amazement:

"Yes, more; and if you don't give it to me, I'll follow you wherever you
go, and tell people all I know about you."

"You scoundrel," said I, "you come here and rob, not me, but your poor,
sick brother, and then return and attempt to blackmail me. Get out of
my sight this instant."

He sprung on me, and made a desperate effort to get my money out of my
pocket. We had a terrible struggle. He was younger and stronger than
I was, and as I felt that I was growing weaker I called out loudly for
help and shouted "Murder!"

The landlord himself came running into the room; I succeeded in tearing
myself away, from the grasp of my assailant, and the landlord felled
him to the floor with a chair. He then ran to the door and called to a
servant to bring a policeman.

"No, don't!" I exclaimed; "Don't arrest the villain, for I can make no
complaint against him--he is my son!"

But the landlord was bound to have some satisfaction out of the affair;
so he dragged the young man into the hall and kicked him from the top of
the stairs to the bottom, where, as soon as he had picked himself up, a
convenient servant kicked him out into the street. I have never set eyes
on my young man since his somewhat sudden departure from that hotel.

And when I went to visit my poor Henry a day or two afterwards, I can
hardly say that I was surprised, though I was indignant to learn that
his brother and sister had never been near him at all since he had been
in Massachusetts. They knew where and how he was from his letter's to
his mother; they knew, too, from the same letters--for I had notified
Henry--at what time I would be in Boston, and with this information they
had come on to swindle me. I have no doubt, when the young man came the
second time to rob me, he would have murdered me, if the landlord had
not come to my assistance. And this was the youngest son of my first and
worst wife!!

I found Henry in better condition than I expected, and I took him back
with me to Augusta. I did not tell him of his brother's attempt to rob
and kill. Me--it would have been too great a shock for him. He stayed
with me only a few days and then, complaining of being homesick, he went
to visit his mother again.

CHAPTER XV. A TRUE WIFE AND HOME, AT LAST.

WHERE WERE ALL MY WIVES?--SENSE OF SECURITY--AN IMPRUDENT
ACQUAINTANCE--MOVING FROM MAINE--MY PROPERTY IN RENSSELAER COUNTY--HOW
I LIVED--SELLING A RECIPE--ABOUT BUYING A CARPET--NINETEEN