“No, there’s no charge, policeman,” answered Mrs. Bristow, quickly. “Well, I’ll tell you what it is, if I hear any more noise or row, I’ll lock you up upon my own responsibility;” this last speech was addressed to Bristow. “All right; now we understand one another,” answered the latter, in the same sneering tone which he had adopted during the whole of the evening. He was maudlin drunk, mischievously disposed, and tantalising. “I’ll have no more to say to the worthless vagabond,” remarked Peace, preparing to leave. “You must use your own discretion in dealing with him, but before I go I must tell you that he is a dangerous character, and a nuisance to the house, and, indeed, to the whole neighbourhood,” and with these words, our hero strode out of the apartment, being in no way disposed to prolong a scene which might compromise him. He felt that the time had arrived for him to beat a retreat; he adopted this course from strategic reasons. There was no telling what further might fall from the lips of Bristow, who was evidently mischievously disposed. Peace, therefore, made for his own apartments upstairs. Bessie Dalton, however, chose to remain in the parlour to defend her friend, Mrs. Bristow, or Sophy, as she called her. The policeman, who was a very efficient and worthy member of the force, gave the inebriate a long lecture. He was well acquainted with the character of the latter, as disturbances and scenes of violence were unhappily but too frequent. After the departure of Peace, Bristow toned down. He said to the constable that he had been a little hasty――had been, in fact, worried about one or two matters within the last few days; but that he was sorry he had lost his temper. He could see it all now as plainly as a book; still, at the same time, he declared “that he was not going to stand any more of that fellow’s cheek.” Of course he alluded to Peace, from whose blow he was still smarting. Indeed, one of his eyes was blackened, although probably he was not aware of this at present. The policeman, after a few more words of warning, left the two women and Bristow to settle their differences as best they could. Soon after this Bristow went to bed, and in a few minutes was sleeping soundly. The house was quiet for the remainder of the night. CHAPTER X. PEACE HASTENS UP TO LONDON――CUNNING ISAAC――THE JEW “FENCE”――THE VISIT TO SHEFFIELD. The words that had fallen from Bristow could not be forgotten by Peace, who began to be seriously concerned. He was quite unable in any way to account for the expressions made use of by the ruffian in the parlour. From whence could he have obtained his information? Had it been noised abroad that Peace was the man who effected an entrance into the warehouse, or had Cooney been in the town and split upon him? Some mysterious agency had been at work. Bristow could not have dreamt that he was a burglar. He was too besotted and stupid a man to divine it from anything he had seen.