“I’ll go in and ask if he will see you,” replied the girl.
“Do, please,” cried Peace.
The maid went into the dining-room to make the inquiry.
This was Peace’s opportunity, of which he was not slow to avail himself. He flew out of the house, jumped over the garden fence, and then ran off as fast as his legs would carry him.
“Tell him to wait—I’ll see him presently,” said the master of the establishment, when the girl announced that a stranger wished to speak to him.
The girl was astonished when she discovered that the stranger was no longer visible. She went out into the garden, looked about in every direction, but could not, of course, see anyone.
She went into the kitchen and made her fellow-servants acquainted with the circumstance. The footman said no doubt the “fellar” was going to call again, and that she, Jane, was a little fool.
She retorted, and for a few minutes there was an intestine war in the kitchen. However, after this was over, and the strange man did not put in an appearance again, matters did not look so rosy. The servant girl was seriously concerned. What could it mean? The affair had to be explained to her master, who was, of course, very angry, and till up to this time no one had suspected that a robbery had been committed, and it was quite an hour before the discovery took place and then there was, of course, a fine hue-and-cry. But Peace long before this had reached the roadside house where he had left his pony trap. But his evening’s adventures were not nearly over as yet.
After he had cleared the fence and got far away from the scene of his depredation, he decreased his speed, for he had become winded, and therefore contented himself with walking at a moderate pace. This he continued to do till the public-house was reached. When this had been done, he thrust the bag containing the valuables underneath the seat of his gig and gave the ostler a handsome gratuity.
But now a new danger threatened him. Just as he was getting into his gig he heard a voice exclaim in a tone of surprise,