of the ruffians who had tested the quality of my cane.  Juliet cast a look at me with more of sadness than joy in it.  She offered me her hand in silent salutation, and it trembled in my grasp.  The deed was done.  Pity for the maiden who had been thus sacrificed to secure a superabundance of wealth which could never be enjoyed, and sorrow at my own forlorn condition, weighed heavily, oh, how heavily! on my heart.  I returned to my lonely and desolate lodgings without a malicious feeling for the one who had robbed me of every hope of earthly enjoyment.  I prayed that he might make Juliet happy.

“But, alas! her happiness was of short duration.  Scarce six months had passed before Mr. Nicholson began to neglect his youthful and confiding bride.  She had still remained at her mother’s cottage, while, as she stated, his establishment was being fitted up in town for their reception.  He at first drove out to the cottage every evening; but soon afterwards fell into the habit of visiting his bride only two or three times a week.  He neither carried her into society nor brought home any visitors.  Yet he seemed to possess immense wealth, and bestowed it upon Juliet with a liberal, nay, profuse hand.  My young friend, what kind of a character do you suppose this Mr. Nicholson to have been?” said the old man, pausing, and turning to Glenn, who had been listening to the narrative with marked attention.

“He was an impostor—­a gambler,” replied Glenn, promptly.

“He was an impostor! but no adventurous gambler, as you suppose.  I will proceed.  About seven months after his marriage, he abandoned Juliet altogether!  Yet he did not forget her entirely.  He may have felt remorse for the ruin he had wrought—­or perhaps a slight degree of affection for his unborn—­; and costly presents, and many considerable sums of money, were sent by him to the cottage.  But neither the aged mother nor the deserted wife found the consolation they desired in his prodigal gifts.  They sent me a note, informing me of their distressful condition, and requesting me to ascertain the locality of Mr. Nicholson’s establishment, and, if possible, to find out the cause of his unnatural conduct.  I did all in my power to accomplish what they desired.  I repaired to the cottage, unable to give the least intelligence of Mr. Nicholson.  I had not been able to find any one who had ever heard of him.  Juliet became almost frantic.  She determined to seek him herself.  At her urgent solicitation, I accompanied her to the city in an open curricle.  A pitying Providence soon terminated her insupportable suspense.  While we were driving through Hyde Park, we were forcibly stopped to permit, among the throng, the passage of a splendid equipage.  The approaching carriage was likewise an open one.  Juliet glanced at the inmates, and uttering a wild piercing shriek, fainted in my arms.  I looked, and saw her quondam husband!  He was decked in the magnificent insignia of ROYALTY.  Nobles were bowing, high-born ladies smiling, and the multitude shouted, ‘There comes his royal highness, the Prince of—­’