nington. "I am inclined to think, at present, that he would hardly have ventured upon so outrageous a piece of folly, as making such a representation as this, had there been no foundation for it in fact; and yet, I am quite astonished that a man so acute, so signally self-possessed, should have so committed himself he must have been under some great excitement at the

moment."

"He certainly was, or at least seemed, a good deal agitated while he was with me," quoth Kate, colouring a little.

"That is highly probable, Miss Aubrey," replied Mr Runnington with a faint smile. "It must have appeared to him as one of the most likely occurrences, that Miss Aubrey should mention to you, Mr Aubrey, so extraordinary a circumstance! It is very, very difficult to imagine Mr Gammon thrown off his guard, on any occasion." Then ensued an anxious and prolonged conversation on the subject, in which many conjectures were made, but without leading to any satisfactory issue; quite a new light seemed now thrown upon all his past acts, and the whole. tenor of his conduct. They read over his last two notes with new and deep interest, on the supposition that, while writing them, he was conscious of possessing the power which he had represented. All was mystery. Then was discussed the question, as to the propriety of either Mr Runnington or Mr Aubrey applying to Mr Gammon upon the subject—a step which was, however, postponed for future and more mature consideration. Another thing suggested itself to Mr Aubrey, but he kept it to himself:- should he at once apprize Mr Gammon of the fact that Kate was in a manner unquestionably engaged to Mr Delamere, and so at once and for ever, extinguish all hope on the part of Mr Gammon ?"

The evening, however, was now advancing, and Mr Runnington pressed upon Mr Aubrey the object he had chiefly had in view in calling. It was to prevail on Mrs Aubrey and himself to accompany him that evening to his country house, which lay in the direction of Richmond, at about six miles' distance from town, and where, for a brief interval, they might enjoy a respite from the frightful suspense and danger to which they were at present exposed in Vivian Street. Mrs Aubrey and Kate most earnestly seconded the kind importunities of Mr Runnington;

and after considerable hesitation Mr. Aubrey consented. It was accordingly arranged that, Mr Runnington's carriage not being in town, he should return within an hour with a glass-coach; and that, during the ensuing day, Mrs Runnington should drive to town for the purpose of bringing back with her Miss Aubrey, and little Charles and Agnes. This having been determined upon, Mr Runnington quitted them, promising to return within an hour, when he hoped to find them ready to start, and equipped for a several days' sojourn. As soon as he had left the house, Mr Aubrey's scruples began to revive it appeared to him, that though it might be for a short time only, still it was, in effect, an absconding from his creditors: and there is no knowing but that his fastidious scruples, his delicate sense of rectitude, might have led him after all to send off Mrs Aubrey alone, when, poor soul! he was spared the trial by an incident which occurred about half an hour after Mr Runnington's departure. Mrs Aubrey was sitting in the parlour in travelling dress, fondling little Agnes, and talking earnestly to Kate about the management of the two children, and other matters; while Mr Aubrey, also ready to start, was in the study selecting a book or two to take with him, when a heavy single knock at the door, unaccompanied by the sound of coach-wheels, nearly paralyzed all three of them. Suffice it to say, that within a few minutes' time the wretched and almost heart-broken Aubrey was a second time in custody, and at the suit of Tittlebat Titmouse, Esq. M.P., for the principal sum of ten thousand pounds, and interest for twelve months, at the rate of five pounds per centum per an¬ The agonizing scene which ensued I shall leave entirely to the reader's imagination-observing only, that the two minions of the law into whose hands Aubrey had now fallen, seemed totally indifferent to the anguish they witnessed. The chief was a well-known sheriff's officer-one VICE; short, fat, bloated; deeply pitted with the small-pox; close-cut black hair, almost as coarse as that of a hog; while the expression of his features was at once callous and insolent. Aubrey perceived at a glance that he had no consideration or mercy to expect at the hands of such a man as this; and the follower very much resembled his master. "You're my prisoner, sir," said Vice, walking up to Aubrey, and with an air of matter-of-fact brutality taking hold of his

num.

collar with one hand, while in the other he held his warrant. "If you like to clap a great-coat on, as it's getting late, you may; but the sooner your'e off out of the way of all this here noise, the better-I should say."

"For God's sake wait for a few minutes-I have a friend coming," said Aubrey, his wife clinging to his arm.

“D—d if I wait a moment, that's flat!" quoth Vice, glancing at the two boxes in the passage, and guessing from them, and the travelling dress of Mrs Aubrey, that he had arrived just in the very nick of time to prevent an escape.

"For the love of Heaven, stay only five minutes!” cried Kate, passionately wringing her hands—but she might as well have addressed a blacksmith's anvil as either of the men who were now masters of her doomed brother's person.

"'Tis useless, Kate-'tis in vain, my love!" said he, with a melancholy air; and turning to Vice, who, with his companion, stood at only a few inches' distance from him-" perhaps you will allow me to write down the address of the place you are taking me to?" he enquired, somewhat sternly.

"Write away then, and make haste; for, write or no write, you're off!"

Mr Aubrey hastily wrote down in pencil, for Mr Runnington, "VICE-Squeezum Court, Carey Street, Lincoln's-Inn Fields;" and then, having hastily drawn on his great-coat-without taking with him even a change of linen-(for Vice would seem to have got the idea of a rescue into his head, and was, besides, anxious to run not the least risk with a ten thousand pounds' debtor)-tore himself from the frenzied embrace of his wife and sister, and quitted the house. Vice had refused even to let his man go in quest of a hackney-coach, or to wait while Fanny ran for one; and the moment they had got into the street, the cries of Mrs Aubrey and Kate yet ringing in Mr Aubrey's ears, Vice put his arm with rough familiarity into that of Mr Aubrey, directing his follower to do the same; and in this style they hurried Mr Aubrey along the whole of the distance between Vivian Street and Squeezum Court; he uttering not one single word-but his heart almost bursting. Vice had received his instructions from Mr Spitfire, who was a very dashing practitioner; and perfectly well knowing the value of every day to

wards the close of term, had got his affidavit of debt prepared and ready sworn, and every thing in readiness, even before the rule had been made absolute against Mr Gammon. As the two captors and their prize-a gentleman between two ruffianspassed at a smart pace along the streets, they attracted considerable attention; now and then, even a little crowd would follow them for half the length of the street. Once Mr Aubrey caught the words" Poor fellow! Forgery, no doubt-he's a dead man in a month!"

Vice's lock-up was, though similar in its general appearance, yet of a much inferior description to that of Grab. It was smaller and meaner. They reached it a little after eight o'clock.

"Are you for the parlour, or the common room?" enquired Vice, as soon as they had entered the house.

"Which you please," replied Aubrey, quickly and gloomily. P'r'aps you'd better show the gemman up-stairs," said the follower hesitatingly, to his master.

"You pay extra up-stairs," quoth Vice; "which shall it be?" "I have no money, sir, to spare-I know the extortionating practices which

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Oh, come along then!" replied Vice insolently; and in a minute or two Mr Aubrey found himself in a tolerably large, but low room, at the back of the house, lit by three or four candles. There were some ten or twelve persons in it, who were smoking, drinking, reading the newspapers, playing at cards, dice, pitch-farthing, and so forth. All seemed in good spirits, and suspended for a moment their various occupations to scrutinize the new-comer-on whom the door was in a twinkling closed and locked.

"Now, sir, just in time to cut in," said a thin pale man, stepping briskly up to him from a table at which he and two others had just begun to play a rubber. "Now, sir," he continued, in a confident tone, running the edges of the cards rapidly through his fingers with the air of an adept, and then proffering the pack to Mr Aubrey.

"I do not play," replied Aubrey in a low tone.

"Better take a card-drive dull care away: you'll be devilish dull here without play of some sort."

"I do not play, sir—I certainly shall not," repeated Mr Aubrey, somewhat peremptorily.

"Only half-crown points-can't hurt you," he continued, with a flippant air; till Mr Aubrey walked from him with an air of disgust towards another part of the room.

"You're a liar!" said one of two men playing at drafts, to the other, a dispute having arisen about the game as Mr Aubrey passed them.

"You're a cheat!" was the answer; on which the man so addressed suddenly and violently flung a half-empty tumbler of brandy and water at the other; it took effect on the forehead of his companion, who fell stunned from his chair, his forehead, which had been cut open, bleeding profusely. On this there was a general rush towards the spot. In the midst of this sickening scene the door was opened by Vice

"Hollo-what's the matter?" said he, lucking the door after him, and coming up to the group round the fallen and miserable man who had been struck.

"Who did it?" cried he fiercely, on catching sight of the prostrate man.

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"I did," answered the perpetrator of the outrage, "he called me a cheat."

"You did!" quoth Vice, suddenly grasping him by the collar, as with the hand of a giant, and forcing him, despite his struggling, down to the floor, when he put one knee on his breast, and then shook him till he began to get black in the face.

"D-n it, Vice, don't murder him!" cried one of the bystanders—all of whom seemed disposed to interfere; but at this point, the man who had been struck, and had been lying for some minutes motionless, suddenly began to dash about his arms and legs convulsively-for he had fallen into a fit of epilepsy. The attention of all present was now absorbed by this one dreadful figure; and the man whom Vice had quitted, rose flushed and breathless from the floor, and looked with a face of horror upon the victim of his ungovernable passions.

"I must get a doctor," quoth Vice, " presently," approaching the door; and in passing Mr Aubrey, who sat down looking exceedingly agitated-" Oh-here you are!" said he; "come along with me."