Her father sent her to stay with an aunt in Cincinnati.

There she was joined by Jean Roussel and, in spite of the reverence she felt for her father, ran away with him to get married.
They went to Louisville and lived there for some time.

One morning, however, a knock came at the door of the house in which they were and the police entered to arrest Jean Roussel.

It was then that Mathilde Stangerson, or Roussel, learned that her husband was no other than the notorious Ballmeyer! The young woman in her despair tried to commit suicide.

She failed in this, and was forced to rejoin her aunt in Cincinnati, The old lady was overjoyed to see her again.