They took a house at Bannercross, to be farther removed from their tormentor.
The trouble and misery brought upon the Dysons by Peace is almost incalculable. We cannot do better than place before the reader Mrs. Dyson’s own account of her connection with the murderer of her husband:—
“When we went to Darnall,” said Mrs. Dyson, “our troubles began.
“But for our going there, Mr. Dyson would probably have been still alive, and I should have been spared all that has happened since.
“You will naturally ask how I became acquainted with Peace. It was impossible to avoid becoming acquainted with him.
“Besides, at that time I did not know the sort of man he really was. He lived the next door but one to us at Darnall, and he used generally to speak to Mr. Dyson on going in and out.
“Mr. Dyson was a gentleman, and, of course, when Peace spoke to him he used to reply.
“But Peace wasn’t content with a merely speaking acquaintance. He wanted to force himself upon us. He did all he could until he succeeded in accomplishing this.
“One of his favourite means was to place his parrots and his other birds upon a wall. He would then call our attention to them, and to what they could do, and thus get us into conversation with him.
“Introduction! you say. No, there was no introduction. He introduced himself, and would have you to talk with him whether you would or no.