beauty was none other
than the woman who had poisoned
her husband in Havana, and fed with
all his wealth. An immense reward
was offered for her apprehension, and
the circumstances that had come to
our knowledge pointed her out beyond
all doubt as the person we were in
search of. Yet the person who had
recognized her the evening before
at tile theatre advised us to be careful
lest she should escape US. laughed
at the idea. Mr.-and myself were
sufficient to arrest a lady. We were
old enough 10 the ways Of cunning to
defeat any such attempt. When the
lady LETT me stepped to the window
and said to Mr.. I-,who was waiting
at the door:
"The lady desires to send for friend
suffer him to pass"
Almost at the same instant the door
of the apartment the lady entered was
opened, and a youth-apparently q
mulatto boy-canle out and passed
hurriedly through the room into the
ball, and from thence into the street.
1t was no doubt the messenger, !
thought, and l picked up a book and
commenced reading.
Nearly an hour passed, and still the
the lady did not make her appearance,
nor did the boy return. The friend
she had sent for must live at some
distance, or the lady is unusually
careful about her toilet, thought;
and so another hour went by. At last
| grew impatient and knocked at the
door. :.
"Madam l can't wait any longer"
There was no reply. l knocked
repeatedly, and at last determined to
force an entrance. Strange fears
harassed me, began to suspect, |
knew not what. Ittook but a moment
to drive in the door and once in that
apartment the mystery was revealed.
The robes of the lady lay upon the
floor, and scattered over the room
were suits of boys wearing apparel,
similar 20 that worn by the mulatto.
On the table was q cosmetic that
would stain the skin u light, delicate
brown. | was foiled for a surety
the lady had escaped in the guise OF
messenger. should have detected
the ruse ! felt Inundated, and
determined to redress my error. |
knew she would not remain in the
city an instant longer than necessary.
| hurried to her bankers and found
she had drawn the amount due her
an hour before.
"Who presented the check?' | asked
the clerk.
ga mulatto boy. 1t was made
payable to bearer
There was yet chance. The
French steamer left within al hour; it
was possible she would seek that
means of escape. l jumped into a
cab, and arrived there ten minutes
before she left the wharf,-just in
time to assist an aged, decrepit
gentleman into the cabin.
There were few passengers; none
answering the description Of the
person | sought. stood on the
wharf watching the receding vessel
until it disappeared. | was in the act
OF turning away when a hackman
approached me with the remark;
"Mr. F., did you see that old man
on board he had a long white beard
and hair that fell on the shoulders Y
Eyes
"Well, Sir, there's something Curl
GUS about him
'WhyT
'Why, sir, when he got into my
carriage he was u mulatto boy, and
when he got out he was an old man.
Twill mot repeat the expression used
then-it was neither polite nor
refned-for l knew the vessel would
be far out to sea before she could be
overtaken. | was foiled by a woman.
Nor could ] help rejoicing, now that
she had escaped.
Innocent Or guilty, there was a