CHAPTER IV.—DEEPER IN CRIME.FOR some months following upon his precipitous flight from the Old Mill, Hardacre had no permanent place of residence, passing most of the time at different hotels in the West of England. To the man he had killed and thrown into the mill stream at Benger’s Flat he no longer gave even a moment’s passing thought and, quite confident the trouble in Hoichow had blown over, he was no longer worrying about that. He was sure, too, from his now so greatly altered appearance, even if he chanced to run up against them, which was not likely, none of his old China acquaintances would recognize him.
Thus, throwing off all his anxieties, his health quickly improved and, to his unbounded relief, the marks upon his shins had gradually faded right away. To be on the safe side,
