increase their
fears; the water was growing deeper every instant, and threatened to
overwhelm them. Sydney overcome by the awful effluvia, grew too sick and
faint to proceed further; he requested the Doctor to leave him to his
fate--but the gallant man raised his sinking form in his powerful arms,
and struggled bravely on. 'Courage, my friend,' cried the Doctor--'we
are near the river, for I see a light ahead, glimmering like a star of
hope!' In ten minutes more they emerged from the sewers, and plunged
into the clear waters of the North river.

Without much difficulty they got on board of a sloop which lay moored at
the wharf; and as Sydney had money, he easily procured a change of
raiment for himself and friend, from the skipper, who was too lazy to
ask any questions, and who was very well satisfied to sell them two
suits of clothes at five times their value. Frank took the Doctor to his
home, resolved never to part with so faithful and gallant a friend,
whose faults had been the faults of unfortunate circumstances, but whose
heart, he felt assured, was 'in the right place.'

Poor Clinton, the dumb boy, welcomed his master and his old acquaintance
the Doctor, with mute eloquence. Dennis, the Irish footman, was almost
crazy with delight at Mr. Sydney's safe return, swearing that he thought
him 'murthered and kilt intirely.'

That awful night was so indelibly stamped upon the memory of our hero,
that often, in after times, it haunted him in his dreams.

CHAPTER XXIV

_The Marriage--The Intoxicated Rector--Miseries of an aged Bridegroom on
his Wedding Night._

Mrs. Belmont was seated in the elegant parlor of her residence in Reade
street. It was the evening appointed for her marriage with Mr. Hedge,
and she was dressed in bridal attire--a spotless robe of virgin white
well set off her fine form and rich complexion, while a chaplet of white
roses made a beautiful contrast with the dark, luxuriant hair on which
it rested.

A superb French clock on the marble mantel piece proclaimed in silvery
tones, the hour of seven.

'He will soon be here,' she murmured--'to carry me to the house of the
clergyman, there to be made his wife. How little the fond, foolish old
man suspects the snare in which he is about to fall! How admirably have
my artifices deceived him! And the other evening when in the heat of
passion, he pressed me to grant him a certain favor in advance of our
marriage, how well I affected indignatio