deed they had committed by burning the dwelling and all
within its precincts.

While this diabolical plan had been thoroughly concocted, Captain Ratlin
and the two English ladies had passed many pleasant hours together, all
unconscious of there being any danger at hand, and even Maud, with
subtle treachery, seemed more open and free than she had been in her
intercourse with them at first. But when she thought herself unobserved,
she would at times permit a reflex of her soul to steal over her dark,
handsome features, and the fire of passion to flash from her eye. At
such moments, the Quadroon became completely unsexed, and could herself
scarcely contain her own anger and passion so far as not to spring,
tiger-like, upon the object of her hatred. But the hour for the attempt
upon the dwelling, and the destruction of its inhabitants, drew near.
The negroes had sworn to stand by each other, and had sacrificed an
infant to their deity, to propitiate him and insure success.

It was long past midnight that the blacks might have been seen pouring
out of the adjacent jungle nearest to the house. They had selected the
hour for their attack when they supposed the dwellers in the
stockade-house would be soundest wrapped in sleep, and they had indeed
chosen well, and all their plans had been carefully arranged. But just
as Maud opened the secret entrance for them to pass in, and she herself
passed out, to flee for the time being from the scene, Don Leonardo came
out from his sleeping-apartment, followed by a trusty slave, and
promptly shot down the two first figures that entered by the door,
causing them to fall dead. This unexpected repulse caused those behind
to retreat for a while to the jungle, where they might consult under
cover as to what this unexpected opposition to their plans indicated.

The reader may as well be here informed that a faithful slave, who had
been long with the Spanish trader, and who had been confided in by the
robbers, at last could not keep the secret, but just at the opportune
moment aroused her master, while he, by his promptness, for the moment
stayed the attack, until the door could once more be fastened, and the
people awakened and armed to repel the congregated mass of the enemy.
The father did not for one moment suspect his child's treachery, and was
amazed and alarmed by her absence; but there was little time for
speculations upon that or any other matter, since the large numbers of
the negroe