hung upon the walls, from the broadcloth suit of the gentleman
down to the squalid rags of the beggar; these garments Frank conjectured
to be _disguises_, a supposition which was confirmed by the masks, false
whiskers, wigs and other articles for altering the person, which were
scattered about.

In a small closet which communicated with this room, our hero found dies
for coining, and a press for printing counterfeit bank-notes; and a
table drawer, which he opened containing a quantity of false coin,
several bank-note plates, and a package of counterfeit bills, which had
not yet been signed.

Having sufficiently examined these interesting objects, Frank passed
into the next room, which was of considerable extent. It was almost
completely filled with goods of various kinds, evidently the proceeds of
robberies. There were overcoats, buffalo robes, ladies' cloaks and furs,
silk dresses, shawls, boxes of boots and shoes, cases of dry goods, and
a miscellaneous assortment of articles sufficient to furnish out a large
store. The goods in that room were worth several thousands of dollars.

'I shall now seek to discover the _secret outlet_ of the Dark Vaults,'
thought Frank, as he descended into the cellar of the house. Here he
gazed about him with much interest; the cellar was damp and gloomy and
his entrance with the light disturbed a legion of rats, which went
scampering off in every direction, from a corner in which they had
collected together; as the young man approached that corner, a fetid,
sickening odor saluted his nostrils and a fearful thought flashed across
his mind; a moment afterwards, his blood curdled with horror, for before
him lay the dead body of a man, entirely naked, and far advanced in
state of decomposition; and upon that putrefying corpse had the swarm of
rats been making their terrible banquet!

Sick with horror and disgust, Frank precipitately retreated from the
loathsome and appalling spectacle, satisfied that he had beheld one of
the Dead Man's murdered victims; and he shuddered as he thought that
such might have been _his_ fate!

In the centre of the cellar an apparatus of singular appearance
attracted his notice; and approaching it he instantly became convinced
that this was the _secret outlet_ for which he sought. Four strong,
upright posts supported two ponderous iron crossbars, to which were
attached four ropes of great thickness and strength, these ropes were
connected with a wooden platfor