The Mineral argus., 1885-07-09

At last the detective grew impatient,
and knocked at the door.
"Senora I can wait no longer"
There was no reply. lie knocked re-
peatedly, and al last determined to ef.
feet an entrance. Strange fear harassed
him; he began to suspect he knew not
what. II took but o moment to drive
in the door, and. once in the apartment,
the mystery was revealed. Senoras
robes lay upon the floor. and scattered
over the room were suits OF boys wear
ing apparel, similar to the one worn
by the mulattO boy. On atable was
cosmetic that would stain the skin to .
light delicate brown. BLACK Pedro"
was foiled for certainty.
Sonora had escaped in the guise OF "a
messenger. Why hal he not detected
the ruse? He felt Inundated and de-
termined to redress his error. He
knew sue would not remain in the city
an instant longer than she could help.
He hurried to her bankers, but found
that she had drawn the amount due her
an hour before.
"Who presented the check?" asked
the detective.
"A mulatto boy-it was made paya-
ble to bearer"
There was vet q chance. A steamer
left within an hour for America; it was
possible she would seek that means OF
escape. "Black Pedro" jumped into
carriage and arrived at the wharf ten
minutes before the vessel left-just in
time to assist an aged and decrepit
gentleman into the cabin. There were
few passengers; none of them answered
the description Of the person the detec-
tive sought. He stood on the wharf
Watching the receding vessel until it
disappeared. He was in the act OF
turning away, when driver of one OF
the carriages at the landing, and who
was personally acquainted with Black
Pedro" approached the officer with
the remark:
Pedro. did you see that old man on
board; he had long white beard and
hair that fell ON his shoulders
"Yes."
"well. sir. there's something curious
about him."
"Why?"
"Why, when he got into my carriage
he was . mulatto boy, and when he got
out he was an old mani"
BLACK Pedro" uttered an exclama-
ton that could hardly he used in type
when he heard this announcement, for
he knew the vessel would lie far out at
sea before she could he overtaken. He
was foiled by a woman. Nor could he
help rejoicing, now that the chase was
over that the woman had escaped.
Innocent or guilty, there was charm
about this woman that none could resist.
The spell of her wOndrous beauty al.
fected all who approached her.
at fingered for years after in my
memory" said BLACK Pedro" one day
while narrating the incidents of the
case. "and could not have the sin Of
her blood upon my conscience"
On the morning Of January %, 1878,
the City of Mexico was startled by the
announcement that a murder, the
most brutal and aendish that
had ever REDEEMED the criminal
annals OF the dark side of Mexican
life, had been committed, and that the
victim, q stranger in the community,
was q woman who, when alive, was Of
surprising beauty. She had arrived at
the house where the murder had been
committed on the day before, and was
accompanied DV uuuuSOm6 Beutieulhup
who introduced her rs his wife. He
had been seen to leave the house about
10 o'clock the same night, and that was
the last ever heard of him. The follow.
ing morning q servant, by mistake. en-.
tered side door leading to the apart.
ment where the murdered woman lay
on q bed, and the sight that met her
gaze froze the blood in her veins. She
gave the alarm and the police were I'M
metliately notified. The woman lay
cross. wise on the bed with only her
chemise upon her, and her head, which
hung by few sine VS. to her body, was
within few inches of the floor. BLACK
Pelro's" friend, of the detective force
of Vera Cruz, and the one who pointed
out the widow Of Senior la Barrier in
the theatre to Pedro, recognized in the
murdered woman the one and the same
person. Her murderer was never appre.
hended, and Immediately after the in.
quest was held the body was buried in
the public graveyard, frightful ex-
ample Of the wages Of sin.