business, and persuaded a Devonshire firm, who knew nothing of his
antecedents, to take him into partnership, and also ingratiated
himself with a clergyman, who accepted his drafts for a large amount.
Thus supplied with ready money he returned to London, where he lived
in splendid style, and even went so far as to aspire to a seat in the
House of Commons. For a time all appeared to go well; but suspicions
gradually arose with regard to his character and his resources, and he
was declared a bankrupt. Deserting his wife and her two children, he
fled from his creditors. For some time nothing was heard of him, but
in July 1802 he arrived in Keswick, in a carriage, but without any
servant, and assumed the name of the Honourable Alexander Augustus
Hope, brother of the Earl of Hopetoun, and member of Parliament for
Linlithgow.

In his wanderings he became acquainted with an old couple called
Robinson, who kept a little hostelry on the shore of the Lake of
Buttermere, and who had one daughter who was locally known as "The
Beauty of Buttermere." The handsome colonel at once began to lay siege
to this girl's heart, and was the less loth to do so because it was
rumoured that old Robinson had saved a considerable sum during a long
lifetime. But with his usual prudence, he thought it well to have two
strings to his bow, and finding that there was an Irish officer in
Keswick who had a ward of good family and fortune, and of great
personal attractions, he procured an introduction as the Honourable
Colonel Hope of the 14th regiment of foot. He failed with the ward,
but he was more successful with the Irishman's daughter. Her consent
was given, the trousseau was ordered, and the wedding-day was fixed.
But the lady would not agree to a secret ceremony, and insisted that
he should announce his intended nuptials both to her own and his
friends. This he agreed to do, and pretended to write letters
apprising his brother, and even proposed a visit to Lord Hopetoun's
seat. The bride's suspicions were, however, roused by the strange air
of concealment and mystery which surrounded her intended husband; the
desired answers to his letters came not, and she refused to resign
either herself or her fortune into his keeping.

Thus baffled, he devoted all his attention to pretty Mary Robinson,
and found her less reluctant to unite her lot with that of such a
distinguished individual as Colonel Hope. The inquiries this time were
all on the gallant o