d and condemned by those who believe you to be
guilty. I am convinced in my own mind that you are innocent of the
murder; yet I rejoice none the less in your fate. Your death will free
me from all restraint; I can adopt an assumed name, and removing to some
distant city, entrap some rich fool into a marriage with me, whose
wealth will administer to my extravagance, while I secretly abandon
myself to licentious pleasures. Sydney, I never loved you--and when you
discovered my intimacy with my dear African, I hated you--oh, how
bitterly! When you cast me off, I vowed revenge upon you; but my
vengeance will be satisfied to-morrow, when you pay the forfeit of
another's crime. And now in the hour of your disgrace and death, I spit
upon and despise you!'

'Begone, vile strumpet that you are,' exclaimed Frank, starting to his
feet--'taunt me no more, or you will drive me to commit an actual
murder, and send your blackened soul into the presence of your offended
Creator!'

'Farewell, forever,' said Julia, in a tone of indifference, and she left
her poor, wronged husband to his own bitter reflections. Shortly after
her departure, a clergyman entered the cell, and remained with the
prisoner until long after midnight, preparing him for the awful change
he was to undergo on the morrow.

* * * * *

That very night Fred Archer issued from the secret outlet of the Dark
Vaults, and bent his steps in the direction of Wall street.

This street is the great focus around which all the most extensive
financial operations of the great metropolis are carried on. It is
occupied exclusively by banks, brokers' and insurance offices, and
establishments of the like character.

It was midnight when Archer turned into Wall street from Broadway. The
moon was obscured by clouds, and the street was entirely deserted. He
paused before a large, massive building in the neighborhood of the
Exchange, and glanced around him in every direction to assure himself
that he was unobserved. Seeing no one, he ascended the marble steps,
drew from his pocket a huge key, and with it unlocked the door; he
entered, and closing the door after him, carefully re-locked it.

'So far all is well,' muttered the burglar, as he ignited a match and
lighted a piece of wax candle which he had brought with him. 'It's lucky
that I obtained an impression of that lock in wax, and from it made this
key, or I might have had the devil's trouble in getting in.