n he left the theatre, and immediately followed him,
though at such a distance as to prevent his seeing me. Fortunately his
way home lay through a dark and lonely street; in the most obscure part
of that street, I quickened my steps until I overtook him--and just as
he was about to turn around to see who followed him, I gave him a
tremendous blow on his right temple with a heavy slung shot, and he fell
to the earth without a groan. I knew that I had killed him and was glad
of it--it was my third murder. After dragging his body into a dark
alley, so that he might not be found by the watchman, I rifled his
pockets of their contents, among which was the night-key of his house,
which I regarded as a prize of inestimable value.

'Leaving the corpse of Mr. Ross in the alley, I went straight to his
house in Howard street, and admitted myself by means of the night-key
which I had found in his pocket. A lamp was burning in the hall; I
extinguished it and groped my way up stairs to the chamber of Mrs. Ross
with the situation of which I was well acquainted. On opening the
chamber door, I found to my intense delight that no light or candle was
burning within; all was in darkness. Approaching the bed, I became
convinced that the lady was in a sound sleep; this circumstance added
greatly to my satisfaction. Well, I deliberately stripped myself and got
into bed; still she awoke not. Think you I was troubled with any remorse
of conscience, while lying at the side of the wronged woman whose
husband had just been slain by my hand? Not a bit of it; I chuckled
inwardly at the success of my scheme, and impatiently waited an
opportunity to take every advantage of my position. At last she awoke;
supposing me, of course, to be her husband, she gently chided me for
remaining out so late; I did not dare suffer her to hear the sound of my
voice, but replied to her in whispers. She suspected nothing--and I
completed my triumph! Yes, the proud, beautiful woman who had treated me
with such scorn, was then my slave. I had sacrificed her honor on the
altar of my duplicity and lust!

'Morning came, and its first beams revealed to my victim the extent of
her degradation--she saw through the deception, and with a wild cry,
fell back senseless. Hastily dressing myself, I stepped into an
adjoining room where the two children of Mrs. Ross were sleeping; they
were twins, a boy and a girl, three years of age, and pretty children
they were. I drew my pocket k