As he was dropping down and had cleared the premises, he almost fell into the arms of a second policeman, who must have been planted in the expectation that he would escape that way.
The policeman made a grab at our hero, who was by this time driven to a state of desperation, for he was under the impression that he would be captured, and then his previous convictions would be brought against him, and he would be sent to penal servitude again.
Peace was nettled that he had been disturbed, and his blood was up and all his worst passions in the ascendant, for he had “spotted” the house for a long time, and it had been a favourite project of his to rifle it of its most valuable and portable contents.
“You stand back, or I’ll shoot you!” cried Peace, in a voice of concentrated rage.
But the ill-fated young man was brave, and bent upon doing his duty—such officers are a credit to the force, and cannot be too highly commended—but alas! the poor fellow paid a fearful penalty for his gallant conduct.
He would not stand back and let the burglar pass, so Peace stepped back a few yards and fired wide at him, for the purpose of frightening him; but the brave young fellow was not to be intimidated.
Peace, in his whining hypocritical confession, declared—
“That he had a great repugnance to taking human life. I never wanted to murder anybody. I only wanted to do what I came to do and to get away.”
Amiable man!
“But it does seem odd after all that I should have to be hanged for having taken life, the very thing I always endeavoured to avoid. I have never willingly or knowingly hurt a living creature. I would not even hurt an animal, much less a man. That is why I fired wide at him. But the policeman, like most Manchester policemen, was a determined man. They are a very obstinate lot, those Manchester policemen. He was no doubt as determined as I was myself, and you know when I am put to it I can do what very few men can do.”