The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1918-03-21
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BY ALAN HINsDALE.

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(copyrisht. 1917. western, Newspaper Union }
l am one Of the Americans Of the
{ first expeditiOnary force that went to
France to fight the central powers to
be captured. It wasSa night reconnoi-
tering force Of Gerpans who killed
several young fellows and took few
as prisoners. We were marched away
to the rear and put under temporary
guard.
Being Americans, the officer in COM
mand did not know what to do with
us. Whether we would be treated more
vigorously than troops Of other nation
alities I didn't know, but I believed
we would. So I made up my mind to
escape before we were taken to Ger
many, or to get shot trying to do so.
Having been recently captured, We
were not as strictly watched as doubt
less would be later on. But what
helped me was the bursting of shell
from the American lines very near
us and our guards. Several OF the
guards were killed and two of our
fellows were wounded. I took advan-
t@ge Of the confusion to walk away to
the rear.
I had not gone so yards before I
SAME to the dead body Of German. I
dropped beside him, and under cover
~ tho do III n -thoro voro Onlv S,1oh
lights as appear at night in war;
appropriated his helmet and by dint
of hard labor managed to get off his
coat. AS soon as had put on both,
I got up and walked slowly rearward.
Hundreds Of shells were falling all
about me, and for other reasons per-
haps / was not noticed. My trousers
were very dirty and might have be-
longed to soldier Of any nationality.
The German coat and helmet I wore
were all the disguise needed. pick
ed up a rifle lying on the ground and
now and again turned and fired q
shot in the direction Of the American
lines. I was, once stopped by an off,
Ger, but before he could question me,
he saw something or someoneielse that,
drew his attention from me, and I
gave him the slip.
I made my way rearwards where
the troops were not so thick as at the
front, and though I worked my way
without knowing where the reserve
lay, had the good luck to get into a
region where there were no troops.
came presently to a little stream on
which was a mill. I heard the tramp
of men coming. I would have gone
into the mill to hide, but it was lock-
ed. So instead I got onto the mill
wheel and my weight let me down to
the bottom Of a walled space wherein
the wheel revolved.s 49,. I
In few minutes heard column
of men marching by and the word Of
command BY the officers. I was where
they would not see me; nevertheless I
hid under the wheel. After they had
passed and the, thud Of their shoes
was dying away In the distance con-
cluded to move on, seeking for some
French family. which had not been
turned out of house and home, who
would hide me untilaI could get back
to my command. Naturally I took hold
Of the wheel and was about to step on
one Of the buckets, when it occurred
70 me that it would turn and let me
down as far as I ascended. A glance
about showed me that I was impris-
oned. could not escape by the wheel,
and I could not climb q perpendicular
wall.
What there was to grind I knew not;
perhaps the miller was obliged to work
for the Germans; at any rate just be.
fore day came heard sounds above,
something shifted, ana down came the
water. 1t had been turned into the
fume, and pouring on the wheel, began
to rotate 1T. When the water rose to
my waist began to do tread-mill act
on the wheel. / climbed as the wheel
turned to avoid being drowned.
I said to myself that between drown.