It was a race for life and death, and he knew it.

Had he been able to obtain clothes, money and a disguise in London he would have travelled by rail.

But that had been impossible and it now seemed a wiser plan to "tramp" it.

His beard was growing rapidly and would soon make a complete disguise.

Village constables are generally simple people, easily imposed upon, very different from London detectives; and hitherto he felt sure that he had baffled pursuit by the mere simplicity of his proceedings.