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actual robbery, and it was not long before this entered into his calculations. The frequent meetings held with his associates, at which I was sometimes present, and the artful but seemingly innocent protestations of their honest leader, served to keep up his ambition, and to nourish his ardent and chimerical aspirations. We were at that time clerks in a store, which was filled with the most precious commodities; but the building itself was of wood, and of quite inferior appearance. We lodged on the second floor. My brother formed the design of removing the most valuable part of the goods, and setting fire to the store. The plan was not unfolded to me until after it had been completed, and every thing had been prepared. My opposition was useless. The gang were made acquainted with it, and agreed to assist on a certain night.

'A considerable quantity of the stock had been abstracted by degrees, for a number of weeks previous; and on that evening (the one you well know) after the principals had left, we began to transport the boxes and packages, assisted by the others, to the house of the prime accomplice, where they were secure from search. The avails were to enable us to realize our glittering dreams of wealth.

In the back room, on the second floor, we had made a collection of the most combustible substances, and had so placed them, that they would in a moment after the application of the torch be ignited, and communicate the fire to the partitions, bed, etc. A stove-pipe which passed out of the back window had been disconnected with the stove, in order to allow the smoke to escape readily; so that it might not, by issuing through the crevices of the windows, particularly in the front of the building, betray our attempt before the fire had got fairly under way.

'We usually slept in the bed in the back part of this room, and had planned to go to the theatre, and returning about twelve o'clock, throw ourselves on to the bed in our clothes, and lie till one or two in the morning, when we were to arise and set fire to the apartment. If our plans succeeded, we were to make it appear that we had laid down rather in liquor, had set the candle by the side of the bed, and that it had caught the drapery.

'Accordingly, to the theatre we went; actually got somewhat tipsy, as we reflected on the hazardous nature of our enterprise, and coming back about midnight, proceeded directly to our chamber. soon managed to procure a light. I pulled off my shoes and coat, and threw myself on to the bed, for I felt unwilling to contemplate the deed which we were on the point of committing. I had worked myself up to the task, and feared that my nerves might be unstrung by a survey of the preparatives for our mischief-doing. My brother, however, felt too deep an interest in the progress and result of the plan, to think of repose; and commissioning me to 'tumble up' his side of the bed, he took his position by the table, with a book before him, which had one advantage over vacancy, that it shut out the view of external objects, and opened the way to reflection.

'I soon fell into a disturbed sleep, and dreamed that the whole upper part of the house was in flames, and that my brother, in endeavoring to escape out of the front door with some valuable article about him, was seized by six or eight men, and carried away to

prison, in spite of his entreaties. I dreamed also that I was standing in the door, and the whole building suddenly gave way, and was about to fall upon my head. At this I awoke in terror, but soon became sensible of my situation, when I found my brother standing over me, and shaking me by the shoulder.

'It was now about a quarter of three. Petro had prepared every thing, even to a match, to insure speedy conflagration.

"Now then,' said he, 'nerve yourself for the consummation. Take this match, and set fire to the bed-clothes, while I touch this other pile with my candle.'

He did so, and at the same moment my trembling hands applied the torch to the light drapery of the bed. In an instant, curtains, sheets, and all, were in a blaze, while at the other end of the room the fire spread with astonishing rapidity among the dry and flimsy stuffs which had been thrown together in a heap. Seeing all things in such fine progress, we turned our steps toward the door, which was about midway of the room, when I recollected that we had left a small box of jewelry and money at the foot of the bed.

Stop, one moment, till I get the box,' said I, and directed my steps to the bed.

latch.

Make haste!' said my brother, as he stood with his hand on the

'I threw up the clothes at the foot of the bed. "Where is it? I cannot touch it?' I asked.

Under the right corner, between the sack and the

"It has been stolen! Who has been in here? Have n't you put it somewhere else?'

"Look under the head; it is surely there. Hurry!'

'Impossible!' The fire had become scorching hot, so that I could endure it no longer. Not only the whole bed, but the wainscot and window sashes had begun to burn. I was obliged to make my way to the door.

"It was left there, I tell you; it MUST be got; it is all our dependence for immediate funds. Ludovico, seek it once more!' exclaimed my brother.

"Will you have me burn myself to death! My shirt-sleeves are burnt off now. I hear some one coming.'

It is your ears try again!' returned Petro.

"I go but you see!' I replied, as I turned back, holding up my arms, which were already severely scorched.

Here, take this stick,' cried Petro, wrenching off a strip from the wall, and heaving it to me; that will save your hands.'

I thrust it into every part of the bed, which was now little else than a mass of ashes, without striking the object of my search. My arms suffered severely from the hot air of the room, and the flames were almost licking my face.

"I can't endure it! I would not try any longer, for the universe!' I exclaimed.

'Must we lose the most valuable part of the goods? What shall we do?' said Petro, who now began to feel the warmth more pressingly, from which he had been before but little disturbed, there being a space in the middle of the room free from the flames.

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"The house,' said I, 'will soon fall over our heads, if we don't escape; we shall be discovered; it can't be long before the fire will be observed without.'

"Well, let the cursed thing go; it is not worth our lives. Come, and let us get out, as quick as the devil will let us.'

'Ha! the door is locked!' he continued, in an alarmed voice, and working at the latch violently, with both hands. Run to the other door!'

'I ran and tried it; but it yielded no more than if it had been barricaded with triple bolts.

"What was done with the key?' demanded Petro, searching hastily in his pockets.

It is on the outside.

No one can have turned it since we went

to bed; nobody has been in.'
''Locked! locked! No, it
'it is the heated air of the room.

together.'

We did so, and without effect. We were now in a truly desperate situation, with no opportunity to escape, and the fire already enveloping us.

"Madmen! fools! why did we delay! By heavens! we must not perish here. Where are our friends!"

'At this time, the cry of fire!' was raised in the street, and we heard the engines rattling along the pavements. We also thought we distinguished the sound of persons ascending the stairs, and called to them, but could not make them hear, in consequence of the roaring of the flames, and the shouts of the firemen in the street.

Down with the door! round to the rear!' we understood distinctly, and echoed back the the unavailing cry, while the heavy shock of a ladder, as it struck against the wooden walls, one story above us, showed the advance of the preparations for effecting an entrance in that quarter, and for quenching the fire.

My brother shouted for assistance, but the noise of the engines and the cry of fire!' without, drowned his voice.

"It is useless,' said I; 'that bellowing rabble will split their sides to out-bawl us.'

Still more alarmed, and smarting with our burns, we now attempted to raise the window. But, as if the fates conspired against us, it refused to move!

We shouted for help; we shrieked, till our voices were hoarse. The floor under our feet had now kindled to flame, and it was with difficulty we could prevent our clothes being entirely consumed.'

'Come, Ludovico,' said Petro, we can live here but a few minutes longer; let us make one more trial.'

"I can do no more; I shall die!' exclaimed I, sinking to the floor in the apathy of despair. I was suffering the most exquisite torture from my burns; and to relieve me of my insupportable agony, I attempted to hasten my death by strangulation. My brother, who was less burnt, still struggled at the door. He turned and saw me stretched out in this situation.

"Fool, fool!' he exclaimed, with angry energy; ' are you so willing to die? Up! up! and assist me !'

'I arose. The room was now filled with flame. I could not for a moment endure it. I flung myself again against the door in desperation, and sank down breathless and exhausted. It was now my brother's turn to be desperate; and for a moment, I forgot my pain in witnessing his agonies. He shrieked for aid, and cursed his hapless fate; and falling upon his knees, he invoked alternately the powers of heaven and hell, weeping and sobbing like a child.

'We once more arose, and resolved to make a final attempt to save our lives.

"Here, Ludovico,' said Petro,' we can get out of that trap-door over head. Why did we not think of it before?'

There is a box on the other side,' said I, 'but I have not strength to get it.'

Petro rushed across the room, through the blaze, and bounded back with a box which, on a less exciting occasion, he could not have moved.

"You have burnt your face Petro, terribly,' said I.

"Curse the face!

What care I for a scar! It will be better for a disguise, should we be in danger of detection. Jump on to the box, and support me!'

"It is vain, Petro; I have scarcely strength to stand.'

'Nevertheless, we exerted ourselves to the utmost, but after almost superhuman efforts, we dropped again to the floor.

We must die, Petro!' I exclaimed, in hopeless resignation; 'yet it is hard to die, while there may still be a possibility of escape.' 'But my brother's courage revived, and we made one more concentrated effort upon the door, and shook it a little. We strained harder; it seemed to yield; yet harder; it was illusion! The door

was firmer than ever.

"Hell-fire! exclaimed Petro, in frenzy, 'I will balk these infernal flames yet!'

Saying this, he darted to the front window, but as rapidly rushed back, scorched and miserably burned on his face and hands, and with his hair and clothes on fire.

"Save yourself, and follow me!' he muttered through his closed teeth, and running with all speed to the back window, without stopping to open the blinds, or raise the sash, he plunged head-foremost into the yard.

My flesh was wretchedly burnt; each pore of my skin seemed penetrated by a red-hot needle. Every fibre of my body was a chain of fire; yet a chill ran through my frame; my limbs were paralyzed with horror; the weight of a hundred tons seemed pressing upon my breast.

Before following my brother's example, I tremulously applied my hand to the door, and on using a little strength forced it open. Joyfully I hailed the passage, and rushed precipitately down stairs. You know the rest.'

The

HERE the patient ended. The admission of air by the window was probably the cause of the door giving way to his touch. unfortunate young man died early in the morning, in a state of savage

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delirium. It should be observed, that his narration was frequently interrupted by paroxysms of madness; but it was not necessary to preserve any thing more than the bare details. His brother went through a tedious period of recovery, during which time his infamous partners made way with the secreted property. No suspicion got abroad of the actors in this drama. Petro retired to some distant place, with what feelings, intents, or fate, I shall not attempt to describe.