astonishment stood her husband, a distinguished figure in black
coat and trousers, top hat, velvet waistcoat, with stick, kid
gloves, and a pretty little fox terrier by his side. Peace told
them of his whereabouts in the town, but did not disclose to them
the fact that his mistress was there also. To the police
sergeant with whom he lodged, Peace described himself as an
agent. But a number of sensational and successful burglaries at
the houses of Town Councillors and other well-to-do citizens of
Hull revealed the presence in their midst of no ordinary robber.
Peace had some narrow escapes, but with the help of his revolver,
and on one occasion the pusillanimity of a policeman, he
succeeded in getting away in safety. The bills offering a reward
for his capture were still to be seen in the shop windows of
Hull, so after a brief but brilliant adventure Peace and Mrs.
Thompson returned to Nottingham.

Here, as the result of further successful exploits, Peace found a
reward of L50 offered for his capture. On one occasion the
detectives came into the room where Peace and his mistress were
in bed. After politely expressing his surprise at seeing "Mrs.
Bailey" in such a situation, one of the officers asked Peace his
name. He gave it as John Ward, and described himself as a hawker
of spectacles. He refused to get up and dress in the presence of
the detectives who were obliging enough to go downstairs and wait
his convenience. Peace seized the opportunity to slip out of the
house and get away to another part of the town. From there he
sent a note to Mrs. Thompson insisting on her joining him. He
soon after left Nottingham, paid another brief visit to Hull,
but finding that his wife's shop was still frequented by the
police, whom he designated freely as "a lot of fools," determined