Year: 1866

out of his clutches, and at the same time
pay off old scores. All my servants were
spies, and that fellow, whose business yor


have so completely settled, was the wors
of all l am scarcely twenty-one, and
fiatter myself, far from ugly. If any one
of you choose to take me along with you
I'll accompany you to the woods or the
village ale-house. Nor shall any of you
repent having spared my life. You are
in we'll stored mansion, but it is impos
sible that you should be acquainted with
all the secret corners; these will / show
you, and if do not make you richer by
six thousand dollars, then serve me as yor
did my chambermaid."


Robbers of this kind are certainly vii
lains, but nevertheless they are men. The
whole inexplicable conduct of the Baron.
ess, added to the more than beauty o.
the female, altogether produced a power.
full effect on the men whose hands were
yet reeking with blood. They all ther
stepped aside for few minutes. The
Baroness was then left quite alone, but she
betrayed not the slightest wish to escape.


"Lets despatch her, and the game will
be all up"


She, however, scarcely changed color,
for the opposite of another voice did not
escape her acute ear. One, who was prob
ably the captain of the banditti, approach
ed her.


He asked her twice or three times
whether he might rely on the truth Of
what she said-whether she actually wish
ed to be released from the tyranny of her
husband and 60 with them-and whether
she was willing to assign herself to one Of
them, to himself for instance, the peaceful
days they would enjoy. Having replied
in the affirmative to all these questions
having not only received the warm en-
brace of the robber, but returned it-for
what will not necessity excuse se?-he at
length said:


"Come along, then, and lead US around.
The devil trust you ladies of rank, but we
will venture for once. But let me tell you
beforehand, that if you were twice as
handsome as you are, the weapon would
cleave your skull the moment we see the
least disposition to betray us"


'Then it will be safe enough, and if
this were the only condition of my being
put to death, would outlive you all, and
even the Wandering Jew himself"


The Baroness smiled when she pronoun-
ced these words, and hastily caught up the
nearest lamp, as though she had been as
anxious as any of them to collect plunder
and be gone, conducted the whole COM
pany through every door, every drawer,
and every chest, assisted in emptying
them and packing up the valuables, look
| ing with the utmost indifference over the
mangled bodies, with the familiarity of an
old acquaintance to each one of the hor-
rid troop, and willingly aided with her
delicate hands in the most laborious oc-
cupations.


Plate, money, jewels and other valua-
bles were now collected together and
the captain was giving the order for march
ing, when his destined bride caught him
by the shoulder.


"Did 1 not tell you," said she, 'that
you should not repent making friend of
me and sparing my lifel You may, in
deed, have everything in places you find
open; but it is pity that you cannot
come at the treasures that is concealed.
What do you suppose that among Golfers
so full there is no secret placel Look
here, and then you will be convinced to
the contrary.


She pointed to secret spring in the
Baron's desk. They pressed upon it and
out fell the sum of 81, 200.


"Zounds " cried the leader of the rob-
bers. 81 will treat you for this like a
duchess"


"And, perhaps, better still, " she replied,
laughingly, "when / tell you one thing
more. l am well aware you have spies
who informed you of the absence of my
tyrant, but they did not tell you of the
four hundred guilders which he received
yesterday"


"Not syllable; where are they?"


''Oh, safe enough! under half dozen
of locks and bolts. You would certainly
not have found them and the iron chest
had it not been for me. Come along,
comrades, we'll see what's to be seen down
below. Come along with me down into
cellar"


The robbers followed, but not without
precaution. At the entrance of the eel
lar, which was provided with strong trap
door, man was posted as sentinel.


The Baroness did not take the least no
tice of this. She conducted the whole
troop to the vault at the further extremity
of this cellar. She unlocked it and in the
corner of this recess stood the chest she
had mentioned.


"Here," said she, giving the captain a
bunch of keys. "There, unlock it, and
take what you want, and wedding gift if !
you can obtain the consent of your COM
panions as readily as you have won mine."


The robber tried one key and then an
other, but none would fit. He grew i'm
patient, and the Baroness seemed still
more so.


'.Let me try them" said she, Il shall
find the way sooner. Indeed, if you don't
make haste, the morning will overtake US
Hal the reason why neither of us could I
unlock it. is because l have the wrong
bunch of keys I'll obtain another"


She ran up stairs and presently they
heard her coming down, but she went
slowly, asif out of breath with the haste
she had made.


'Tve found them," cried she at dis
tance. She was within about three steps
of the man placed at the entrance of the
cellar, when she made spring at the
wretch, who as much expected dissolu-
ton of the world as such an attack. A
single push with all her strength tumbled
him down stairs from top to bottom. In
a twinkling she closed the trap door, bolt