They think of Peace in the dock as an insignificant old man, but Peace at liberty is a very different individual.
He is surrounded by an air of villainy with a dark background of vengeful intrepidity, and his constant companion is a “six-shooter.”
Society feels unsafe, and though an additional lustre has been imparted to the halo of glorious romance which surrounds his life by his latest achievement, a universal hope is expressed that he will be recaptured.
The wildest rumours are floating about as to his mode of escape, and circumstantial details are not wanting as to his having overpowered the warders, alighted uninjured, and, plunging into a wood, eluded pursuit.
But these surmises are premature. Again the van was brought out, and driven off to the station. These were anxious moments. More than half the people declined to believe the rumour that Peace had escaped.
It was such a likely thing for Peace to attempt, that some one would be sure to suggest it, and thus start a rumour. On the other hand, it was so unlikely that a couple of London warders would allow a little man like Peace to escape, that the majority of the people assembled would not accept the statement.
However, the bringing out of the van a second time gave a foundation to the first rumour, especially when it was now expected that he had been retaken. The van was not long away.
Again the jingle of the bells. The horses came up Castle-green at a smart pace. Triumph was written on the faces of the local police.
The van turned into the yard of the police-station; with a good swing, the doors were banged to and locked, and once more Peace was safe.
Now came another struggle for places, and this was continued fiercely. Traffic had been resumed, however, and every now and then the consistency of the crowd was broken in upon by a vulgar cart, an impertinent hansom, or a blundering ’bus.