Should he try to escape also, and avoid the ignominy of a trial?
He knew it would be in vain; he knew that, at this moment, he was dogged at the distance of some thirty yards by an amiable policeman in mufti, placed to watch his motions by his two kind bailsmen, who preferred this small expense to the risk of losing a thousand pounds a-piece.
As he turned short round a corner, into the main road leading from the railway station to Bayswater, he came close upon a man who was walking quickly in the opposite direction, and found himself face to face with Undy Scott.

How on earth should Undy Scott have come out there to Bayswater, at that hour of the night, he, the constant denizen of clubs, the well-known frequenter of Pall Mall, the member for the Tillietudlem burghs, whose every hour was occupied in the looking after things political, or things commercial?
Who could have expected him in a back road at Bayswater?
There, however, he was, and Alaric, before he knew of his presence, had almost stumbled against him.
'Scott!' said Alaric, starting back.
'Hallo, Tudor, what the deuce brings you here?
but I suppose you'll ask me the same question ?' said Undy.
Alaric Tudor could not restrain himself.

'You scoundrel,' said he, seizing Undy by the collar; 'you utterly unmitigated scoundrel! You premeditated, wilful villain!' and he held Undy as though he intended to choke him.
But Undy Scott was not a man to be thus roughly handled with impunity; and in completing the education which he had received, the use of his fists had not been overlooked.

He let out with his right hand, and struck Alaric twice with considerable force on the side of his jaw, so that the teeth rattled in his mouth.
But Alaric, at the moment, hardly felt it.

'You have brought me and mine to ruin,' said he; 'you have done it purposely, like a fiend.