"Are you not what that button betokens?" (said the president, pointing to Dormer's coat.) "I am an American officer," was the reply. "How long have you served in the rebel army?" inquired one of the associates.

The president conferred for a few moments with his associates, and then addressing himself to the prisoner, in whose behalf a strong and manifest sympathy had been excited, he informed him that, in consequence of the lateness of the hour, Dormer turned upon him a glance of scornful the decision of the tribunal would be suspended contempt, but said nothing.

"You are a young man," resumed the president, " and yet scarcely younger than the Marquis De La Fayette, who, I am informed, has been honored with the title and rank of Major General in the American army. Notwithstanding our colonial fellow subjects have become such thorough republicans, I doubt whether a plain untitled soldier of his age, without the magic of aristocracy, would have been so fortunate, even though an adventurer from sunny France. You, I presume, are not of so high a grade?"

There was a keen irony in the tones of the president, as he uttered these remarks, which did not escape the observation of Dormer.

until the morrow, and that another opportunity would be allowed him for a defence, if he should see fit to make one.

Dormer gently bowed to the court in token of his gratitude for their indulgence, and after an intimation to that effect by the president, he was conducted by the guard to his prison.

The crowd dispersed, or collected in groupes to talk over the particulars of the scene that had just passed before them, and, as on all similar occasions, each one was anxious to tell over to his companion what each had equally witnessed. There was one, however, of that thronged concourse, who, though she understood the changes of the scene best of all there except the prisoner "I am but a subaltern-an humble lieutenant himself-neither stopped to tell what she knew, in the army of the republic. The Congress of nor to make other than a single brief inquiry of the United States in conferring upon La Fayette one of the guards. This was the old negress, the rank he now holds, paid a tribute not to his who had so much disconcerted the prisoner when long line of martial ancestry nor to his almost his eye first fell upon her. As soon as he was princely title, but to his zeal, his unprecedented | led off by the guards, she was seen hurrying, as devotion, his sacrifices to the cause of liberty. It fast as her cane and rheumatism would permit, may be true, that the circumstances of his birth down one of the narrow alleys that led to the inteafforded him the means of rendering himself thus rior of the city, until turning a corner she was gloriously conspicuous, but the use he made of lost to the view. them elevated him beyond ancestral fame and laid for him the foundation of a renown that will end only with our everlasting mountains."

New York, whose harbor is now whitened with the canvass of the world, presenting as you look far out to sea a centre for the argosies of every clime to converge in-even at the period of our tale gave promise of the importance to which she has arisen ; but the limits of the city were then far more circumscribed, and the adjacent country which at this day embraces the busiest portion of that mighty emporium, was studded with the summer residences of many of the opulent citizens. It is to one of these mansions situated just without the suburbs of the city, not far from the British camp, that our story now turns.

The ardor with which Dormer spoke of this great benefactor of our country, convinced Sir Henry that so far from any jealousies having been created by the preferment of the young Marquis, it met with almost universal approval. This was a sentiment however, which by no means accorded with the bent of his feelings; it was for a long time hoped that dissensions and disaffection would be stirred up in the American army, in consequence of the appointment of foreigners to high command. Young, ardent, and ambitious, as he had no doubt On the evening of the day of the occurrences Dormer was, he expected a reply of a different we have just related, in an apartment looking out character, and far more consonant to his feelings. upon the gorgeous west, reclined on a damask Finding himself foiled and disappointed, he chan-ottoman a female of exquisite beauty. She was

ged the course of his inquiries, and continued"Did you enter the city alone?"

"I did."

leaning upon her elbow, and her small and delicate hand supported a brow of Grecian mould, and purely white as alabaster. The parting sun"What was your motive in coming?" beams stealing through the aperture of the "My motives belong to myself. You have crimson curtain that overhung the window, rested already said that I could not expect my own asser-upon her cheek in feeble rivalry of the roses that tions to be received against the testimony or to dwelt there, and curls of glossy jet fell neglected explain it. I do not expect it, and therefore de-over her shoulders, and half concealed the thrilling cline answering your question." outline of her features. From her sudden starts at every noise that occurred, it might readily be "My parents are dead," said Dormer in a hur-inferred that she had long been anxiously expecting ried tone of much feeling. the arrival of some one in whom she took deep VOL. III.-58

"Do your parents live in the city?"

interest, and being wearied with her long vigil, had sought relief in the attitude we have described. She remained but a short time in this position, and then painfully unquiet, arose, in the full perfection of her matchless symmetry, to look out at the window. Long and anxious was her gaze, until, satisfied that the object of her solicitude was not to be seen, with a suppressed sigh she resumed her seat upon the sofa. She took up a book that lay near her, and attempted to read, but the still unmoved direction of her eye showed that she gazed inwardly, not on the lessons it taught. Throwing it down, she flew to her piano, and ran over a tune of melody, but it soothed not her feelings. Suddenly rising from her seat, she seized her bonnet, as if impelled by some sudden and desperate resolution, when a step was heard in the entry, and presently, the door opening, revealed the figure of the old negro woman resting on her cane, whom we have before introduced to the notice of the reader.

the shock, and partially recovering her composure' pursued her inquiries.

a

"And you say Ratcliff has been accused of being spy, and is confined in prison because he will not explain the paper and tell the object of his coming to the city at this time?"

"Yes, miss, I reckon dat is bout de amount of it, and I had a good mind to tell dem sogers dat set up on de bench and ax'd questions, as how de paper was a lub letter, and dat maas Ratcliff comed over here to get married to you, case you was 'gaged to him a long time, but den maas Ratcliff would'nt say so hisself, and so I thought I ought'nt. He know'd it well as me. Howsom'dever dese young men is now-a-days monstrus shamefaced 'bout lub and all dat, and wont tell even to git out scrapes."

Agnes was wrapt in thought with the intimation thrown out in the first part of Phoebe's answer; and without hearing the latter or unheeding it if she did, consoled herself with the belief that she possessed the power of extricating him from his difficulties, by clearing up as she resolved to do, the mystery that hung over the object of Ratcliff's visit to the city. In reflecting upon his conduct, she dwelt with infinite pleasure upon the delicacy and tenderness which he had manifested, in refusing to mention her name before that promiscuous

"Oh, Phœbe!" exclaimed Agnes Pontois, (for that was the name of our heroine,) "how could you stay so long? where is Ratcliff? is he safe? Did you go over to the American camp to see that nothing harmed him on his return? That was kind, very kind of you. But you are tired after so long a walk-come sit down here, and I will sit beside you. Now, tell me all about your jour-crowd, as if in his estimation it were too sacred ney." for vulgar ears, and suppressing the part she bore in the purposes of his visit, even at the peril of his life.

During these questions and commands of Agnes, which followed in rapid succession, the old woman, almost breathless from her recent exertions, at- United in heart by the sanctifying ligament of tempted no reply; but after being seated a moment first love, Ratcliff Dormer and Agnes Pontois, a beside her young mistress whose sole confidant she few months previous to the occupation of the city was in a matter that was intimately interwoven with of New York by the British, had mutually pledged her all of happiness, she collected together her to each other their lasting affections; and became scattered senses to communicate the important in the common phrase of the day, engaged. Little intelligence with which she was charged. But anticipating the difficulties that afterwards obthe opportunity was too favorable for garrulous old age to forego its privileges, and therefore Phoebe began to detail her personal ills and weariness.

truded themselves, they had fixed upon the day of the scene we have described, for the celebration of their nuptials. No parental obstacles interfered to prevent their union. Ratcliff was without fa"Here, here," said Agnes, snatching from a ther or mother, both having died whilst he was a table near at hand a glass of cool water, "drink mere boy, and left him the heir of an ample forthis, and then tell me where you have been and if tune. As soon as he had passed his minority, he Ratcliff is safe. Do, dear Phoebe, tell me quickly."had entered the army, and by his bold and manly "You must give me time," said Phoebe, "for I have a heap of things to tell."

"Do then begin," said Agnes imploringly; "did you see him put off into the river?"

bearing, had quickly won the esteem and confidence of his compatriots. Agnes had lost her mother a few years previous to the events of this story, and reigned in her father's princely mansion as its sole mistress. She was his only child, and the object of his tenderest solicitude.

Phoebe shook her head, and said nothing; but the expression of her eye conveyed to the mind of her fair mistress a mournful presentiment of the The strict guard which the English maintained, truth. The rich blood which had been strug-prevented all communication by letter between the gling to escape through her cheeks fled back to lovers-and on the evening previous to the apits citadel. With altered tone she bade her do-pointed day, Ratcliff resolved upon the rash entermestic repeat to her all she had seen and heard, who now related the terrible truth. In the calm predominance of intellectual superiority, she met

prise of passing the river in the night, by a circuitous route with which he was familiar, and of renewing the pledges of their vows, to be redeemed

when brighter auspices smiled upon them. He succeeded, by evading the stations of the sentinels, in seeing his betrothed; and in the presence of old Phoebe, who was the heirloom of the family, and the sole and especial confidant of her love, new arrangements were entered into, and a cipher agreed upon for correspondence—a copy of which he preserved, and which proved a pregnant source of difficulty as we have seen in the trial. After a few hours of happiness in the presence of Agnes, he tore himself from her presence; and in returning to his camp was captured.

of lone and universal abandonment, is the shape the feelings usually assume under such circumstances. The stillness of the night, and the bright quiet stars that twinkled in the heavens added to the melancholy of Agnes, until, in the fullness of her grief, she found relief in a flood of tears.

New York was now buried in sleep-and the watchman and his rattle were the sole occupants of the streets,-when a stream of flame shot up towards the skies from a remote part of the city. Quickly it increased in volume, and shed a fitful glare upon the surrounding houses; when the alarm bell announced a fire!

It appeared that he had not observed the caution which had marked his coming, but had trodden Sixty years ago, that sense of security which recklessly in the very view of the enemy-thus has since been effected by the organization and verifying the comparison, that the excited lover is discipline of engine companies, was unknown to like a somnambulist, who walks through the world the inhabitants of our largest cities; and the most with his eyes open, but their sense dead to all out-that was expected in case of an alarm of fire, was ward objects. Ratcliff was engrossed with the to prevent the destructive element from commuthought of Agnes, and no longer dreamed of an nicating to the adjoining houses. In other respects, enemy or danger. a fire at that period exhibited pretty much the same appearances as at present. The same noise, the same confusion of tongues, and the same gathering together from every quarter within sight or hearing, took place then as now. Soon after the signal we have mentioned was given, the whole city grew vocal with the cry of the debtors' prison. It was there the fire had commenced; and in fifteen minutes after the alarum, an immense concourse of people had collected around it. At the first glance, an experienced eye would have seen that there was no hope to save it. The fire had begun in one of the lower apartments, and having consumed all its wooden appendages, had rushed up the main stairway, and burst through the roof. All the prisoners had been timely released from their perilous prison walls with but one exception,

The information gathered from Phoebe, that guilt had been inferred from the manuscript in cipher, and the refusal of Ratcliff to explain the object of his coming to the city, determined Agnes to go herself in person to Sir Henry Clinton, and reveal to him the whole matter without disguise. Having made up her mind on this point, and drawn from it considerable relief, she again questioned the old woman concerning the particulars of the trial; but could learn nothing further than that Ratcliff was confined for the night in the debtors' prison, and that the trial would be resumed in the morning at ten o'clock. Satisfied that no further information could be acquired, she immediately sought out her father, and communicated to him the tidings she had received. She found no difficulty in enlisting him in her cause; but at his urgent solici-and that was the captured spy, who, as we have tation postponed the hour of the visit to Sir Henry until early on the following morning.

This arrangement being made, Agnes retired to her chamber-but not to sleep. The shades of evening had already thickened into darkness. She threw up the casement, and leaning on her elbow, looked out on the gorgeous heavens. Alone and sick at heart with the calamity which had fallen upon her, she meditated on the painful reality of the change which had come over the spirit of her existence. Her life had hitherto been all sunshine. Too young at the death of her mother to be much affected by the loss, until that hour she had scarcely been able to comprehend the meaning of misery. But the interpretation of it was written for her with a pencil of light now-and in the agony of her feelings, she felt as if the bonds which connected her with society were rent asunder, and that she was desolate. How natural is it for those who have been blest with uninterrupted prosperity, to surrender and be utterly miserable upon the first heavy visitation of misfortune; and a sense

before mentioned, was lodged for the night in this strong hold. The key of his cell had been taken out of the jailor's hands and was in the possession of the officer of the guard, who being at some distance from the prison when the fire broke out, did not arrive until all access to the upper apartments in which the spy was confined, had been entirely cut off by the devouring element. A ladder was immediately procured, and placed against the side of the building reaching to his cell, and he was loudly called upon to descend; but his solitary window was doubly grated with bars of iron, and he could not get out to avail himself of the facility offered. A brawny and dauntless citizen rushed up the ladder with a huge hammer in hand to release him; but after striking a few ringing but ineffectual blows upon the bars, the heat became too intense for sufferance, and he was compelled to descend. The spectators then stood powerless and appalled at the speedy and horrible death that awaited their fellow being, with whose character they were until then unacquainted; and the anx

ious question was asked-who is it?--and the an- | them; and at the moment of the falling in of the swer circulated and grew louder with the mingling wall, the mass which had moved off for implements of voices, until it gathered into a shout like distant of operation upon the first recognition of the chathunder-"It is the captured American. Let us racter of the prisoner, returned to the scene of save him, countrymen, for liberty and the states." danger; but it was too late. The appeal went up from a thousand tongues, and a mass of the spectators, as if by concert and for some purpose connected with the object now in view, rushed down the several streets leading off from the prison. At this moment a stir was made in the rear of those that remained, and a female, enveloped in a large cloak, pressed forward with frantic agitation to the front line.

"Ratcliff," (exclaimed the unknown stranger, in a tone of deep and wild melody,) " Ratcliff— will you not hear me?-Oh, God! how utterly miserable I am! Speak to me Ratcliff-come to me."

"I cannot, Agnes," replied the prisoner-(for it was his betrothed that had thus braved the perils of the night;) "I cannot escape. Do not come near these walls: return home, dearest-and farewell forever."

A gentleman at this moment stepped from the crowd, and politely tendered to her his services.

"Your services," exclaimed Agnes bitterly; "yes, I will accept them. Go, save him-I am free-I want no assistance. Save him, and I will bless you thank you forever."

The gentleman stated to her the apparent impossibility of effecting the release of the prisoner, and pointed to the iron bars of his window, and the living coal of the whole interior of the first floor. She turned from him fiercely, and again called upon her lover.

"Break those hideous bars, Ratcliff.” "I cannot, Agnes; they are iron.” "Try-try," shrieked the maiden; sake, try!"

"for my

Ratcliff seized hold of the middle bar which crossed his window, and pulled with all his strength; but it did not move. Relinquishing his hold, he darted back into his chamber, as if some new hope had crossed him, and in a moment reappeared, standing on the sill of the window.

"Once more-once more," repeated the maiden with clasped hands; "try once more."

In vain there were torrents of water poured into the blazing ruin; in vain were ladders erected and screens set up, and fearless hearts and strong arms brought to the rescue. The prisoner was found, and taken out a mangled corse.

The next day a solemn and unusually large line of mourners moved down one of the streets of New York, and directed its course to the cemetery of St. Paul's.

"What is the meaning of that," inquired a stranger who was standing in the portico of the city hotel.

"That is the funeral procession of 'The Spy,"" replied the landlord.

"Ah," rejoined the stranger; "and was he really a spy."

Certainly," returned Boniface; "was'nt he taken up and tried for it-and would'nt he have been hanged to day if he had'nt been crushed to death by the wall? Who doubts his being a spy?"

"Nay, friend," said the stranger, "I did not say I doubted it;" but, after musing a moment, he resumed-" Was there not a young lady at the fire last night?"

"Yes," replied mine host-" a fair and comely girl she was too. When the wall fell in, she fainted, and was taken away by some gentleman absolutely lifeless-that is to say, to all appearance dead."

"Hum; and every body regards the prisoner who was killed, as a spy from the American camp."

"Most indubitably. See what to-day's paper says of him;" and with this, the landlord handed the stranger the newspaper of the morning, in which there was a detailed account of the trial, death, and purposes for which Ratcliff Dormer entered the city.

The latter were declared to have been with a view of obtaining accurate knowledge of the position and strength of the British army, preparatory to an attack upon them from the combined forces Ratcliff again caught the bar, and planting his of France and America, and with a further view foot firmly against the wall, pulled with the strength of exciting the population of New York to a of a giant. The frame of the window, shrivelled simultaneous and auxiliary movement. The ediand loosened by the cracked and scorching walls tor spoke from the most authentic information, presently began to yield. Another and a sterner and declared that the key to the letter in cipher effort-a voice of encouragement from the crowd- had been discovered, which laid bare the whole it shook-moved, and at last fell into the cell bur-proceeding. The mistake in the public mind was rying the unfortunate Ratcliff in a pile of the never removed; and Ratcliff Dormer sleeps beruined wall, which he had dragged after him. neath his sod in the cemetery of St. Paul's, as the American Spy.

The shout of triumph which had almost escaped the lips of the spectators, died away into a moan of despair. The events we have here last recorded The most valuable copy of Tacitus was discovered occurred in less time than we have taken to detail in a monastery of Westphalia.