The Cordova daily times., 1918-08-14

ulu not dare 10 De 100 lnqulSitlYe.
 made the old couple understand that I would like to stay In their house all night, but the old man shook his head I bade them good-by and dis appeared into the woods, leaving them to speculate as to the strange for eigner they had entertained. From the great density of the popu- lation In this section through which I was now passing I realized that must be in the outskirts of the big city which the Belgian had mentioned and where I was to procure q pass port.
 Village after village intercepted me, and although I tried to skirt them wherever possible I realized that 1 would never make much progress if 1 continued that course. To gain q mile l would sometimes have to make q detOur of two or three. 1 decided that l would try my luck in going straight through the next village I came to.
 As I approached 1t, I passed num- bers of peasants who were ambling along the road. I was afraid to mingle with them because It was impossible for one to talk to them and 1t was dangerous to arouse suspicion even among the Belginns. For all I knew, one of them might be treacherous enough to deliver me to the Germans in return for the reward Ee might be sure of receiving.
 About Q o'clock that evening l came to point where ahead of me on the right was a Belgian police station , T knew 1t from its red lights-and on the other side of the street were two German soldiers in uniform leaning against d bicycle.
 Here was problem which called for instant decision; If I turned back the suspicion of the soldiers would be instantly aroused and if l crossed the road so as not to pass so closely to them they might be equally sus- picious decided to march bravely by the Huns. blufT my way through and trust to Providence. If anybody imagines, however. that I was at all comfortable as I approached these soldiers, ho must think I am much hraver man than I claim to be. My heart beat so loud I was afraid they would hear It. Every step l took brought me so much nearer to what might prove to be the end of all my hopes. It was a nerve-racking ordeal.
 was now within few feet of them. Another step and
 They didn't turn a hair passed right by them--heard what they were saying, although, of course, I didn't understand It, and went right on. I can't say I didn't walk a little faster as left them behind, but l tried to maintain an even gait so as not to give them any idea of the inward ex- ultation was experiencing. No words can explain. however. how relieved l really felt-to know that l had suc- cessfully passed through the first of Il series of similar tests which I real ized were In store for mccullough I did not know then how soon I was to be confronted with the second.
 As 1t was, however. the incident
 
 demonstrated to me that there was nothing in my appearance at any rate to attract the attention of the German soldiers. Apparently I looked like Belgian peasant. and If could only work things so that l would never have to answer questions and thus give away my nationality. I figured would be toernbly safe.
 As marched along I felt so happy couldn't help humming an air of one of the new patriotic songs that we used to sing at the aird7Ome back In Ypres.
 In this happy frame of mlnd-I GOV cred the next three miles in about an hour and then came to another little village. My usual course would have been to go around it-through fields, back yards, woods or whatever else lay In my way-but I had gained so much time by going through the last village instead of detouring around 1t and my appearance seemed to be so unsuspicious that I decided to try the same stunt again.
 I stopped humming and kept very much on 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 l noticed ahead of me three German soldiers standing at the curb.
 Again my heart started to beat fast. must confess, but l was not nearly so scared as I had been an hour or 50 before.
 walked ahead, determined to fol- low my previous procedure In every particular.
 had got to about fifteen feet away from the soldiers when one of them stepped onto the sidewalk and shouted:
 "HaltI"
 My heart stopped beating fast-for a moment. believe, 1t stopped beating