The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-10-03
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that l would Try my luck In going
straight through the next village !
came to.
As I approached 1t. passed num-
bers of peasants who were ambiing
along the road was afraid to mingie
with them because Il was impossible
for one Go talk TO them and II was
dangerous TO arouse suspicion even
among the Belgi.ns. For all I knew.
one 0f them might be freacherous
enough to deliver me to the Germans
in return for the reward he might be
sire nf receiving.
About y O'Clock that evening I
came 10 a point where ahead of me on
the right was Belgian police station
Il knew II from Its red iighfs-nnd
two German soldiers In uniform
ienning against q bicycle.
Here ~as problem which called
for instant decision; IL turned back
the suspicion ST the soldiers would
isc instantly aroused and II crossed
the road 50 AS not to pass 50 closely
10 them they might be equally sus-
picious. decided To unrch braveIy
by the Huns. blum my why through
aud trust TO Providence. lf anybody
imasines. however. that I WAS at all
comfortable as / approached these
soldiers, he must think I am a much
brsser mnn than l claim TO be. My
heart beat 50 loud j WAS afraid they
would hear II. Every step Il took
brought me 80 much nearer TO what
might prove to be the end of all my
hopes II WAS ncrye-rncking ordeal.
l WIS now within few feet Of
Them Another step and
They didn't turn hair. ] passed
right by them-hesrd what they were
saving. although. of course. ! didn't
understand IL. and went right on. l
can't say j didn't walk n little faster
maintain nm even gait 80 as not To
! give them nny idea Of the inward ex
.uitaii.n ! WAS experiencing. No words
caH explain. however. how relieved
really f-lt--fo know that I had sue
cessfuiiy passed through the FIRST of
a series Of similar tests which real.
ix~i were In store for me-alfho1rii
I did pof know then how soon I was
to be- confronted with the second.
A. il was, however. the incident
gave me world .f confidence. II
demonstrated to me that there was
nothing In my appearance Mt any rate
TO attract the attention of the German
soldiers. Apparently I iook,.d Ike a
Belgian psslslnt. and II conld only
work things 80 that would never
have fa answer questions and thus
give AWAY my nationality. figured ]
would be t"lcrably snfe.
A. ! marched along felt SO happy
I c"nldn't help hutnniing an air Of one
of The new patriotic songs that we
used to sing at the airdrome back In
Yprcs-
In this hnppy frame of mind GOV.
cred the next three miles in about ai,
hour and then came to another little
village. My usual course would have
been to ro around it--tilrouyh fields.
hack Yards. woods or whatever else
lay 'n my way--but ] had gained -,
much time by going through the last
village instead nf detonring around
II and my appearance seemed To be 50
nDsnsmclous that decided to try the
same stunt again.
stopped humming aud kent very
much ~ the alert. but apart from
that. I walked boldly through the
main street without any feeling OF
alarm.
| had proceeded perhaps a mile
along the main street when noticed
ahead Of me three German soldiers
standing at the curb.
Again my heart started to beat fast.
I must confess, hut was not nearly
% scared ms i Ind bcen en- hour or
% before.
walked ahead. determined to fol-
low my previous procedure In every
particular.
had got to about fifteen feet away
stepped onto the sidewalk and
shouted:
"Hait !"
Ny heart stopped beating fast-for
= moment. believe, It stopped beating
laltogether. cant attempt to de-
scribe my feelings. thought that
tho jig WAS up--fhat all I had gone
through and all had escaped would
row await me nothing. mingled with
he feeling Of disgust with my
self because OF the foolish risk /
nasl taken In going through the VII
|ingr, combinrd TO take NIL the starch
aut of me, ana ! could feel myself
whiting rs the soldier advanced TO the
spot where stoWi rooted in my
trucks.
/ had II bottle Of wnter in one pocket
and piece OF bread In the other, and
- tho Hun advanced 10 search me I
kSf1 fha hst4fIa ,ss1 In sno hnn6 and