in, determined to be burthened with her no more.

From this time he appears to have been utterly lost; but little is
known of his proceedings for the next year and a-half. He was seen
occasionally haunting the billiard tables and gambling houses in
London and Paris, where his polished manners and prepossessing
appearance gave him many advantages, in carrying on his designs
against those inexperienced victims who were unfortunate enough to
attract his notice. But he was evidently liable to great reverses of
fortune at this time, for he was met by a former brother officer on
one occasion at Boulogne, so much reduced that he was fain to make
himself known, and pray for a small sum to take him over to London.
Finally, in the summer of 1836, he was concerned in some swindling
transaction which, on its discovery, brought him within the grasp of
the law. He had, however, so extensive an acquaintance and influence
among such as himself, who were in no small number in London at that
time, that for a while he managed, with their assistance, to elude the
police, and in a well-contrived disguise, as an old man, still
ventured to frequent houses of play.

One night he recognised among the crowd, at a table in Leicester
Square, the well-known face of the detected cheat. He watched narrowly
to observe whether or not he was recognised. He feared to leave the
room suddenly lest it might excite a suspicion, but was reassured when
he saw that the pale man seemed so much absorbed in his game, as not
to notice the other faces round the board.

When, after a time, the object of his anxiety rose much excited and
left the room, having lost all the money he appeared to possess, he
felt convinced that the danger had passed, and breathed freely again.

It was early morning before he sallied out from the polluted
atmosphere where he had passed the night. He was proceeding slowly
along toward home, when, from out a narrow court, as he passed, a
policeman pounced upon him, and grasped him by the collar, while the
inveterate enemy from whom he thought he had escaped without
recognition, seized him at the same time. Henry Meynell saw at a
glance that there was no hope but in escape, so with all the exertion
of his powerful strength, he shook off his assailants. The foreigner
fell heavily to the ground, but the policeman tried to close again,
till a blow from Meynell struck him violently to the earth. Before
they recovered themselves, the object of