gged him back into the little temple before
mentioned, and regarded him with a terrible look.

'Who are you--and what means this treatment of me?' demanded the boy,
trembling with affright.

The mysterious unknown replied not by words--but slowly raised the mask
from his face. Clinton's blood ran cold with horror; for, by the dim and
uncertain light, he beheld the ghastly, awful features of THE DEAD MAN!

'Said I not truly that no prison could hold me?--vain are all stone
walls and iron chains, for I can burst them asunder at will! I had hoped
to avenge myself on that accursed Sydney, in a terrible appalling
manner; but the law has become the avenger--he will die upon the
gallows, and I am content. Ha, ha, ha! how he will writhe, and choke
while I shall be at liberty, to read the account of his execution in the
papers, and gloat over the description of his dying agonies! But I have
an account to settle with _you_, _Kinchen_; you recollect how you hurled
the wine-bottle at my head, as I was about to stab Sydney on the night
of my capture--thereby preventing me from securing a speedy and deadly
revenge at that time? Now, what punishment do you deserve for that
damnable piece of treachery to an old comrade?'

Thus spoke the terrible Dead Man, as he glared menacingly upon the
affrighted and trembling Clinton, whose fears deprived him of all power
of utterance.

'Sydney will hang like a dog,' continued the hideous miscreant, the
words hissing from between his clenched teeth--'My revenge in _that_
quarter shall be consummated, while you, d----d young villain that you
are, shall--'

'Sydney shall _not_ suffer such a fate, monster!' exclaimed Clinton, his
indignation getting the better of his fears, as he looked the villain
boldly in the face--'there are two witnesses, whose testimony can and
will prove his innocence.'

'And who may those two witnesses be?' demanded the Dead Man scornfully.

'I am one--and Sydney's aunt, Mrs. Stevens, who resides at No. ----
Grand Street, is the other,' replied Clinton.

'And what can _you_ testify to in Sydney's favor?' asked the other in a
milder tone.

'I can swear that Mr. Sydney sent me with a note to the lady who was
murdered, and desired me to inform her that he had procured a good
situation for her with his aunt--thus plainly showing the friendly
nature of his feelings and intentions towards her,' replied Clinton.

'And this aunt--what will be the nature of _her_ testimony?