Year: 1870

MADAME, it is my duty to arrest
you"


"You dare not!"


The lips were white with passion
rather than fear, and the lady stood
before me like lioness at bay. Even
then l could not fail TO notice the splen-
did beauty of this lady. Tall and slen-
der, eyes black and flashing, almost
lurid now, the spectacle that she pre-,
sented, standing in the center of the
apartment, was more the appearance of
a queen than a hunted criminal.


81 must" l replied. 81 do not
doubt your innocence, Looking into
your face, it is strange that any one
could couple it with guilt; but l am
constrained to do my duty, madame,
no matter how disagreeable it may be
to my feelings"


"Will you allow me to change my
dress?" she said, in tone almost pleas
ant. The hard lines around her little
mouth had relaxed, and the passionate
glow on her face had almost passed
away.


Certainly; will wait for you in
this place"


81 also wish to send messenger to
a friend; will you permit him to pass
your


Certainly"


This was my first interview with
Eugenia Cornelle. l had seen her for
months the leader of our gayest and
most fashionable society. In her splen-
did mansion she dispensed the most
profuse and elegant hospitality.


A Spanish lady, a widow she had
represented herself, and been resident
here almost year. No one suspected
her of being aught than what she
seemed, until one day 1 was ordered to
arrest her as murderess.


1t was now alleged, said Mr.. F., that
this young beauty was no other than
the woman who poisoned her husband
in Havana, and fled 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, and the per-
son recognizing her at the theatre the
evening before advised US to be careful
lest she should escape us. j laughed
at the idea. Mr.. l. and myself were
surely sufficient to arrest a lady. We
were old enough in the ways of cum
ming to defeat any such attempt
When the lady left me, l stepped to
the window and said to Mr. l., who
was standing at the door:


"The lady desires to send messen
ger for a friend; suffer him to pass
you"


Almost at the same instant the door
of the apartment the lady had entered
opened, and youth, apparently a mu
latto boy, came out and passed rapidly
through the room into the hall and
from thence into the street. 1t was,
no doubt, the messenger, 1 thought,
and picked up book and commenced
reading. Nearly an hour passed, and
still the lady did not make her appear
ance nor did the boy return. The
friend she had sent for must live at
some distance, 1 thought, or the lady
must be unusually careful in arranging
her toilet, and so another hour went by.
AT last I'grew impatient and knocked
at the door.


"I can wait no longer, madame"


There was no reply. knocked re
peatedly, and at last determined to
force an entrance. Some fears harassed
me. l began to suspect, l did not
know what. 1t took but moment to
drive in the door, and once in the
room 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 to
that worn by the mulatto boy. On the
table was cosmetic to stain the skin
to light delicate brown. Twas foiled
for surety; the lady had escaped in
the disguise of messenger. l should
have detected the ruse. felt humili-
ated, and determined to redress my er-
ror. I knew she would not remain in
the city an instant longer than she
could help. hurried to her bankers,
but found that she had drawn the
amount due her an hour before.


"Who presented the check?" l
asked of the clerk.


ga mzlatto boy. 1t was made pay
able to bearer"


There was chance. The French
steamer left within an hour. 1t was
possible she would seek that means of
escape. jumped in cab and arrived
there ten minutes before the steamer
left the wharf-iust in time to assist an
aged, decrepit gentleman into the cabin.
There were few passengers; none of
them answered the description of the
one sought. I stood on the wharf
watching the receding vessel until it