e of the society strangely altered. Edward Ancel, pale
as a sheet, trembling, and crying for mercy; poor Mary weeping; and
Schneider pacing energetically about the apartment, raging about the
rights of man, the punishment of traitors, and the one and indivisible
republic.

"Jacob," he said, as my uncle entered the room, "I was willing, for the
sake of our old friendship, to forget the crimes of your brother. He is
a known and dangerous aristocrat; he holds communications with the enemy
on the frontier; he is a possessor of great and ill-gotten wealth, of
which he has plundered the Republic. Do you know," said he, turning to
Edward Ancel, "where the least of these crimes, or the mere suspicion of
them, would lead you?"

Poor Edward sat trembling in his chair, and answered not a word. He
knew full well how quickly, in this dreadful time, punishment followed
suspicion; and, though guiltless of all treason with the enemy, perhaps
he was aware that, in certain contracts with the Government, he had
taken to himself a more than patriotic share of profit.

"Do you know," resumed Schneider, in a voice of thunder, "for
what purpose I came hither, and by whom I am accompanied? I am the
administrator of the justice of the Republic. The life of yourself and
your family is in my hands: yonder man, who follows me, is the executor
of the law; he has rid the nation of hundreds of wretches like yourself.
A single word from me, and your doom is sealed without hope, and your
last hour is come. Ho! Gregoire!" shouted he; "is all ready?"

Gregoire replied from the court, "I can put up the machine in half an
hour. Shall I go down to the village and call the troops and the law
people?"

"Do you hear him?" said Schneider. "The guillotine is in the court-yard;
your name is on my list, and I have witnesses to prove your crime. Have
you a word in your defence?"

Not a word came; the old gentleman was dumb; but his daughter, who did
not give way to his terror, spoke for him.

"You cannot, sir," said she, "although you say it, FEEL that my father
is guilty; you would not have entered our house thus alone if you had
thought it. You threaten him in this manner because you have something
to ask and to gain from us: what is it, citizen?--tell us how much you
value our lives, and what sum we are to pay for our ransom?"

"Sum!" said uncle Jacob; "he does not want money of us: my old friend,
my college chum, does not come hither to drive bargains