e?" I said. To which he emphatically replied: "Not in
the slightest particular for a hundred years." In conclusion I told him
I should be fully occupied looking after my different business
interests, but would give him a call if I found time. I also said I
would have the bill discounted and take the cash away with me, instead
of having it placed to my credit. He called an attendant, gave the
necessary order, and the cash was handed me. Bidding the manager
good-bye, I repaired to our meeting place and showed the notes for the
discounted bill. Even George was satisfied that my credit at the bank
was good for any amount of discounts on any sort of paper.

Everything now was ready for my departure from England. For some weeks
my partners had been busy preparing for the completion of the operation.

The first lot of bogus bills were ready to go into the mail at
Birmingham as soon as I was out of the way--it having been decided that
I should then be out of the country. So one Monday late in November I
packed my baggage, and, after many warm hand shakings, I bade my friends
adieu. We had had many talks about the happy future. We had planned
pleasant things in the future, and spoken confidently of our
four-in-hands, our Summer cottages at Saratoga and Newport, of our town
house, fine suppers and our boxes at the opera. After that I saw them
for a brief hour on the coast of France and once more said adieu. When
we met again it was in Newgate. I need hardly say that for the next
twenty years we had no boxes at the grand opera, no four-in-hands, nor
yet any fine suppers, but all that which was merely external passed
away, consumed in that fierce flame, but all that was manly and true
remained; that is, our devotion and courage and our high resolve to
conquer fate and live for better things.

Before leaving London we had squared up our cash account. It was
something to make one stare to see how our money had melted away. It was
arranged to send in the first lot of bogus bills on Thursday, giving me
two full days out of the country. Here I made a fatal mistake in
determining to go to the West Indies, then on to Mexico. As George had
planned I should have gone at once to New York, stopped at the best
hotel in the city and registered in my right name. By taking this course
I should have been safe and could have laughed at any attempt of the
bank authorities to extradite me, for the first lot of bogus bills could
have been held back