over Aliva.  About this time,—­namely, in November, 1703—­while young Trenchard was in Lancashire, and his sister in London, on a visit, he received a certain communication from his confidential servant, Davies, which, at once, destroyed his hopes.  He learnt that his sister was privately married—­the name or rank of her husband could not be ascertained—­and living in retirement in an obscure dwelling in the Borough, where she had given birth to a son.  Rowland’s plans were quickly formed, and as quickly executed.  Accompanied by Sir Cecil, who still continued passionately enamoured of his sister, and to whom he represented that she had fallen a victim to the arts of a seducer, he set off, at fiery speed, for the metropolis.  Arrived there, their first object was to seek out Davies, by whom they were conducted to the lady’s retreat,—­a lone habitation, situated on the outskirts of Saint George’s Fields in Southwark.  Refused admittance, they broke open the door.  Aliva’s husband, who passed by the name of Darrell, confronted them sword in hand.  For a few minutes he kept them at bay.  But, urged by his wife’s cries, who was more anxious for the preservation of her child’s life than her own, he snatched up the infant, and made his escape from the back of the premises.  Rowland and his companions instantly started in pursuit, leaving the lady to recover as she might.  They tracked the fugitive to the Mint; but, like hounds at fault, they here lost all scent of their prey.  Meantime, the lady had overtaken them; but, terrified by the menaces of her vindictive kinsmen, she did not dare to reveal herself to her husband, of whose concealment on the roof of the very house the party were searching she was aware.  Aided by an individual, who was acquainted with a secret outlet from the tenement, Darrell escaped.  Before his departure, he gave his assistant a glove.  That glove is still preserved.  In her endeavour to follow him, Aliva met with a severe fall, and was conveyed away, in a state of insensibility, by Sir Cecil.  She was supposed to be lifeless; but she survived the accident, though she never regained her strength.  Directed by the same individual, who had helped Darrell to steal a march upon him, Rowland, with Davies, and another attendant, continued the pursuit.  Both the fugitive and his chasers embarked on the Thames.  The elements were wrathful as their passions.  The storm burst upon them in its fury.  Unmindful of the terrors of the night, unscared by the danger that threatened him, Rowland consigned his sister’s husband and his sister’s child to the waves.”

“Bring your story to an end, Sir,” said Trenchard who had listened to the recital with mingled emotions of rage and fear.

“I have nearly done,” replied the stranger.—­“As Rowland’s whole crew perished in the tempest, and he only escaped by miracle, he fancied himself free from detection.  And for twelve years he has been so; until his long security, well-nigh obliterating remembrance of the deed, has bred almost a sense of innocence within his breast.  During this period Sir Montacute has been gathered to his fathers.  His title has descended to Rowland:  his estates to Aliva.  The latter has, since, been induced to unite herself to Sir Cecil, on terms originating with her brother, and which, however strange and unprecedented, were acquiesced in by the suitor.”