It was not, however, without an intense apprehension of danger that she proceeded to the execution of her scheme. Were the Resurrection Man to awake suddenly, and entertain any suspicion on discovering her absence, she knew that her life would not be worth an hour's purchase.
Still the temptation that now lured her to dare this terrific chance was so great—it was irresistible!
Her hesitation, when she stood in the street, was only of a moment's existence; and, calling all her courage to her aid, she plunged into the alley.
The door in that dark passage was opened in another moment: she closed and locked it carefully, and then entered the back room on the ground floor.
Having obtained a light, she raised the mysterious trap-door, and boldly descended the steps leading into the subterranean passage.
One of her keys soon opened the door of the cell in which the Resurrection Man had buried his treasure; but her joy at this disappearance of the only difficulty which she had apprehended, was adulterated by a sentiment of invincible terror, as she still thought of the possibility of detection by him whose desperate character inspired her with this tremendous alarm.
Nevertheless, she was resolved to dare every thing in the enterprise which she had undertaken.
"Fortune seemed to favour me this afternoon when I watched him," she murmured to herself; "and surely it will not desert me at the last moment."
Then she boldly entered the cell.
To take up the stone which covered the treasure, and possess herself of the bag that contained the gold over which she had a few hours previously beheld the Resurrection Man gloating in so strange a manner,—this was the work of only a few moments.