My purpose would have been accomplished. I would have broken down the door, dragged him into the house, confronted him with Mrs Hyland, and made him swallow his false words, but for the arrival of a trio of policemen. I was not overcome until after a long struggle, in which the exertions of the three policemen, Adkins himself, and another man, who was passing at the time, were united against me. It ended in their putting me in irons. As I was led away from the house, I noticed that Mrs Hyland and Lenore were both at the window--where, I had no doubt, they had been witnesses of the affray. I was at once taken to a police station, and locked up in one of its cells. Next morning I was brought before a magistrate. Adkins was there to prosecute. The three policemen were present as witnesses, as also the Liverpool citizen, who had aided in putting me in irons. After evidence was heard against me, I was called upon for my defence. I had nothing to say to the charge. The magistrate emphatically declared that a case of a more unprovoked assault had never been brought before him; and that he did not think the ends of justice would be met by the infliction of a fine. He therefore sentenced me to fourteen days' imprisonment. I thought none the less of myself for that; and, under other circumstances, two weeks in a prison might not have been passed unpleasantly. But it was bitterness to reflect, that while I was passing my time in the companionship of petty thieves, Edward Adkins was daily visiting Lenore. Fourteen days must I pass as a prisoner, while my vile enemy would be enjoying the society of Mrs Hyland and her daughter--no doubt doing all he could to blacken my character, and lower me still further in their estimation! The reflection was anything but pleasant, though I might have partly consoled myself by another: that I was much better off inside the gaol, than millions of my fellow countrymen outside of it. Had I committed some crime, that really deserved this confinement, then would I, indeed, have felt really wretched; but conscience accused me of no wrong; and I was not without those tranquillising emotions ever springing from a sense of rectitude and innocence. I was not afraid that Adkins would gain any great advantage over me in winning the affections of Lenore--even though aided by the influence of her mother. It was not that which troubled me during my sojourn within the walls of a prison. If Lenore should prove capable of choosing such a man for her husband, I need not regret her loss. My spirit was more harassed by the thought: that wrong should have thus triumphed--that Adkins should be in the society of Lenore, when he should have been in my place in the prison, and I in his. After I had passed eight days of my confinement, I was surprised one morning by the announcement that I was to receive visitors. Two persons had called, and inquired for Rowland Stone. They were outside--waiting to be admitted to my cell.