"He will ring there till Sally comes up," observed the other, in a whisper, "and then we shall be all blown."
Just as the click of cocking the pistol announced that the determination of the first ruffian was taken, a receding step was heard, and, calmly replacing the weapon, he said, "He is gone! now let us back to our work quick, Tony!"
"All is very silent up-stairs," said the young man who had been keeping watch, in a low and anxious tone.
"Oh, the old man is tied and gagged sufficiently. Do not be afraid, Wat," replied the other. "Only you keep quite quiet--if any one comes, make no answer; but if they try to force a way in by the back door, which is on the latch, give them a shot. You have good moonlight to take aim;" and mounting the stairs with the same quiet steps, he once more entered the chamber of the miser.
The young man who remained below listened attentively; and though the footfalls of his two comrades were as light as they well could be, yet he heard them distinctly enter the room where they had left the candle. As their steps receded, however, and no other sound followed, he suffered the hand which held the pistol to drop heavily by his side.
"They have killed the old man!" he muttered. "He would never lie still like a lubber, and see them pillage his chests, without making some noise, if he were not dead! I thought that cold-blooded rascal would do it, if it suited his cursed utility. I wish to God I had never--"
But the vain wish was interrupted by the sound of a door, gently opened below; and, in a moment after, the form of Sally, the miser's maid, appeared gliding up with a sort of noiseless step, which showed her not unconscious of all that was proceeding within her master's, dwelling. A low and hasty conversation now took place between her and the man upon watch, who told her his suspicions of the extent to which his companions had pushed their crime, notwithstanding a promise which they had made, it seems, to abstain from hurting their victim. Somewhat to his surprise and disgust, however, he found, that though the woman was trembling in every limb, from personal agitation and fear of discovery, yet she felt little of the horror which he himself experienced, when he reflected on the murder of the poor defenseless old man. She replied in a low, but flippant tone, that dead men tell no tales; and added, that she dared to say Mr. Harding would not have done it, if the old fool had not resisted.
At that moment the light from above began to glimmer upon the stairs, and the two murderers soon after appeared, the one carrying a candle, and the other a heavy bag, with which they at once proceeded into the little parlor, where the old man had so lately sat with Mr. Beauchamp. The other two followed, and the one who had remained below immediately taxed the principal personage in the tragedy, whom we may now call Harding, with the act he had just committed.
"Hush, hush!" cried Harding, in a stern tone, but one, the sternness of which was that of remorse. "Hush, hush, boy! I would not have done it, if I could have helped it. But there," he added, putting the heavy bag upon the table; "there is enough to make your mother easy for the rest of her days."
"And shall I be ever easy again for the rest of mine?" demanded the youth.