The Cordova daily times., 1918-08-20

ever, the pole-Vault idea seemed to me
to be out of the question because of
the fact that on either side of the cleo
trio fence, six feet from it, was a six
| foot barbcd wire barrier. To vault
| safely over 81 nine-f0Ot electrically
charged fence was one thing. but to
/ combine with 1t a twelve-foot broad
vault was feat which even college
athlete in the pink of condition would
be apt to funk. Indeed, l don't be-
levc ii is possible.
Another plan that seemed halfway
reasonable was to build pair of stills
P about twelve or fourteen feet high ard
walk over the barriers one by one. As
II youngSter l had acquired consider
able skill in stiIt-WaIking and | have
no doubt that with the proper equip
ment it would have been quite feas-
iblc to have walked out of Belgium
as easily as possible In that way, but
whether or not | was going to have a
chance to construct III" necessary
stills remained to be seen.
There were a good many bicycles in
and it had often occurred TO me that
If | could have stolen one. the tires
would have made excellent gloves and
insulated coverings for my feet in
case il was necessary for me to at
tempt to climb over the electric fence
bodily. But as had never been able
to steal Il bicycle this avenue of es-
cape was closed to me.
| decided to wait until l arrived at
the barrier and then make up my mind
how to proceed.
To find Il decent place to sleep that
night, | crawled under Il harhed wire
fence, thinking it led into some field.
AS | passed under, one Of the barbs
caught in my coat and in trying to
pull myself from 1t | shook the fence
for several yards.
Instantly there came out of the night
the ncrvc-raCkinE command: Halt"
Again | feared | was done for. l
crouched close down on the ground in
the darkness, not knowing whether to
tax" To my legs and trust to the Huns
missing me in tn" darkness If he fired,
Ut stay Nll'lt W NS. II was IbSSS
as we'll as dark, and although | knew
the sentry was only a few feet away
from IN" | decided to stand, or rather
lie, pat. | think my heart made almost
aN much noise a. 'a" rat'!iuE of the
wire III tn" first place, and it was
tense few moments Ia me
heard In" German say Il few words
,,-. - H.. i
of course and then he made Il sound
rs if To call do. and | realized that
his theory of the noise he had heard
was that dog had made its way
through the fence.
For perhaps five minutes / didn't
stir, and then figuring that the German
had probably continued on his beat l
crept quietly under the wire again,
this time being mighty careful 10 hug
the ground so close that | wouldn't
touch the wire. and made Off in diff
ferent direction. Evidently the barbed
wire fence had been thrown around an
ammunition depot or something of the
kind, and 1t was not Il field at all that
| had tried to get into.
iEhi'h All'At '''I'i H'iilI1'S "'i'
probably In the n"ighhorhOod and
proceeded very gingerly.
After | had got about Il mile away
from this spot | came 10 an humble
Belgian house ana | knocked at the
door and applied for food in my usual
way, pointing to my mouth to indi-
cat" | was hungry and To my ears ana
mouth to Imply that was deaf ana
dumb. IN" Belgian woman who lived
in the house brought me n piece OF
Dread ana NV" c"ld potatoes ana as
sat 'h'F" "A'lhs thelh she eyed me
very heeHLy'
maven tn" slightest d"ubt that
she reail|'u WAS luSI'lFc' She hN'u
so near III" p"rh'F 'Ha' IL was more
I"r til"t reason appreciated more
luiIE the extent al IN" FISK Sl" ram Tor
no uou"i inc ''Ii''"hN were '"hSlah''!
Watching me c"i'uuc' 81 THESE hel-
s'"lS VII" iiNed near 'he me
MY theory TINT she realized that l