The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1869-02-26

of an old acquaintance to each one of
the horrid troop, andassisting with
her delicate hands in the most labor
ious occupation.
Plate, money and jewels were now
collected together, and the captain of
the banditti was about giving the order
for marching, when his destined bride
caught him by the arm.
"Did 1 not tell you," said she,
''that you should not repent making a
friend Of me, and sparing my life :?
You may, indeed, have everything in
| places that you find open, but it is e
| pity you cannot come to places thatare
concealed. What! do you suppose
that among Golfers so full there are no
secret places? Look here, and you will
be convinced to the contrary"
She pointed to secret spring in the
Baron's desk. They pressed upon it,
and out fell five bags Of gold coin.
"Zounds ~ cried the leader of the
robbers, land l will keep you for this
as duchess ~
And perhaps better still" she said,
laughing, "when show you one thing
more. am well aware that you must
have spies who informed you of the
fifty thousand francs he received yes
| terday."
"Where are they?"
ooh! safe enough, under half a
dozen locks and bolts. You would
certainly not have found them and the
iron chest had it not been for me.
Come along, comrades we have fin
| ished above stairs, now we will see
what can be done underneath. Come
along with me, say into the cellar"
| The robbers followed but not with
out precaution. At the entrance of
the cellar, secured by a strong trap
| door, man was posted as sentinel.
The Baroness took not the slightest
notice of this. She conducted the
! whole troop to vault, at the further
end of the cellar. She unlocked it,
/ anu al NlEC COAAtCl VI IAAS ICCCDo oLOCd
the chest she had described.
Here" said she, giving the captain
the bunch of keys, "unIock it, and take
what you find as wedding gift if you
can obtain the consent Of your comrades
as readily as you gained mine"
The robber tried one key after an
other, but none would fit. He grew
impatient and the Baroness seemed
! still more SO.
LEND me them," she said, 81 shall
fine the way sooner. Indeed, if you
do not make haste, the morning may
overtake us. Ha the reason why
neither of US could unlock it is because
l have the wrong bunch of keys. l
will obtain another"
She went up stairs, and presently
they heard her coming down; bat she
came slowly, as if out of breath with
the haste she had made.
''Ive found them !" cried she, at a
distance. Then, coming up to within
about three PAGES of the man who stood
at the entrance of the cellar, she sprang
suddenly at the wretch, who was totally
unprepared for such a move, from such
a quarter, and pushing him with all
her might, sent him tumbling to the
bottom of the stairs. This accom-
| plished, she closed the trap door, boIted
it, and thus had the whole company
secured in the cellar. This was the
| work of single moment. In the next
she flew across the court yard, and
with candle in her hand set fire to a
detached pig sty. The watchman in
the neighboring village, perceiving the
flames, instantly gave the alarm. IN
few minutes the inhabitants were
out of their beds, and crowd of farm
ers, with their servants, hastened to
the mansion. The Baroness waited
for them in the court yard.
"A few of you will be sufficient to
put out this fire and prevent it from
spreading. The remainder of you will
provide yourselves with arms, which
you will find in abundance in my hus-
bands armory. Post yourselves at
the avenues Of the cellar, and suffer not
one of the robbers and murderers to
escape"
Her directions were obeyed, and not
one of them escaped the punishment
due to his crime.