The Pulaskian., 1918-10-04

to myself "the noes have it." ana closed down the window again.
 As soon as the window was closed. the noise of the train naturally sub sided and it's speed seemed to dimfn- ish, and my plan appealed to mo stronger than ever.
 l knew the guard in front Of m8 didn't understand a word of English, and so. in a quiet tone of voice, I con- fided to the English officer who sat next me what had planned to dc.
 For God's sake, Pat, chuck it r he urged. "DoR't be lunatic This rail- road is double-tracked and rock-bal- lasted and the other track is on y0ur side. You stand every chance in the world of knocking your brains out against the rails, or hitting bridge OF whistling post, and if you escape those you will probably be hit by am other train on the other track You haven't one chance in thousand to make l"
 There was good deal of logic in what he said, but I figured that once was in that reprlsal camp I might never have even one chance in a thou sand to escape, and the idea of re- maining prisoner of war indefinitely went against my grain. I resolved to take my chance now at the risk of breaking my neck.
 The ear was full of smoke. looked across at the guard. He was rather an old man, going home on leave, and h0 seemed to be dreaming of what was in store for him rather than paying any particular attention to me- Once in n while I had smiled at him, and 1 figured that he hadn't the slightest idea of what was going through my mind ala the time we had been travelling.
 began to cough as though my throat was badly irritated by the smoke and then I opened the window again. This time the guard looked up and showed his disapproval. but did not say any, thing.
 It was then 4 o'clock in the morn- iag and would soon be light. knew \ had to do it right then, or never, as there would be no chance to escape in the daytime.
 1 had on a trench coat that [ had used as flying coat and wore my knapsack, which I had constructed out of gas bag brought into Courtrai by British prisoner. In this I had two pieces of bread, a piece of sau- sage and a pair of flying mittens. Al1 of them had to go with me through the window.
 The train was now going at rate or between thirty and thirty-fve miles ans hour. and again it seemed to admonish me as it rattled along over the ties. You're fool if you do-you're q fooa if you don't. You're a fool if you don't
 you're fool if you do. You're fool if you don't"
 I waited no longer. Standing upon the bench as if to put the bag on the rack and taking hold of the rack with my left hand and strap that hung from the top of the car with my right pulled myself up, showed my feet and legs out of the window and let go.
 There was prayer on my lips as went out, and I expected a bullet be- tween my shoulders, but it was ala over in an instant.
 I landed on my left side and face. burying my face in the rock ballast, cutting it open and closing my left eye, skinning my hands and shins and straining my ankle For a few mo- ments l was completely knocked out, and If they shot at me through the window, in the first moments after nay escape, had no way of knowing.
 Of course, if they could have stopped the train right then, they could easily have recaptured me, but at the speed ik was going and in the confusion which must have followed my escape, they probably didn't stop within half of a mile from the spot where I lay.
 I came to within few minutes and when examined myself and found no bones broken, I didn't stop to worry about my cuts and bruises, but Jumped up with the idea of putting as great distance between me and that track as possible before daylight came. Still be- ing dazed, l forgot all about the barbed wire fence along the right of way and ran full tilt into it. Right there losa one of my two precious pieces of bread, which fell out of my knapsack, but could not stop to look for 1t then.
 The one thing that was uppermost in my mind was that for the moment \ was free, and 1t was up to me now to make the most of my Iihprfv