The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-06-06

! creature Will trick you and make her es-
7 ospe,p ....t
4 aOn-the,fdllowing morning Pedro stood
In an -ante-room adjoining the elegant
apartments of Senorita Lapuerta, await
ing that :lady's presence. AS she APP
peared IN answer to his card the detec-
| tive quietly said;
"Senora, it is my duty to arrest your
ri You dare notp
The woman's lips wero white with
passion, rather than fear, and she stood
before the detective like a lioness at
bay,
He himself could not help but note
the striking beauty of the woman. Tall
and slender, eyes black and flashing, al
most lurid at the time, the spectacle she
presented standing there in the middle
of the room, was moro the appearance
Of a queen than hunted criminal.
"I must" replied "Black Pedro" 81
do not doubt your innocence, Looking
in your face, It is strange that any one
could couple it with guilt. But l am
constrained to do my duty, sonora, how
ever unpleasant it may be to my feel
ings."
"Will you allow me to change my
dress?' she said, in q tone almost pleas
ant. The hard lines around the mouth
had relaxed and the passionate glow on
the face gave way to pleasant smile.
Certainly. 1 will wait for you
here"
81 also wish to send messenger
for friend, VIII you permit him to
pass?"
Certainly"
As the woman left the room "Black
Pedro" stepped to the window and said
to his mate, who was waiting at the
street door:
"Senora desires to send a messenger
for friend, Win you permit him to
pass" Almost the same instant the
door of the apartment that sonora had
entered opened, and youth--apparent-
ly mulatto boy-came out and passed
hurriedly through the room into the hall,
and from thence into the street. twas,
no doubt, the messenger, Pedro thought,
and he picked up book and began
reading.
Nearly an hour passed and still sonora
did not make her appearance, nor did
the boy return. The friend she had sent
for must have lived at some distance,
"Black Pedro thought, or sonora was
unusually careful about her toilet, and
SO another hour went by. AT last the
1 detective grew impatient and knocked
| at the door,
f'Senora, l can wait no longer"
There was no reply. He knocked re-
peatedly, and at last he determined to
effect an entrance. Strange fears har-
assed him; he began to suspect he knew
not what. 1t took but a moment to
drive in the door, and, once in the apart
ment, the mystery was revealed. Senora's
clothes lay upon the floor, and scattered
over the roam were suits of boys wear
ing apparel, similar to the one worn by
the mulatto boy. On table was cos
metic that would stain the skin to a
light, delicate brown. "Black Pedro"
was foiled for certainty.
Sonora had escaped in the guise of a
messenger. Why had he not detected the
ruse? He felt humiliated and detern-
ined to redeem his error. He knew she
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 be-
fore.
"Who presented the check?" asked
the detective.
"a mulatto boy--it was made payable
to bearer"
There was yet chance. \ steamer
left within an hour for America; it was
possible that she would seek that means
of escape. "Black Pedro jumped into
a carriage and arrived at the wharf ten
minutes before the vessel left-iust in
time to assist an aged and decrepit gen.
tleman into the cabin. There were few
passengers; none of them answered the
description of the person the detective
sought. He stood on the wharf watch
ing the receding vessel until it disap-
peared. He was in the act of turning
away, when driver of one of the car
riages at the landing, and who was per-
sonally 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
ont he was an old manw
s-r- bldCh L tuIO uJttItu an tACIuIllutlOu
that could hardly be used in type when
he heard this announcement, for he
knew the vessel would be far out at sea
before she could be overtaken. He
was foiled by a woman. Nor could he
help rejoicing, now that the chase was
over, that the woman had escaped. In
nocent or guilty, there was a charm
about this woman that none could re-
sist. The spell of her wondrous beauty
affected all who approached her.
ut 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 Jan. %, 1873, the
City of Mexico was startled by the an