Year: 1866

followed by Bonita, bearing a fresh flask
Of Rhenish.


Good evening, Captain" he said
eOurteously, touching his plumed beaver
with a graceful action which bespoke the
finished cavalier, perhaps you will do
me a favor to drink this flask of Rhenish
with me


q With all my heart, answered tie
Captain, cheerfully. Mine Is empty


The Baron seated himselfon the bench,
aud Bonita placed the flask and cups be-
fore them.


Stay r cried the Captain. as she was
going. How many monks are there in
youder convent, my pretty Bonita ?"


" Twenty, I think, Captain, she an
sWered.


'' Thank you. That will do.


She went into the house The Baron
regarded the Captain atteutively His
question about the monks seemed to sur
prise him.


Z" Do you think of retiring from the
world, Captain ?" he laughingly inquired,
taking up your abode in yonder mon


Ia faith. not L He filed the cups
in that careless, off hand manner, which
pervaded everything he did, and raised It
to his lips, You health, Baron Ra-
Vensburg.


You have the advantage ofme, an
swered Rayensburg, as he responded to
the toast


oh call me Captain Bernard f"


passed a dead horse on the road
The landlord tells me it was yours. I
also saw the bodies of the men slain by
you. a narrow escape, Captain By the
way you are ia the Imperial service? ?'


g am not. To be frank with you, my
sword is at present at liberty


Then take service with me. There is
something in your appearance that be-
speaks the gentleman and the soldier,
and [ like you There is a Majority va
cant IN my regiment which Team promise
you,


:. On my word, Baron, returned the
Captain, smiling good humoredly, Sc you
do me much honor on so brief an ac-
quaintance but we are likely to serve
together in a sharp campaign, which is
nearer than you imagine. Whether you
or l shall take direction Of the affair, de-
pends upon yourself after you hear what
| have to tell you.


I'm Heavens name, what do you
mean p exclaimed Baron BaVensburg In
astOnishment.


SOftly-in a whisper-there may be
long ears about US. In a word we are IN
a den of cut throats. Yonder old mon
astery is occupied by band of robbers in
the disguise of monks. The landlord of
the hostelry is in league with them They
have been apprised of your coming and
will either attack you here. or upon the
desolate road beyond. As they know
that I am here, from the landlord, aud
may warn you, l should not be surprised
If they assailed US here tonight"


Good Heavens, my poor Adalia I
care not if can save her. Twenty of
them, the girl sald-and 1 have but five
meu-twenty against SIX


IS Excuse me your calculation Is errO-
neous. There are but eighteen against
seven You have not counted two that
are killed, and you have noteounted me.


" You will aid me, then? My dear Cap
tain, this is generous.


-" My dear Baron, it is nothing of the
kind [ merely enter into an alliance
with YOU for our mutual benefit; as you
have the strongest party the advantage is
decidedly upon my side. You they might
possibly plumber and suffer to depart, but
they would certainly Kill me in revenge
for their comrades slaughtered.


" Captain, place the direction of the
affair 10 your hands-myself and people
are at your orders. What is your best
course of actiOn2"


Invite me 10 to supper with you when
the landlord announces that it is served
L y
secure the hOste3ers and put them in ii
safe place, Then collect your whole
force into the house and let Us barrieade
it to the best of our ability Eighteen men
will find it difficult to dislodge seven. even
out Of this small wooden frame work
Having deprived the robbers of all means
of obtaining information 10 regard to our
plans, I will make the landlord divuIge
theirs You have no idea what d persUa-
siye way [ have"


This plan was carried out to the letter
and a pistol held by the firm hand of the
Captain at the head Of the guilty and
vulge all The Baron and his sister were
to be held for ransom and the Captain
killed he not being considered worth a
ransom When all had retired to rest,
the landlord was to admit the robbers in
to the hostelry.


The Captain laid his plans at once
The front door was to be left unfastened
but every other available aperture was
secured as firmly as was possible under
the eircumst stances. The Countess and
Bonita were placed In the upper story for
security, with the postillion as guard
The Captain occupied the large apartment
on the ground fO0r. The landlord was
to admit the robbers one at q time, as had
been arranged by the Captain Of the band
himself and as fast as they entered they
were to be secured, gagged and bound, or
killed outright, as circumstances warrant
ed


The hour of attack drew near, and ev-
cry heart beat anxiously. The coolest
man of the party was the Captain. I'm
consciously, he had assumed entire direo-
tion Of the affair, and the young Baron
and his followers obeyed him implicitly,
seeming to recognize his fitness for the
position without question


A stealthy footstep approached the
door, and the landlord, assisted by the
cold barrel of pistol, which felt dIsa-
greeably CLOSE to the back OF his bead, ad-
mitted a robber, who was instantly secur-
eu. Another followed and another, un-
til II came to the eighth-a stout. braWny
fellow-who, by herculean effort, twist
ed his throat out Of Captain Bernard S
grasp and shouted at the top of his lungs.


We are betrayed


Two other robbers who were close he
hind discharged their carbnes in at the
door, and instantly retreated. A yell of
pain answered the discharge and one man
fell in the hostelry The door was in
stantly shut and barrieaded. Lights were
brought forward, and the man who had
| fallen was raised. It proved to be the
/ landlord. He was quite dead, both bull
| let's having taken effect in his body.
After brief consultation, the robbers
advanced in "A body against the door, at
| tempting to hew il open with axes which
| they had procured from the stables They
were met with fusilade of pistol shots
/ that thinned them to one half before
/ they had forced the door. and then it was
the besieged that sailed forth, and not
! they that entered. The survivors of the
/ band fed.


/ The fight was over Fifteen OF thc
/ hand were killed wounded and prisoners