t it, having all the appearance
of a little shrine, while he proceeded again to the mouth of that
singular and cavernous-looking place. He had, evidently, quite made up
his mind what to do, for, without a moment's hesitation, he lifted the
body again, and carried it within the entrance, walking boldly and
firmly, now that he knew there was no danger between him and the light,
which shed a gleam through the darkness of the place of a very faint and
flickering character.

He reached it rapidly, and when he got to the side of the well, he,
without a moment's hesitation, flung it headlong down, and, listening
attentively, he heard it fall with a slight plash, as if there was some
water at the bottom of the pit.

It was an annoyance, however, for him to find that the distance was not
so deep as he had anticipated, and when he took the light from the niche
where he had placed it, and looked earnestly down, he could see the
livid, ghastly-looking face of the dead man, for the body had
accidentally fallen upon its back, which was a circumstance he had not
counted upon, and one which increased the chances greatly of its being
seen, should any one be exploring, from curiosity, that not very
inviting place.

This was annoyance, but how could it be prevented, unless, indeed, he
chose to descend, and make an alteration in the disposition of the
corpse? But this was evidently what he did not choose to do; so, after
muttering to himself a few words expressive of his intention to leave it
where it was, he replaced the candle, after extinguishing it, in the box
from whence he had taken it, and carefully walked out of the dismal
place.

The moonbeams were shining very brightly and beautifully upon the face
of the cliffs, when he emerged from the subterranean passage, so that he
could see the door, the steps, and every object quite distinctly; and,
to his gratification, he found that he had not destroyed any fastening
that was to the door, but that when it was slammed shut, it struck so
hard and fast, that the strength of one man could not possibly move it,
even the smallest fraction of an inch.

"I shall be shown all this to-morrow," he said; "and if I take this
house I must have an alteration made in this door, so that it may open
with a lock, instead of by main violence, as at present; but if, in the
morning, when I view Anderbury House, I can avoid an entrance into this
region, I will do so, and at my leisure, if I become the po