the chests you find open; but your lynx eyes could never discover the secret recesses of this castle." "Secret ?what?-where?" most eagerly exclaimed the whole band. "Do you imagine," rejoined the baroness, "that drawers which are full of the most valuable articles contain no secret recesses? look here, and you will soon see how blind you were.' So saying, the baroness pointed to a secret spring in the baron's writing desk. The robbers opened it, and shouted with joy and astonishment on discovering six rouleaus, each containing two hundred ducats. "Bravo!" exclaimed the captain," I see now that thou art an excellent woman, thou shalt lead the life of a duchess." "You will be still better pleased with me," interrupted she, laughing, "when I show you the last, the principal hoard of my tyrant. I can easily perceive that your spies have informed you of his absence; but tell me, have they also told you that he received the day before yesterday, ten thousand dollars?" "Not a syllable; where are they?" "Under lock and key; you would never have found the iron chest in which they are, were I not leagued with you. Follow me, comrades, we have made clear work above ground; let us see what we can do under ground. Follow me to the cellar."

The robbers followed her; but took the precaution to guard against any sudden surprise, by posting a sentinel at the entrance of the cellar, which was secured by a strong iron trap door. The baroness pretended to take no notice of this, leading the band onward to the most remote recess of the spacious cellar. Having unlocked a door, a large iron chest was discovered in a corner; "Here," said she, giving a bunch of keys to the captain, "try whether you can open it, and take its contents in lieu of a dowry, if you obtain the consent of your companions."

The robber tried one key after another, but none fitted the key hole. He grew impatient, and the baroness affected to be still more so. "Let me try," said she, "I hope I shall be more successful. I am fearful lest the dawn of morning-Hah! hah! I now conceive why neither you nor myself can open it. Excuse my mistake; welcome as your visit is to me, the joy of your unexpected arrival has, nevertheless, disconcerted me a little. I have taken the wrong

bunch of keys. Have patience only two minutes! I shall be back in a trice." With these words she flew up the stairs, and before two minutes were elapsed, the sound of her footsteps was already heard from the court yard. On coming near the cellar door, she exclaimed, with pretended joy, though out of breath, "I have it! I have found it!' and in the same moment bounded suddenly against the sentinel at the entrance, throwing him headlong down the cellar stairs. The trap-door was bolted with the quickness of lightning, and the whole band were encaged in the cellar. All this was the work of one moment. In the next she flew over the court-yard, setting fire to a solitary stable full of straw and hay and the flames blazed instantaneously aloft. The watchmen in the adjacent village observed the blaze, and rung the alarm bell. In a few moments the castle-yard was crowded with peasants. The baroness ordered some of them to extinguish the flames, while she conducted the rest to the baron's armory, and having distributed swords and fire-arms amongst them, desired them to surround the cellar. Her orders were obeyed, and not one of the band escaped his well-merited fate.

THE AMERICAN DUELLISTS.

THE following relation, which is derived from the best authorities, is thus detailed in a New York publication.

Previous to the American Revolution, two young men, Charles Mercer and Richard Reynolds, were students together at one of our most respectable colleges. They were in the same class and intimate friends. Charles Mercer was the son of a mechanic, who labored hard and suffered many deprivations that he might give his son a good education. Charles was superior to most young men in personal appearance, and was remarkable for his strength and agility in athletic exercise. His disposition was noble and generous. At the expiration of two years in college he was informed by his father that he could no longer support him there, from the unfortunate failure of a friend for whom he had become responsible, without de

priving the younger portion of his family of their necessary supplies. Mercer prepared to leave college with a heart lightened by the reflection that he should no longer be a burden but an assistant in his father's family. At this period, Reynolds, with a generosity that is seldom found, informed Mercer's father by letter that he would from his own abundant means, support his friend until he should be able by his own exertions to repay him. He informed Mercer's father, at the same time, of the growth of their mutual love and esteem. All the obligations which young Mercer could urge against this arrangement, were overruled by his parents, and he consented to stay. Richard Reynolds was born of the most respectable parents in the town of BHe was an only son, heir to great wealth, and possessed an abundant share of spirits and vivacity. He was esteemed as one of the best scholars in the class, but rather averse to mathematical demonstrations. By his classmates he was deemed a wild, but not a vicious fellow. He scorned to do a mean action, but too easily suffered himself to indulge in those vices which eventually lead to crime. Mercer now no longer a faithful adviser, at the solicitation and by the example of Reynolds, became his companion in many imprudent excesses. One evening, the two friends, with two of their classmates, assembled to drink wine, and have what is generally termed a social meeting. Presently cards were introduced, and they sat down to gamble. In choosing partners at the commencement of the game, Reynolds and Mercer were opposed to one another. Heated with wine, Reynolds betted extravagantly, and lost seven games in succession. At the end of the sixth, he declared that the opposite party had cheated. This gave rise to some dispute, but saying that he would try them again, he doubled the bet, and lost the seventh. Irritated beyond measure, and always violent in his passions, which were then much heated by wine, he rose up, threw down his cards, and struck Mercer in the face, at the same time accusing him of cheating. A short contest ensued, when Mercer by his great personal strength, seized both the hands of his antagonist, and held him perfectly at his mercy. The two other young men were ineffectually appealed to, and refusing to interfere in the quarrel,