There was not a solitary article of furniture in any of the rooms.
He was not a superstitious man, but, nevertheless, could not conceal from himself that the place seemed to be admirably adapted for the haunt of witches, warlocks, and gnomes.
Anyway Peace was most anxious to leave it as soon as possible, but it would not do to be too precipitate.
The party of gentlemen who had started in pursuit of him might be looking about, and Peace deemed it advisable not to give them a chance of effecting a capture.
Miserable and lonely as were his quarters, they were preferable to running a chance of being sent to penal servitude.
He therefore waited for nearly another hour, at the expiration of which time he sallied forth, bag in hand.
No one was visible; he argued that the party must have returned to the house, so shouldering his bag he walked boldly on, taking care to keep on the dark side of the road as he watched for the appearance of any chance wayfarer.
Two or three men passed him, and, as they did so, wished him good night, but they evidently belonged to the working class, and he had no misgiving as to them.
In a short time he reached the high road, when, at some distance ahead of him, he beheld a night patrol. He took good care to conceal himself in a bye lane till the officer of the law had passed; then he emerged from his place of concealment, and proceeded along with greater confidence.