And then a horrible conflict of feelings and inclinations took place in the bosom of the unhappy youth. He shut his eyes; and for an instant debating within himself whether he should remain silent or cry out. He dreamt of immediate--instantaneous death; and yet he thought that he was young to die--oh! so young--and that men could not be such barbarians---- But when the two ruffians stooped down to take him up again, fear surmounted all other sentiments, feelings, and inclinations; and his deep--his profound--his heartfelt agony was expressed in one long, loud, and piercing shriek! And then a fearful scene took place. The two villains carried the youth into the front room upon the ground-floor, and laid him down for a moment. It was the same room to which he had first found his way upon entering that house. It was the room in which, by the glare of the evanescent lightning, he had seen that black square upon the dirty floor. For a few instants all was dark. At length the candle was brought by the man in the fustian coat. The youth glanced wildly around him, and speedily recognised that room. He remembered how deep a sensation of horror seized him when that black square upon the floor first caught his eyes. He raised himself upon his left arm, and once more looked around. Great God! was it possible? That ominous blackness--that sinister square was the mouth of a yawning gulf, the trap-door of which was raised. A fetid smell rose from the depths below, and the gurgling of a current was faintly heard. The dread truth was in a moment made apparent to that unhappy boy--much more quickly than it occupies to relate or read. He started from his supine posture, and fell upon his knees at the feet of those merciless villains who had borne him thither. "Mercy, mercy! I implore you! Oh! do not devote me to so horrible a death! Do not--_do not murder me_!" "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.