iams; but we learned afterwards why we failed to release him on the
night he was taken. The kidnappers heard us coming, and went into the
woods out of the way, until we had passed them.

Awhile before this occurrence, there lived in a town not far away from
Christiana a colored man who was in the habit of decoying fugitives
fresh from bondage to his house on various pretexts, and, by assuming to
be their friend, got from them the name of their master, his residence,
and other needed particulars. He would then communicate with the master
about his slave, tell him at what time the man would be at his house,
and when he came at the appointed hour, the poor refugee would fall into
the merciless clutches of his owner. Many persons, mostly young people,
had disappeared mysteriously from the country, from whom nothing could
be heard. At last the betrayer's connection with these transactions was
clearly traced; and it was decided to force him to quit the nefarious
business.

He was too wary to allow himself to be easily taken, and a resort was
had to stratagem. I, with others, thought he deserved to be shot openly
in his daughter's house, and was willing to take the consequences.

At last this man's outrages became so notorious that six of our most
reliable men resolved to shoot him, if they had to burn him out to do
it. After I had sworn the men in the usual form, we went to his barn,
took two bundles of wheat-straw, and, fastening them under the eaves
with wisps, applied a lighted match to each. We then took our stations a
few rods off, with rifles ready and in good condition,--mine was a
smooth-bore, with a heavy charge.

The house burned beautifully; and half an hour after it ignited the
walls fell in, but no betrayer showed himself. Instead of leaving the
house by the rear door, as we had expected, just before the roof fell
in, he broke out the front way, rushed to his next neighbor's, and left
his place without an effort to save it. We had built the fire in the
rear, and looked for him there; but he ran in the opposite direction,
not only as if his life was in danger, but as if the spirit of his evil
deeds was after him.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote F: This sentence was written before the beginning of our civil
war. Viewed in the light of subsequent events, it is somewhat
remarkable.--E. K.]

THE ORIGIN OF THE GYPSIES.

For more than four hundred years the Gypsies have been one of the
riddles of European histo