heard the fastenings on the other side also withdrawn, and in a few moments a monk appeared in company with the prioress, proceeding down the very walk in the hedge of which we were concealed.

As they passed, they spoke in whispers, and the only words we could then catch were,

"It must be arranged within five days, as Josepha has found out"

Here the prioress who uttered these words spoke in so low a whisper, that we could not make out the remainder of the sentence, as they walked out of sight.

Again they re-appeared, talking more eagerly, and stopping every now and then.

At last they providentially sat down on a grassy bank within two yards of the place where we lay concealed.

I say providentially, as we overheard a conversation, which sufficiently disclosed, for us to understand it, a most diabolical plan to seize and destroy the small body of Eng

lish then remaining at the hamlet in the valley.

It appeared that the monk was in constant correspondence with the French, and had promised, with the assistance of the ungrateful and abandoned prioress, to admit into his monastery a certain number of soldiers, who were to come under the disguise of monks and pilgrims, while the prioress was at the same time to conceal in her convent some French officers, and the ammunition, which she well knew the generous English would not examine, if assured by her that it was flour for the use of the establishment. Sister Josepha it also appeared was in their confidence, and it was through her treachery that much valuable information had been obtained from the thoughtless young English who frequented the

grate.

Our blood ran cold as we listened to the traitorous plans for destroying our kind and faithful friends and defenders, and for admitting into the convent the false-hearted French

men. It was like turning in the wolves among lambs.

No sooner had these diabolical wretches settled their plan of operations, which was to aid in totally destroying our trusting defenders, than they separated.

The bolts and locks were re-fastened on each side the heavy door of the burialground, and the prioress rapidly regained the cloisters.

We watched her till convinced we could regain our cells in safety, and then held a whispered consultation as to our plans for frustrating hers.

I did not close my eyes all night, so horrorstruck was I by what we had heard, and so fearful that we should not succeed in preventing the horrid catastrophe.

My aunt lost not an instant in communicating to my mother the following morning all that we had overheard, and it was agreed that the two Irish ladies should be informed of it, and we would leave to their discretion the mode of

letting their husbands know the mischief that was brewing.

One of them wrote down the full particulars, and gave the letter to one of the officers who made his appearance at the grate in the afternoon, with strict injunctions to deliver it immediately with his own hand to the colonel.

This done the ladies banished all fear, and tried to persuade us to do the same, so fully confident were they that their countrymen would out-manœuvre and annihilate the Frenchmen into the bargain.

My mother, my aunt and myself were restless and anxious during the interval, till the appointed evening arrived which was to decide the fate of ourselves and friends.

Towards night-fall on that eventful day, my aunt, who was on the watch, heard the gentle tinkling of the portress's bell, and in a few minutes saw from her hiding-place the prioress hasten to the porch, and drawing back the little wicket through which they were accustomed to look out before admitting any one, speak a

few words to some persons outside. One of them answered "La Gloire," to which she replied, "Santa Cecilia."

This was

the watch-word which I had heard settled between the monk and herself as the signal for admitting their accomplices.

My aunt trembled as she heard the bolts drawn back, and three men muffled up in cloaks let in by the prioress. She led them silently to her private parlour, closing and locking the door after her.

My aunt then hastened to the apartment of my mother, (who from her rank in the church was allowed more liberty, and a room to herself,) and with whom I was sitting in trembling anxiety. When she told us all she had seen we gave ourselves up for lost, and hurried to tell the Irish ladies the failure, as we feared, of our plans.

They however only laughed at our fears, assuring us that the colonel, who was well-informed of what was going on, would soon in person convince us that we had nothing to