Years ago, on one of the pretty 
     
     wooded knolls overlooking the shore at a 
     
     point distant from any settlement, a 
     
     sunnner camp was pitched. Three girls 
     
     of the party were one day taking a long 
     
     ramble along the coast, when they walked 
     
     unexpectedly into a group of armed men 
     
     so busily engaged, or so confident of 
     
     isolation, that they had forgotten to 
     
     station a look—out to warn them of any- 
     
     one approaching. They were smugglers, 
     
     but otherwise respectable; and, fortu- 
     
     nately for the girls, the days of freebooters 
     
     were past. Tle girls were immediately 
     
     surrounded, and an angry discussion ensued between the men who 
     
     numbered some eighteen or twenty. The smugglers had been 
     
     caught in the midst of their work, and they were not nearly ready 
     
     to leave. Hence it was proposed to hold the girls captive lor the 
     
     next. day or two, to prevent: an alarm being given. The girls were, 
     
     of course. greatly distressed, and the incident threatened to cause 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     grave trouble. 
     
    

    
     Finally one of the girls, who had assumed the leadership 
     
     of her party in the controversy, spoke out and frightened the 
     
     leader by telling him they were three of a large party, the remainder 
     
     of which would soon come and look for them. As a matter 
     
     of fact the party only numbered seven, all told, of whom five were 
     
     women. In addition the girl volunteered, and so (lid her companions, 
     
     to preserve strict secrecy about the matter it they should be allowed 
     
     to leave. A consultation was again held, as a result: of which, 
     
     after exacting the strictest secrecy under pain of future penalty, 
     
     the, girls were allowed to depart, the name and address of the 
     
     spokeswoman being taken, however, in precaution. 
     
    

    
     The girls left, and returned to the camp. For two days 
     
     their companions could not understand the feverish anxiety with 
     
     which they watched two schooners that: were hovering about some 
     
     miles off shore. At last the vessels departed. The girls kept their 
     
     secret well, and the incident: gradually passed out of active memory. 
     
    

    
     One day, however, a package was mysteriously left at the 
     
     door of that one of the girls who had assumed leadership in the 
     
     negotiations with the smugglers. It was found by the young lady 
     
     herself. It contained material for a handsome silk dress, and, in 
     
    
   
   
    
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