In one thing the darkness favoured me. My sapling was unperceived; the ruffians closed fearlessly-and the first intimation that they had "caught a tartar" was by the bolder of the twain being sent to the ground with a crashing blow that shattered his jawbone, and rendered him hors de combat. His companion instantly fell back, and I was about to wheel round and continue my retreat, when à heavy blow from behind knocked off my hat, and a knife grazed my arm through the folds of the cloak that, fortunately for me, had formed its protection. Need I say that the fresh assailants were the bravo and hunchback? while, encouraged by their assistance, the scared ruffian resumed the offensive.

My chances of escape appeared utterly hopeless. The ruffians, by dividing my attention on either side, had enabled the hunchback to creep in and grasp my legs within his long and bony arms. Happily the knife dropped from his hold in his first attempt to stab me, and the night was too dark to enable him to pick it up again. I strove to shake him off, but the wretch clung to me with that virulent tenacity with which a reptile coils itself around its victim. In the attempt to free myself from the cripple, I struck my foot against a stone, stumbled, and, before I could recover my footing, a blow brought me to the ground, the assassins sprang in, and my fate seemed sealed.

That brief space of exquisite agony I shall never forget. Oh, God! how hard it is to die! and die, as I should, by felon hands, prostrate and powerless, murdered "i' the dark," without the satisfaction of even in an expiring effort "stinging the wretch that stung me." That moment's misery was ended. Steps were heard. I hallooed "Murder!" A voice, and, saints and angels! an Irish one, replied.

The hunchback then hastily cried, "Quick!-strike !-brain him!" I caught the miscreant by the throat as the last word passed his lips and next moment two figures flitted past my fading vision, as a blow fell upon my head, and laid me senseless.

Presently I awoke as from a dream. A man supported me; another put a cup of water to my lips; and a couple of crippled watchmen held their lanterns over us. I looked at my supporter; he was strange. My eye turned to his companion. In the dim light his features were not remembered-and yet the hand that held the water to my lips was my foster brother's. By degrees consciousness returned.

"Where am I?" I muttered.

66

Arrah, the Lord only knows!" responded the ratcatcher.

"Was I not attacked-stabbed-knocked down? Who were the assailants? Where are they?" I continued, as wandering recollections of the past flitted across my memory.

"Sorra one of us knows who they were; but if you searched London through, you would'nt pick out an uglier couple. One was a spider-built divil without a back, and the other a black-muzzled thief of a Jew, with whiskers you could hang your hat on. They're offbad luck pursue them!--and among these twists and turnings, ye might as well look for a rat in a rabbit warren, as ferret them out, the ruffins of the world!"

I rose with slight assistance, but staggered like a drunken mán,

and, preceded by the watchmen to give us light, walked slowly on, leaning on the arms of my deliverers. We reached a public-house at no great distance; and having committed me to the care of the landlord and Shemus Rhua-guided by a Charlie, Mark Antony set out to find a surgeon, perfectly unconscious who the stranger was, whom timely assistance had so miraculously preserved from murder.

He returned; the discovery was made; and need I describe what a meeting between persons attached by the tie of fosterage, under such circumstances, would be? I heard the detail of my deliverance. The surgeon dressed my wounds, and pronounced them merely flesh ones; for the knife had only razed the skin, and, in the dark, the blow intended as a coup de grace, had missed the head, struck against the kerb-stone, and fallen on the shoulder lightly. That I had been marked out for deliberate assassination, the gipsy's warning, the adventure in Mr. Spicer's house, and the discovery of a clasp-knife and jemmy dropped on the field of battle, sufficiently established. We received those trophies from the venerable conservator of the city's peace, paid him a fitting remuneration for the services of his lantern, and parted nearly at the same spot from which a woman's wiles had so recently seduced me-to wit, St. Paul's; I to return to my own inn by a hackney coach, and the ratcatcher and my foster brother to repair to the place from whence they came, with an arrangement to meet next morning

"That we would all our pilgrimage dilate,
Whereof by parcels we had something heard,
But not intentively."

I drove to Mr. Hartley's residence. He was at home; and as Dominique had signified that I was anxious to speak with him before he retired for the night, he was waiting my return in the drawing-room. I found him leaning against the mantel-piece, buried in deep thought. His back was turned from me; and as I unclosed the door softly, for a few moments he was unconscious of my

presence.

Might he be trusted yet?" he muttered to himself. "I think so-for he loves her. Would it not be premature?" He raised his eyes-" Ha, Hector! returned! What means that patch across your forehead?"

"An attempt," I answered, "has been made upon my life, and failed."

"Indeed! Where-and by whom?" he asked eagerly.

Here was I again in trouble. To recount the evening's "moving accidents" without a formal introduction of the soldier's daughter, would, as a narrative, prove lame and inconclusive, as to enact Hamlet with the omission of the Prince of Denmark. I doubted whether Mr. Hartley would approve of my advocating the young lady's claims upon the government; and, from his starched notions respecting female propriety, it was most probable he would consider a nocturnal interview not exactly a regular procedure. I commenced accordingly, "in fear and terror," as the lawyers say; told a confused story of meeting a girl in a fog; blundered at bringing her into a

As we

tavern; and totally broke down when we met in St. Paul's churchyard, on our way to the domicile of her respectable relative. proceeded in the dark, no doubt I stammered more.

"Come, Hector," said Mr. Hartley, "out with the whole truth; I hate half confidence."

On I went. With the acute auditor I had to deal with, it would be useless to attempt concealment; and he listened with deep interest, and, as I fancied, no trifling mixture of displeasure, until I brought my story to a close.

"You have had a marvellous deliverance, Mr. O'Halloran"-(He mistered me, and that looked squally)—" and you seem a man born to be the dupe of villains, through the agency of that worst of curses, a vicious woman. One would have thought that your recent escape from spoliation and disgrace by that amiable coterie in Jermyn Street, would have made you rather cautious in forming acquaintanceships with strangers, and believing every fabricated tale you heard. I am a candid man, and pardon me, while I give you a proof of my sincerity. I credit your tale, and totally disbelieve your motives. You could not be fool enough to remain for a second, in ignorance of the true character of this lady of the fog; for none but the profligate of her sex would accede to the request of a young gentleman of twenty-one, and, at first sight, grant him a nocturnal interview. This may seem impertinence in me, who, apparently, have no right or interest in inquiring into your love affairs-although I must confess, that in the selection of your female acquaintances you have not been particularly fortunate."

"However imprudent, or, indeed, improbable my conduct may appear, I assure you, sir, upon the unblemished honour of a gentleman, that my motives were precisely what I described them," I replied, with a firmness of voice and manner, that at once guaranteed my truth.

Mr. Hartley looked at me for a moment. He saw that his suspicions had hurt me; and, convinced of my sincerity, he held out his hand, which I accepted.

"Hector, I believe you, and acquit you of every thing but concealment. Did you know the deep interest I feel in all that concerns your character and future fortunes, you would forgive me in testing your motives and actions so rigidly as I do, and have done. No more of this at present. Where is that scrawl you received this evening from the woman whom you encountered with my daughter in the park? Your hand is feverish. Although you may not feel it at present, you could not have passed through the deadly struggle you have described uninjured. To bed, friend Hector; Dominique, a second time, shall look to your wounds, and I for once play gallant, and keep your appointment with the lady of the bridge. Hark! the clock chimes. Half-past eleven. The 'trysted hour' is twelve."

I assured Mr. Hartley that I neither required leechcraft nor repose, but was most willing he should bear me company. The negro was summoned; his master gave orders in a whisper; I filled a glass of wine and water; Mr. Hartley unlocked a mahogany