Year: 1865

ed that she should not again quit my sigh:
and my hopes lay only in threats upo"
her life, while alone with me and in NY
power. She now, without alluding to the
plan which we had ostensibly come togeth
er to discuss Commenced an animated
conversation about the masked ball
glancing furativelY at me the while, as |
fancied to note the effect of the vine
To be certain was right in my surmise.
| thought it best to affect heavy drow
siness, aud secretly watch her motlous
I did so, and gradually appeared to fall
asleep. As she perceived this, the mask OF
nature was also removed, and | saw her
her dark eyes CLEAN with deadly light.
and her proud lip curl in scornful triumph.
AT length she ceased speaking. and for a
minute or two sat and watched me 10 si
lence. Then as if to make sure she approach
ed and shook me, saying:


"You pay me but poor complement
Sir Richard,to fall asleep in my presence.
And then, on finding gave 10 sign o.
con onciousness, she added, in quite diffe'-
ent tone "Poor fool it shall be NV
care that you do not awake again! Yon
have played your part to suit me, and
now will play mine to suit myself !"


She turned away as if to leave the room
probably to summon her acoomplices to
finish her wicked work; and at that mo,
ment I laid hold Of her arm AS she
looked around in alarm and found me
wide awake, aud my eyes fixed upon hers
with a severe and penetrating expression.


MADAM" said |, 10 low stern meas
ured tone, "If you would save your gull,
ty life do not attempt to escape or call
help! | am not the poor fool you sup
posed ! You have played your part and |
mine! Do uot fatter yourself / have
been ensnared !! l know you, and boldly
came here to detect you in your guilt
Not single drop of your poisoned wine
has passed my lips !! Your whole establish


ment is under the surveillance of the
police ! and unless Ireturn to my frieDde
bysdaylight,your mansion will be entered
by the dread officers Of the wand every
living soul in it will be taken into custo.
dy! Now mark well what say ! You
must instantly yourself conduct me clear
of your premiss !! and if you dare to fait,
er in the least or attempt to raise an alarm
that moment, SO sure as there is God 10
heaven, you die !! Now give me your
hand and lead the way p


White with terrified amazemeut and
trembling like an aspen the guilty, wretch.
ed woman stood covering before my stern
penetrating glance For pearly a minute
she seemed too much overpowered to
move from the spot, | took her hand,
grasped it like vice, and silently point
ed to the door. At length she went for
ward with tottering steps. In silence
she led me through the dark corridor,
down the stairs, through the passage, into
the court. through another passage, and
opened the last door that admitted me
to life and light Morn was Just breaking
and as l felt the cool air of heaven upon
my fevered brow, and thought of my
narrow escape from death, there came
such a whirl of strange emotions that
reeled forward like man intoxicated


The mansion { had just quilted stood
on the banks of the Sein, about two miles
below the old city; and l believe if
had drank the wine offered me, nv rifed
body would soon have been cast into the
rushing waters. I believe moreover, the
mansion, grand as it appeared, was only
a den of robbers and murderers-that the
woman was only beautiful decoy for
strangers aud foreigners-and that many
poor, unsuspecting soul had taken its
flight from there to the eternal world
| did not communicate With the police,
for the reason that, IN the first place
could bring no charge of crime against
any; and, in the second place, I did not
wish to become involved with the French
courts of law but thankful beyond ex,
preston for my own escape, firmly
resolved never to risk my life again in
another mysterious adventure in Paris !