“True! True!” said Baptiste; “Marguerite, have you given the sleeping-draught to the Waiting-women?” She replied in the affirmative. “All then is safe. Come, come, Boys; Whatever falls out, we have no reason to complain of this adventure. We run no danger, may gain much, and can lose nothing.” At this moment I heard a trampling of Horses. Oh! how dreadful was the sound to my ears. A cold sweat flowed down my forehead, and I felt all the terrors of impending death. I was by no means reassured by hearing the compassionate Marguerite exclaim in the accents of despair, “Almighty God! They are lost!” Luckily the Wood-man and his Sons were too much occupied by the arrival of their Associates to attend to me, or the violence of my agitation would have convinced them that my sleep was feigned. “Open! Open!” exclaimed several voices on the outside of the Cottage. “Yes! Yes!” cried Baptiste joyfully; “They are our Friends sure enough! Now then our booty is certain. Away! Lads, Away! Lead them to the Barn; You know what is to be done there.” Robert hastened to open the door of the Cottage. “But first,” said Jacques, taking up his arms; “first let me dispatch these Sleepers.” “No, no, no!” replied his Father; “Go you to the Barn, where your presence is wanted. Leave me to take care of these and the Women above.” Jacques obeyed, and followed his Brother. They seemed to converse with the New-Comers for a few minutes: After which I heard the Robbers dismount, and as I conjectured, bend their course towards the Barn. “So! That is wisely done!” muttered Baptiste; “They have quitted their Horses, that They may fall upon the Strangers by surprise. Good! Good! and now to business.” I heard him approach a small Cupboard which was fixed up in a distant part of the room, and unlock it. At this moment I felt myself shaken gently. “Now! Now!” whispered Marguerite. I opened my eyes. Baptiste stood with his back towards me. No one else was in the room save Marguerite and the sleeping Lady. The Villain had taken a dagger from the Cupboard and seemed examining whether it was sufficiently sharp. I had neglected to furnish myself with arms; But I perceived this to be my only chance of escaping, and resolved not to lose the opportunity. I sprang from my seat, darted suddenly upon Baptiste, and clasping my hands round his throat, pressed it so forcibly as to prevent his uttering a single cry. You may remember that I was remarkable at Salamanca for the power of my arm: It now rendered me an essential service. Surprised, terrified, and breathless, the Villain was by no means an equal Antagonist. I threw him upon the ground; I grasped him still tighter; and while I fixed him without motion upon the floor, Marguerite, wresting the dagger from his hand, plunged it repeatedly in his heart till He expired. No sooner was this horrible but necessary act perpetrated than Marguerite called on me to follow her.