Chapter 1

A little more than a year after the period when adverse
circumstances--chiefly the result of my own reckless follies--compelled
me to enter the ranks of the metropolitan police, as the sole means left
me of procuring food and raiment, the attention of one of the principal
chiefs of the force was attracted towards me by the ingenuity and
boldness which I was supposed to have manifested in hitting upon and
unraveling a clue which ultimately led to the detection and punishment
of the perpetrators of an artistically-contrived fraud upon an eminent
tradesman of the west end of London. The chief sent for me; and after a
somewhat lengthened conversation, not only expressed approbation of my
conduct in the particular matter under discussion, but hinted that he
might shortly need my services in other affairs requiring intelligence
and resolution.

"I think I have met you before," he remarked with a meaning smile on
dismissing me, "when you occupied a different position from your present
one? Do not alarm yourself: I have no wish to pry unnecessarily into
other men's secrets. Waters is a name common enough in _all_ ranks of
society, and I may, you know"--here the cold smile deepened in ironical
expression--"be mistaken. At all events, the testimony of the gentleman
whose recommendation obtained you admission to the force--I have looked
into the matter since I heard of your behavior in the late business--is
a sufficient guarantee that nothing more serious than imprudence and
folly can be laid to your charge. I have neither right nor inclination
to inquire further. To-morrow, in all probability, I shall send for
you."

I came to the conclusion, as I walked homewards, that the chief's
intimation of having previously met me in a another sphere of life was a
random and unfounded one, as I had seldom visited London in my
prosperous days, and still more rarely mingled in its society. My wife,
however, to whom I of course related the substance of the conversation,
reminded me that he had once been at Doncaster during the races; and
suggested that he might possibly have seen and noticed me there. This
was a sufficiently probable explanation of the hint; but whether the
correct one or not, I cannot decide, as he never afterwards alluded to
the subject, and I had not the slightest wish to renew it.

Three days elapsed before I received the expected summons. On waiting on
him, I was agreeably startled to find that I was to be at once employed
on a mission which the most sagacious and experienced of
detective-officers would have felt honored to undertake.

"Here is a written description of the persons of this gang of blacklegs,
swindlers, and forgers," concluded the commissioner, summing up his
instructions. "It will be your object to discover their private haunts,
and secure legal evidence of their nefarious practices. We have been
hitherto baffled, principally, I think, through the too hasty zeal of
the officers employed: you must especially avoid that error. They are
practised scoundrels; and it will require considerable patience, as well
as acumen, to unkennel and bring them to justice. One of their more
recent victims is young Mr. Merton, son, by a former marriage, of the
Dowager Lady Everton.[A] Her ladyship has applied to us for assistance
in extricating him from the toils in which he is meshed. You will call
on her at five o'clock this afternoon--in plain clothes of course--and
obtain whatever information on the subject she may be able to afford.
Remember to communicate _directly_ with me; and any assistance you may
require shall be promptly rendered." With these, and a few other minor
directions, needless to recapitulate, I was dismissed to a task which,
difficult and possibly perilous as it might prove, I hailed as a
delightful relief from the wearing monotony and dull routine of ordinary
duty.

[A] The _names_ mentioned in this narrative are, for obvious reasons,
fictitious.

I hastened home; and after dressing with great care--the best part of my
wardrobe had been fortunately saved by Emily from the wreck of my
fortunes--I proceeded to Lady Everton's mansion. I was immediately
marshalled to the drawing-room, where I found her ladyship and her
daughter--a beautiful, fairy-looking girl--awaiting my arrival. Lady
Everton appeared greatly surprised at my appearance, differing, as I
daresay it altogether did, from her abstract idea of a policeman,
however attired or disguised; and it was not till she had perused the
note of which I was the bearer, that her haughty and incredulous stare
became mitigated to a glance of lofty condescendent civility.

"Be seated, Mr. Waters," said her ladyship, waving me to a chair. "This
note informs me that you have been selected for the duty of endeavoring
to extricate my son from the perilous entanglements in which he has
unhappily involved himself."

I was about to reply--for I was silly enough to feel somewhat nettled at
the noble lady's haughtiness of manner--that I was engaged in the
public service of extirpating a gang of swindlers with whom her son had
involved himself, and was there to procure from her ladyship any
information she might be possessed of likely to forward so desirable a
result; but fortunately the remembrance of my actual position, spite of
my gentleman's attire, flashed vividly upon my mind; and instead of
permitting my glib tongue to wag irreverently in the presence of a right
honorable, I bowed with deferential acquiescence.

Her ladyship proceeded, and I in substance obtained the following
information:--

Mr. Charles Merton, during the few months which had elapsed since the
attainment of his majority, had very literally "fallen amongst thieves."
A passion for gambling seemed to have taken entire possession of his
being; and almost every day, as well as night, of his haggard and
feverish life was passed at play. A run of ill-luck, according to his
own belief--but in very truth a run of downright robbery--had set in
against him, and he had not only dissipated all the ready money which he
had inherited, and the large sums which the foolish indulgence of his
lady-mother had supplied him with, but had involved himself in bonds,
bills, and other obligations to a frightful amount. The principal agent
in effecting this ruin was one Sandford--a man of fashionable and
dashing exterior, and the presiding spirit of the knot of desperadoes
whom I was commissioned to hunt out. Strange to say, Mr. Merton had the
blindest reliance upon this man's honor; and even now--tricked,
despoiled as he had been by him and his gang--relied upon his counsel
and assistance for escape from the desperate position in which he was
involved. The Everton estates had passed, in default of male issue, to a
distant relative of the late lord; so that ruin, absolute and
irremediable, stared both the wretched dupe and his relatives in the
face. Lady Everton's jointure was not a very large one, and her son had
been permitted to squander sums which should have been devoted to the
discharge of claims which were now pressed harshly against her.

I listened with the deepest interest to Lady Everton's narrative.
Repeatedly during the course of it, as she incidentally alluded to the
manners and appearance of Sandford, who had been introduced by Mr.
Merton to his mother and sister, a suspicion, which the police papers
had first awakened, that the gentleman in question was an old
acquaintance of my own, and one, moreover, whose favors I was extremely
desirous to return in kind, flashed with increased conviction across my
mind. This surmise I of course kept to myself; and after emphatically
cautioning the ladies to keep our proceedings a profound secret from Mr.
Merton, I took my leave, amply provided with the resources requisite for
carrying into effect the scheme which I had resolved upon. I also
arranged that, instead of waiting personally on her ladyship, which
might excite observation and suspicion, I should report progress by
letter through the post.

"If it _should_ be he!" thought I, as I emerged into the street. The
bare suspicion had sent the blood through my veins with furious
violence. "If this Sandford be, as I suspect, that villain Cardon,
success will indeed be triumph--victory! Lady Everton need not in that
case seek to animate my zeal by promises of money recompense. A blighted
existence, a young and gentle wife by his means cast down from opulence
to sordid penury, would stimulate the dullest craven that ever crawled
the earth to energy and action. Pray Heaven my suspicion prove correct;
and then, oh mine enemy, look well to yourself, for the avenger is at
your heels!"

Sandford, I had been instructed was usually present at the Italian
Opera during the ballet: the box he generally occupied was designated in
the memoranda of the police: and as I saw by the bills that a very
successful piece was to be performed that evening, I determined on being
present.

I entered the house a few minutes past ten o'clock, just after the
commencement of the ballet, and looked eagerly round. The box in which I
was instructed to seek my man was empty. The momentary disappointment
was soon repaid. Five minutes had not elapsed when Cardon, looking more
insolently-triumphant than ever, entered arm-in-arm with a pale
aristocratic-looking young man, whom I had no difficulty, from his
striking resemblance to a portrait in Lady Everton's drawing-room, in
deciding to be Mr. Merton. My course of action was at once determined
on. Pausing only to master the emotion which the sight of the glittering
reptile in whose poisonous folds I had been involved and crushed
inspired, I passed to the opposite side of the house, and boldly entered
the box. Cardon's back was towards me, and I tapped him lightly on the
shoulder. He turned quickly round; and if a basilisk had confronted him,
he could scarcely have exhibited greater terror and surprise. My aspect,
nevertheless, was studiously bland and conciliating, and my
out-stretched hand seemed to invite a renewal of our old friendship.

"Waters!" he at last stammered, feebly accepting my proffered
grasp--"who would have thought of meeting you here?"

"Not you, certainly, since you stare at an old friend as if he were some
frightful goblin about to swallow you. Really"----

"Hush! Let us speak together in the lobby. An old friend," he added in
answer to Mr. Merton's surprised stare. "We will return in an instant."

"Why, what is all this, Waters?" said Cardon, recovering his wonted
_sang-froid_ the instant we were alone. "I understood you had retired
from amongst us; were in fact--what shall I say?"----

"Ruined--done up! Nobody should know that better than you."

"My good fellow, you do not imagine"----

"I imagine nothing, my dear Cardon. I was very thoroughly done--done
_brown_, as it is written in the vulgar tongue. But fortunately my kind
old uncle"----

"Passgrove is dead!" interrupted my old acquaintance, eagerly jumping to
a conclusion, "and you are his heir! I congratulate you, my dear fellow.
This is indeed a charming 'reverse of circumstances.'"

"Yes; but mind I have given up the old game. No more dice-devilry for
me. I have promised Emily never even to touch a card again."

The cold, hard eye of the incarnate fiend--he was little else--gleamed
mockingly as these "good intentions" of a practised gamester fell upon
his ear; but he only replied, "Very good; quite right, my dear boy. But
come, let me introduce you to Mr. Merton, a highly connected personage I
assure you. By the by, Waters," he added in a caressing, confidential
tone, "my name, for family and other reasons, which I will hereafter
explain to you, is for the present Sandford."

"Sandford!"

"Yes: do not forget. But _allons_, or the ballet will be over."

I was introduced in due form to Mr. Merton as an old and esteemed
friend, whom he--Sandford--had not seen for many months. At the
conclusion of the ballet, Sandford proposed that we should adjourn to
the European Coffee-house, nearly opposite. This was agreed to, and out
we sallied. At the top of the staircase we jostled against the
commissioner, who, like us, was leaving the house. He bowed slightly to
Mr. Merton's apology, and his eye wandered briefly and coldly over our
persons; but not the faintest sign of interest or recognition escaped
him. I thought it possible he did not know me in my changed apparel; but
looking back after descending a few steps, I was quickly undeceived. A
sharp, swift glance, expressive both of encouragement and surprise, shot
out from under his penthouse brows, and as swiftly vanished. He did not
know how little I needed spurring to the goal we had both in view!

We discussed two or three bottles of wine with much gaiety and relish.
Sandford especially was in exuberant spirits; brimming over with
brilliant anecdote and sparkling badinage. He saw in me a fresh, rich
prey, and his eager spirit revelled by anticipation in the victory which
he nothing doubted to obtain over my "excellent intentions and
wife-pledged virtue." About half-past twelve o'clock he proposed to
adjourn. This was eagerly assented to by Mr. Merton, who had for some
time exhibited unmistakeable symptoms of impatience and unrest.

"You will accompany us, Waters?" said Sandford, as we rose to depart.
"There is, I suppose, no vow registered in the matrimonial archives
against _looking on_ at a game played by others?"

"Oh no; but don't ask me to play."

"Certainly not;" and a devilish sneer curled his lip. "Your virtue shall
suffer no temptation be assured."

We soon arrived before the door of a quiet, respectable looking house in
one of the streets leading from the Strand: a low peculiar knock, given
by Sandford, was promptly answered; then a password, which I did not
catch, was whispered by him through the key-hole, and we passed in.

We proceeded up stairs to the first floor, the shutters of which were
carefully closed, so that no intimation of what was going on could
possibly reach the street. The apartment was brilliantly lighted: a
roulette table and dice and cards were in full activity: wine and
liquors of all varieties were profusely paraded. There were about
half-a-dozen persons present, I soon discovered, besides the gang, and
that comprised eleven or twelve well-dressed desperadoes, whose sinister
aspects induced a momentary qualm lest one or more of the pleasant party
might suspect or recognise my vocation. This, however, I reflected, was
scarcely possible. My beat during the short period I had been in the
force was far distant from the usual haunts of such gentry, and I was
otherwise unknown in London. Still, questioning glances were eagerly
directed towards my introducer; and one big burly fellow, a
foreigner--the rascals were the scum of various countries--was very
unpleasantly inquisitorial. "_Y'en réponds!_" I heard Sandford say in
answer to his iterated queries; and he added something in a whisper
which brought a sardonic smile to the fellow's lips, and induced a total
change in his demeanor towards myself. This was reassuring; for though
provided with pistols, I should, I felt, have little chance with such
utterly reckless ruffians as those by whom I was surrounded. Play was
proposed; and though at first stoutly refusing, I feigned to be
gradually overcome by irresistible temptation, and sat down to blind
hazard with my foreign friend for moderate stakes. I was graciously
allowed to win; and in the end found myself richer in devil's money by
about ten pounds. Mr. Merton was soon absorbed in the chances of the
dice, and lost large sums, for which, when the money he had brought with
him was exhausted, he gave written acknowledgements. The cheating
practised upon him was really audacious; and any one but a tyro must
have repeatedly detected it. He, however, appeared not to entertain the
slightest suspicion of the "fair-play" of his opponents, guiding himself
entirely by the advice of his friend and counsellor, Sandford, who did
not himself play. The amiable assemblage broke up about six in the
morning, each person retiring singly by the back way, receiving, as he
departed, a new password for the next evening.

A few hours afterwards, I waited on the commissioner to report the state
of affairs. He was delighted with the fortunate _début_ I had made, but
still strictly enjoined patience and caution. It would have been easy,
as I was in possession of the password, to have surprised the
confederacy in the act of gaming that very evening; but this would only
have accomplished a part of the object aimed at. Several of the
fraternity--Sandford amongst the number--were suspected of uttering
forged foreign bank-notes, and it was essential to watch narrowly for
legal evidence to insure their conviction. It was also desirable to
restore, if possible, the property and securities of which Mr. Merton
had been pillaged.

Nothing of especial importance occurred for seven or eight days. Gaming
went on as usual every evening, and Mr. Merton became of course more and
more involved: even his sister's jewels--which he had surreptitiously
obtained, to such a depth of degredation will this frightful vice plunge
men otherwise honorable--had been staked and lost; and he was, by the
advice of Sandford, about to conclude a heavy mortgage on his estate, in
order not only to clear off his enormous 'debts of honor,' but to
acquire fresh means of 'winning back'--that _ignus-fatuus_ of all
gamblers--his tremendous losses! A new preliminary 'dodge' was, I
observed, now brought into action. Mr. Merton esteemed himself a knowing
hand at _ecarté_: it was introduced; and he was permitted to win every
game he played, much to the apparent annoyance and discomfiture of the
losers. As this was precisely the snare into which I had myself fallen,
I of course the more readily detected it, and felt quite satisfied that
a _grand coup_ was meditated. In the meantime I had not been idle.
Sandford was _confidentially_ informed that I was only waiting in London
to receive between four and five thousand pounds--part of Uncle
Passgrove's legacy--and then intended to immediately hasten back to
canny Yorkshire. To have seen the villain's eyes as I incidentally, as
it were, announced my errand and intention! They fairly flashed with
infernal glee! Ah, Sandford, Sandford! you were, with all your cunning,
but a sand-blind idiot to believe the man you had wronged and ruined
could so easily forget the debt he owed you!

The crisis came swiftly on. Mr. Merton's mortgage-money was to be paid
on the morrow; and on that day, too, I announced the fabulous thousands
receivable by me were to be handed over. Mr. Merton, elated by his
repeated triumphs at ecarté, and prompted by his friend Sandford,
resolved, instead of cancelling the bonds and obligations held by the
conspirators, to redeem his losses by staking on that game his ready
money against those liabilities. This was at first demurred to with much
apparent earnestness by the winners; but Mr. Merton, warmly seconded by
Sandford, insisting upon the concession, as he deemed it, it was finally
agreed that ecarté should be the game by which he might hope to regain
the fortune and the peace of mind he had so rashly squandered: the last
time, should he be successful--and was he not sure of success?--he
assured Sandford, that he would ever handle cards or dice. He should
have heard the mocking merriment with which the gang heard Sandford
repeat this resolution to amend his ways--_when_ he had recovered back
his wealth!

The day so eagerly longed for by Merton and the confederates--by the
spoilers and their prey--arrived; and I awaited with feverish anxiety
the coming on of night. Only the chief conspirators--eight in
number--were to be present; and no stranger except myself--a privilege I
owed to the moonshine legacy I had just received--was to be admitted to
this crowning triumph of successful fraud. One only hint I had ventured
to give Mr. Merton, and that under a promise, 'on his honor as a
gentleman,' of inviolable secrecy. It was this: "Be sure, before
commencing play to-morrow night, that the bonds and obligations you have
signed, the jewels you have lost, with a sum in notes or gold to make up
an equal amount to that which you mean to risk, is actually deposited on
the table." He promised to insist on this condition. It involved much
more than he dreamt of.

My arrangements were at length thoroughly complete; and a few minutes
past twelve o'clock the whispered password admitted me into the house.
An angry altercation was going on. Mr. Merton was insisting, as I had
advised, upon the exhibition of a sum equal to that which he had brought
with him--for, confident of winning, he was determined to recover his
losses to the last farthing; and although his bonds, bills, obligations,
his sister's jewels, and a large amount in gold and genuine notes, were
produced, there was still a heavy sum deficient. "Ah, by the by,"
exclaimed Sandford as I entered, "Waters can lend you the sum for an
hour or two--for a _consideration_," he added in a whisper. "It will
soon be returned."

"No, thank you," I answered coldly. "I never part with my money till I
have lost it."

A malignant scowl passed over the scoundrel's features; but he made no
reply. Ultimately it was decided that one of the fraternity should be
despatched in search of the required amount. He was gone about half an
hour, and returned with a bundle of notes. They were, as I hoped and
expected, forgeries on foreign banks. Mr. Merton looked at and counted
them; and play commenced.

As it went on, so vividly did the scene recall the evening that had
sealed my own ruin, that I grew dizzy with excitement, and drained
tumbler after tumbler of water to allay the fevered throbbing of my
veins. The gamblers were fortunately too much absorbed to heed my
agitation. Merton lost continuously--without pause or intermission. The
stakes were doubled--trebled--quadrupled! His brain was on fire; and he
played, or rather lost, with the recklessness of a madman.

"Hark! what's that?" suddenly exclaimed Sandford, from whose Satanic
features the mask he had so long worn before Merton had been gradually
slipping. "Did you not hear a noise below?"

_My_ ear had caught the sound; and I could better interpret it than he.
It ceased.

"Touch the signal-bell, Adolphe," added Sandford.

Not only the play, but the very breathing of the villains, was suspended
as they listened for the reply.

It came. The answering tinkle sounded once--twice--thrice. "All right!"
shouted Sandford. "Proceed! The farce is nearly played out."

I had instructed the officers that two of them in plain clothes should
present themselves at the front door, obtain admission by means of the
password I had given them, and immediately seize and gag the
door-keeper. I had also acquainted them with the proper answer to the
signal-wring--three distinct pulls at the bell-handle communicating with
the first floor. Their comrades were then to be admitted, and they were
all to silently ascend the stairs, and wait on the landing till summoned
by me to enter and seize the gamesters. The back entrance to the house
was also securely but unobtrusively watched.

One only fear disturbed me: it was lest the scoundrels should take alarm
in sufficient time to extinguish the lights, destroy the forged papers,
and possibly escape by some private passage which might, unknown to me,
exist.

Rousing myself, as soon as the play was resumed, from the trance of
memory by which I had been in some sort absorbed, and first ascertaining
that the handles of my pistols were within easy reach--for I knew I was
playing a desperate game with desperate men--I rose, stepped carelessly
to the door, partially opened it, and bent forward, as if listening for
a repetition of the sound which had so alarmed the company. To my great
delight the landing and stairs were filled with police-officers--silent
and stern as death. I drew back, and walked towards the table at which
Mr. Merton was seated. The last stake--an enormous one--was being played
for. Merton lost. He sprang upon his feet, death-pale, despairing,
overwhelmed, and a hoarse execration surged through his clenched teeth.
Sandford and his associates coolly raked the plunder together, their
features lighted up with fiendish glee.

"Villain!--traitor!--miscreant!" shrieked Mr. Merton, as if smitten with
sudden frenzy, and darting at Sandford's throat: "you, devil that you
are, have undone, destroyed me!"

"No doubt of it," calmly replied Sandford, shaking off his victim's
grasp; "and I think it has been very artistically and effectually done
too. Snivelling, my fine fellow, will scarcely help you much."

Mr. Merton glared upon the taunting villain in speechless agony and
rage.

"Not quite so fast, _Cardon_, if you please," I exclaimed, at the same
time taking up a bundle of forged notes. "It does not appear to me that
Mr. Merton has played against equal stakes, for unquestionably this
paper is not genuine."

"Dog!" roared Sandford, "do you hold your life so cheap?" and he rushed
towards me, as if to seize the forged notes.

I was as quick as he, and the levelled tube of a pistol sharply arrested
his eager onslaught. The entire gang gathered near us, flaming with
excitement. Mr. Merton looked bewilderedly from one to another,
apparently scarcely conscious of what was passing around him.

"Wrench the papers from him!" screamed Sandford, recovering his energy.
"Seize him--stab, strangle him!"

"Look to yourself, scoundrel!" I shouted with equal vehemence. "Your
hour is come! Officers, enter and do your duty!"

In an instant the room was filled with police; and surprised,
panic-stricken, paralysed by the suddenness of the catastrophe, the gang
were all secured without the slightest resistance, though most of them
were armed, and marched off in custody.

Three--Sandford, or Cardon; but he had half-a-dozen _aliases_, one of
them--were transported for life: the rest were sentenced to various
terms of imprisonment. My task was effectually accomplished. My
superiors were pleased to express very warm commendation of the manner
in which I had acquitted myself; and the first step in the promotion
which ultimately led to my present position in another branch of the
public service was soon afterwards conferred upon me. Mr. Merton had his
bonds, obligations, jewels, and money, restored to him; and, taught
wisdom by terrible experience, never again entered a gaming-house.
Neither he nor his lady-mother was ungrateful for the service I had been
fortunate enough to render them.