it was nothing serious. The Dead
Man grinned with satisfaction, as, with his ear applied to the key-hole,
he heard her thus account for the wound inflicted by his own villainous
hand.

Mr. Hedge did not remain long that evening: but ere his departure he
presented Julia with a magnificent set of diamonds, which had cost him
near a thousand dollars.

'Wear these, my dear Julia, for my sake,' said he--'and though they
cannot increase your charms, they may serve to remind you of me when I
am absent. A fortnight more, and I shall claim you for my own bride;
then, in the beautiful city of Boston, we will be enabled to move in
that sphere of society and fashion which your loveliness and
accomplishments so eminently qualify you to adorn.'

After Mr. Hedge had taken his leave, the Dead Man entered the room with
a smile of satisfaction.

'By Satan,' cried he--'Mrs. Belmont, as you call yourself, that old
gallant of yours is devilish liberal, and there's no reason why I should
not come in for a share of his generosity. These diamonds I shall carry
off with me, and you can tell him that you were robbed--and so you are;
ha, ha, ha! So you're going to Boston after you're married--hey? Well,
I'll go to Boston too; and you must always keep me plentifully supplied
with cash to insure my silence with regard to matters that you don't
wish to have known. I'll leave you now; but listen:--to-morrow I intend
to make a grand effort to get Francis Sydney into my power. Does that
intelligence afford you pleasure?'

'Yes,' replied Julia, forgetting in her hatred of Sydney, the cruelty of
the Dead Man--'yes, it does; give me but the opportunity to see him
writhe with agony, and I forgive your barbarous treatment of me to-day.'

'That opportunity you shall have,' rejoined the ruffian--'come, I am
half inclined to be sorry for having used you so; but d----n it, 'tis my
nature, and I cannot help it. My heart even now hungers after outrage
and human blood--and Sydney--Sydney shall be the victim to appease that
hunger!'

Saying this, he quitted the room, leaving Julia to her own reflections,
which were of the most painful nature. The only thought which shed a
gleam of joy into her heart, was the prospect of soon gratifying her
spirit of revenge upon Sydney, whom she unjustly regarded as the author
of her troubles.

CHAPTER XX

_Frank Sydney in the Power of his Enemies--his incarceration in the Dark
Dungeon, with the Dwarf._

The