Adeline felt as if her own senses were leaving her—as if she were going mad.
Suddenly a low, hoarse voice near her whispered, "It's all over!"
Then Lady Ravensworth was suddenly recalled to the consciousness of her perilous position,—awakened to the necessity of carrying out all her pre-arranged measures of precaution to the end.
"We must now dispose of the body," she said, in a low and hurried tone. "You must take it on your back, and carry it for a short distance, whither I will lead you. But, first—here is a bag: it contains two hundred and fifty sovereigns—fifty more than I promised you."
The Resurrection Man clutched the gold eagerly:—the weight was sufficient to convince him that his patroness was not deceiving him.
While he was hugging his ill-earned gains, Adeline hastily felt her way to the bureau, opened it, and took forth her casket of jewels. She left the door of the bureau open, and the key in the lock.
The Resurrection Man now suffered her to replace the silk cap over his head:—what would he not have done for one who paid so liberally!
Then, taking the body upon his back, he was led by Adeline from the boudoir.
They descended the stairs, and passed out of the mansion by the private door, which Adeline closed but left the key in the lock.
She conducted him through the grounds once more, leaving the wicket open—and proceeded across a field, in one corner of which was a large deep pond.