ally--'having gone thus far, it would ill become me
to retreat when just on the point of solving the terrible mystery; I
will proceed.'

He advanced and examined the coffins, some of which were so much
decayed, that their ghastly inmates were visible through the large holes
in the crumbling wood. At length he found one, in a tolerable state of
preservation, upon which was a gold plate bearing the name of Edgar
Franklin. Satisfied that this was the one he was in search of, he
desired the robber to come forward and assist in removing the lid, which
being done, a fleshless skeleton was revealed to their view.

'Now, fellow,' said the Doctor, 'I am about to make a certain
investigation, of which you must not be a witness; therefore, you will
retire to the outer entrance of the tomb, and wait there until I call
you. Your reward shall be in proportion to your faithful obedience of my
orders.'

Casting a look of malignant hate at the young gentleman, the robber
withdrew from the vault, shutting the iron door behind him; and as he
did so, he muttered a deep and terrible curse.

'Now may Heaven nerve me to the performance of this terrible task!'
exclaimed the rector, solemnly; and bending over the coffin, he held the
lantern in such a position as enabled him to gaze into the interior of
the skull, through the eyeless sockets.

But oh, horrible--within that skull was a mass of live corruption--a
myriad of grave worms banquetting upon the brains of the dead!

The Doctor reeled to the iron door of the vault, threw it open, and
eagerly breathed the fresh air from above. This somewhat revived him,
and he called on his assistant to come down. The robber obeyed, and was
thus addressed by his employer--

'Friend, I have overrated my own powers--perhaps your nerves are
stronger, your heart bolder than mine. Go to that coffin which we
opened, search the interior of the skull, and if you find anything in it
singular, or in the least degree unusual, bring it to me.--Here is a
pocket-book containing money to a large amount; take it and keep it, but
do as I have requested.'

The robber took the pocket-book and went into the vault. Horror could
not sicken _him_; the terrors of death itself had no terror for him.

After the lapse of a few moments, he exclaimed--'I have found
something!' and advancing to the door, he handed to the doctor a small
object, having first wiped it with an old handkerchief.

Overcoming his repugnance by a p