"Hold your noisy tongue, you fool," ejaculated Bill, brutally. "You have heard and seen too much for our safety; we can't do otherwise."
"No, certainly not," added Dick. "You are now as fly to the fakement as any one of us."
"Spare me, spare me, and I will never betray you! Oh! do not send me out of this world, so young—so very young! I have money, I have wealth, I am rich, and I will give you all I possess!" ejaculated the agonized youth; his countenance wearing an expression of horrible despair.
"Come; here's enough. Bill, lend a hand!" and Dick seized the boy by one arm, while his companion took a firm hold of the other.
"Mercy, mercy!" shrieked the youth, struggling violently; but struggling vainly. "You will repent when you know—— I am not what I——"
He said no more: his last words were uttered over the mouth of the chasm ere the ruffians loosened their hold;—and then he fell.
The trap-door was closed violently over the aperture, and drowned the scream of agony which burst from his lips.
The two murderers then retraced their steps to the apartment on the first floor.
* * * * *
On the following day, about one o'clock, Mr. Markham, a gentleman of fortune residing in the northern environs of London, received the following letter:—