t, the rapidity of its flight
prevented Frank from ascertaining, he cautiously advanced to the place
where it had concealed itself, and by the dim light of the lamp which he
carried, he saw, crouching down upon the cold, damp earth, a _living
object_ which appalled him; it was a human creature, but so horribly and
unnaturally deformed, that it was a far more dreadful object to behold
than the most loathsome of the brute creation.

It was of pygmy size, its shrunk limbs distorted and fleshless, and its
lank body covered with filthy rags; its head, of enormous size, was
entirely devoid of hair; and the unnatural shape as well as the
prodigious dimensions of that bald cranium, betokened beastly idiocy.
Its features, ghastly and terrible to look upon, bore a strange
resemblance to those of the _Dead Man_! and its snake-like eyes were
fixed upon Frank with the ferocity of a poisonous reptile about to
spring upon its prey.

'Who art thou?' demanded our hero, as he surveyed the hideous object
with horror and disgust.

It answered not, but again set up its low and melancholy wail. Then with
extraordinary agility, it sprang from its retreat, and bounding towards
the dungeon, entered, and crouched down in one corner, making the cellar
resound with its awful shrieks.

''Tis more beast than human,' thought Frank--'I will fasten it in its
den, or it may attack me;' and closing the door, he secured it with the
bolt. As he did so, he heard the deep-toned bell peal forth the hour
of--_one_!

'It is the hour appointed for the return of the Dead Man!' said our hero
to himself, with a shudder; and instantly it occurred to him that he
might have descended to the Dark Vaults and escaped that way, had he not
cut the ropes which supported the platform. But then he reflected that
on reaching the Vaults he would be almost certain to fall into the power
of the villains assembled there; and he ceased to regret having cut the
ropes.

His attention was suddenly arrested by observing the platform descend
into the abyss, moved by an unseen agency; for the apparatus was so
contrived, that a person in the Vaults below could lower or raise the
platform at will, by means of a rope connected with it.

Frank had anticipated that the Dead Man would enter the house through
the front door; but he now felt convinced that the miscreant was about
to ascend on the platform from the Vaults; and he said to himself--

''Tis well--these almost severed ropes