Year: 1866

|
wife of the richest man in the country. yet
the wife Of the meanest beggar cannot be
more unhappy than am. My husband is
one of the most jealous and niggardly fell
lows in the world. hate him as hate the
devil, and il has long been the fervent wish
of my heart TO get out Of his clutches, and
at the same time pay off oil scores. All
my servants were spies, and that fellow,
whose business you have done so complete.
ly, was the worst of all, | am scarcely twen-
ty-one, and tlatter myself tar from being
ugly. II 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 wellstorsd mansion, but it is
impossible that you should be acquainted
with all the secret corners these will
show you, If do not make you richer by
ak thousand dollars, then serve me as you
did my chambermaid."


Robbers of this kind are certainly viii
lains, but nevertheless they are men. The
whole inexplicable conduct Of the Baroness,
aided to the more than ordinary beautyofI the
female, altogether produced wonderful eff
feet on the men whose hands were yet reek.
ing with blood. They all then stepped
aside and consulted together in a low tone
for a few minutes. The baroness was then
left quite alone, but she betrayed not the
slightest wish to escape


Lets dispatch 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, approached
| her.


He asked her twice or three times wheth-
l l.. Ia A 4 a q


said-whether she actually wished to be
released from the tyranny Of her husband
and go with them-and whether she was
willing to assign herself to one of them,
himself for instance, the few peaceful days
they would enjoy, Having replied in the
affirmative to all these Notwithstanding
not only received the warm embrace of the
robber, but returned it-for what will not
necessity excuse? He at length said


Come along, then. and lead us round.
The devil trust you ladies of rank, but we'll
venture for once. But let me tell you be.
forehand, that if you were twice as hand
some as you are, tlis weapon would cleave
your skull the moment we see the least dis-
position to betray u.s.


"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 w anderlng Jew himself.


The Baroness smiled when she pro-
nouuced these words, and hastily caught
up the nearest lamp, as though she had
been as anxious as any of them to plunder
and be gone, conducted the whole company
through every apartment, opened every
door, every drawer, aud every chest, assist
ed in emptying them and packing up the
valuables looking with the utmost indif-
ference over tie n)angled bodies, with the
familiarity of an old acquaintance to each
one of the horrid troop, and willingly aided
with her delicate hands in the most labori.
GUS occupations.


Pltte, money, jewels and other vauables
were now collected together and the cap
tain was giving the order for marching
when his destined bride caught him by the
shoulder.


"Did not tell you" said SHE, that you
should not repent making friend of me-,
and sparing my life? You may, indeed
have everything i'll places you find open ;
but it is pity that you cannot come at the
treasure that is concealed. What do you
suppose that among Golfers so full there is
no secret place Look here, and then you
will be convinced to the contrary.
She pointed to a secret spriug in the Ba
ron's desk. They pressed upon it and out
fell the sum of 81 200.


POUNDS cried the leader of the rob-
bers. 81 will treat you for this like duch.
ess."


And, perhaps, better still, she replied,
laughingly, "when | tell you one thing
more. am we'll aware you have spies who
Informed you OF the absence of my tyrant,
but they did not tell you of the four hun
dred guilders which he received Yesterday"


"Not syllable where are they J"


20 safe enoughl under half dozen of
locks and bolts. You would certainly not
havefound them and the iron chest had it
not been for me. Come along, comrades
we've finished up stairs, and Wen see
what's to be seen below. Come along with
me down into the cellar.


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


The Baroness did not take the least notice
of this. She conducted the whole troop to
the vault at the further extremity of this
cellar. She unlocked it aud in the corner
of this recess stood the chest she had men.
toned.


Here" said she, giving the captain a
bunch of keys, there, unlock it, and take
what you can, and wedding gift if yeu
can obtain the consent Of your companions
as readily as you have won mine."


The robber tried one key and then an
other, but none would fit. He grew impa.
tient, and the Baroness seemed still more 80


Let me try them" said she, /" | shall
find the way sooner. Indeed, if you don't
make haste, the morning may overtake us.
Hal the reason why neither of us could un-
lock it, is because have the wrong bunch
| OF keys. I'll obtain another
She ran up stars,and presently they heard
her coming down, but she went slowly, as
if out of breath with the haste she had
made.


"Pve found them, cried she at a distance
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 a dissolution of the
world as such an attack. A single push
with all her strength, tumbled him down
stairs. from top to bottom. In twiukJing
she closed the trap door, bolted it, aud thus
had the whole company secured in the eel
lar. This was the work of a single moment
In the next she flew across the court. yard
and with candle set fire to a small de-
tached building. The watchmen in the
neighboring village, perceiving the flames
the Inhabitants were out Of their beds, aud
a crowd of farmers and their servants has
tened to the mansion. The Bar oness waited
for them at the door of the courtyard.
| "a few of you will be sufficient to put out
this fire and prevent it from spreading. But
now provide yourselves with arms, which