Peace had concealed in his rooms a number of valuable articles which were the proceeds of his burglaries. He did not care about running any risk by disposing of the same in Bradford; neither did he feel disposed to leave anything behind when he quitted the town. He therefore packed them as closely as possible in a hair trunk which he had procured for the purpose.
All this was done as quickly and secretly as possible while Bessie Dalton was away at the mill where she worked. When she came home in the evening she found Peace busily occupied in the shop with his picture frames.
He appeared to be as cheerful as usual, but he was maturing his plan of operations.
On the following morning he paid the landlord his rent, together with the amount due for the week’s notice, alleging that he had just received a telegram announcing the fact that his mother was in London dangerously ill, and that he was therefore compelled to hasten to her bedside without further delay.
The landlord did not for a moment doubt the truth of this statement.
Peace put his traps in a fly he had hired, and was driven to the station.
He took the first train to London, arriving in the metropolis in the early part of the afternoon.
A four-wheeled cab conveyed him to Whitechapel.
In that classic locality dwelt a Jew with whom Peace was well acquainted.
He had on more than one occasion disposed of his ill-gotten wares to the Israelite in question.