The Ozark spectator., 1916-08-11

l craWled out of my shelf into tn, cover of powder and from 1t gained a shallow trench which slanted up tn, mountain face. This led me presently into the narrow gully of burn, by way of which I scrambled to the toI of the ridge. From there l looked back and saw that was still undiscov cred. My pursuers were patiently quartering the hillside and moving up ward.
 Keeping behind the sky line, I ran fol maybe half mile till judged I was above the uppermost end of the glen Then 1 showed myself and was in stantly noted by one of the fiankers who passed the word to the others.
 heard cries coming up from below and saw that the line of search had changed its direction.
 l pretended to retreat over the sky. line, but instead went back the way I had come, and in twenty minutes was behind the ridge overlooking my sleep ing place. From that viewpoint I had the satisfaction of seeing the pursuit streaming up the hill at the top of the glen on q hopelessly false scent.
 l had before me choice of routes, and I chose ridge which made an angle with the one I was on and so would soon put deep glen between me and my enemies. The exercise had warmed my blood, and I was begin ming to enjoy myself amazingly. As l went l breakfasted on the dusty rem nants of the ginger biscuits.
 l knew very little about the country and l hadn't notion what 1 was Ec. ing to do. trusted to the strength of my legs, but knew we'll enough that those behind me would be familiar with the lie of the land and that my ignorance would be q heavy handicap.
 I saw in front of me a sea of hills. rising very high toward the south, but nOrthward breaking down into broad ridges which separated wide and shal- low dales. The ridge l had chosen seemed to sink after mile or two to q moor which lay like a pocket in the uplands.
 That seemed as good direction to take as any other.
 My stratagem had given me fair start-call 1t twenty minutes-and l had the width of glen behind me be fore l saw the first heads of the pur. suers The police had evidently called in local talent to their aid, and the men I could see had the appearance of herds or gamekeepers.
 They halloed at the sight of me, and I waved my hand Two dived into the glen and began to climb my ridge while the others kept their own side of the hill. l felt as If 1 were taking part in q schoolboy game of hare and hounds.
 But very soon 1t began to seem less of game. Those fellows behind were hefty men on their native heath. I.oC':, ing back l saw that only three were following direct, and I guessed that the others had fetched circuit to cut me off.
 My lack of local knowledge might very we'll be my undoing, and l re- solved to get out of this tangle of glens to the pocket of moor had seen from the tops. must so increase my dis tance as to get clear away from them, and I believed 1 could do this If could find the right ground for it. If there had been cover I would have tried a bit of stalking, but on these n nn SlnnaS nn1lI Ax Al l, off
 My hope must be in the length of my legs and the soundness of my wind, but l needed easier ground for that, for l was not bred mountaineer How l longed for Il good Africander pony!
 put on great squirt and got off my ridge and down into the moor before any figures appeared on the sky line be hind me, crossed burn and came out on highroad which made a pass between two glens.
 All in front of me was Il big field of heather sloping up to crest whi.h was crowned with an odd feather of trees.
 In the dike by the roadside was a gate, from which grass grown track led over the first wave of the moor jumped the dike and followed 1t. and after few hundred yards-as soon Ls 1t was out of sight of the highway - the grass stopped and 1t became very respectable road, which was evidently kept with some care.
 Clearly it ran to house, and be- gan to think of doing the same. Hith- erto my luck had held. and 1t might pc that my best chance would be found in this remote dwelling. Anyhow, there were trees there-and that meant cover
 did not follow the road, but the burnside which fianked 1t on the right, where the bracken grew deep and the high banks made a tolerable screen 1t was well l did so. for no sooner had gained the hollow than. looking back. saw the pursuit topping the ridge from which had descended.
 After that did not look back. had no time. ran up the burnside. crawl