The Pulaskian., 1918-10-25

 would be comparatively safe. There was a railroad going through the wood, but l did not figure that that would make it any the less safe.
 About three o'clock that afternoon, therefore, emerged from my hiding place and hurried into the wood. After proceeding for half a mile or so l came to the railroad. I took sharp look in both directions and see- ing no signs of trains or soldiers, I walked boldly over the tracks and continued on my way.
 | soon came upon clearing and knew that someone must be living in the vicinity. As turned a group of trees l saw a small house and in the distance an old man working in 1 garden. I decided to enter the house and ask for food, figuring the woman l would probably be old and would be no match for me even if she proved hostile. The old woman who came to the door in response to my knock was older than I expected. If she wasn't close to a hundred, miss my guess very much.
 She could not speak English and l could not speak Flemish, of course, but nevertheless I made her under stand that l wanted something to eat. She came out of the door and hol- loed for her husband in a shrill voice that would have done credit to a girl of eighteen. The old man came in l from the garden and between the two of them they managed to get the idea that l was hungry and they gave me a piece of bread-a very small piece which was quite treat.
 The house they lived in consisted of just two rooms-the kitchen and bedroom. The kitchen was perhaps fourteen feet square, eight feet of one side being taken up by an enor- nous fireplace. What was in the bed room I had no way of telling, as I did not dare to be too inquisitive. l made the old couple understand that would like to stay in their house all night, but the old man shook his head. bade them good-by and dis appeared into the woods, leaving them to speculate as to the strange for elgner they had entertained.
 From the great density of the popu- lation in this section through which I was now passing I realized that I must be in the outskirts of the big city which the Belgian had mentioned and where I was to procure pass | port.
 Village after village intercepted me, and although I tried to skirt tTfem wherever possible realized that I would never make much progress if continued that course. To gain a mile l would sometimes have to make a detour of two or three. I decided that would try rny luck in going straight through the next village I came to.
 As l approached it, I passed num- bers of peasants who were ambling along the road. was afraid to mingle With them because it was impossible for one to talk to them and it was dangerous to arouse suspicion even among the Belgians. For all I knew,
 
 enough to deliver me to the Germans in return for the reward he might be sure of receiving.
 About 9 o'clock that evening I | came to point where ahead of me on the right was a Belgian police station II knew it from its red lights-and on the other side of the street were two German soldiers in uniform leaning against a bicycle.
 Here was a problem which called for instant decision; if turned back the suspicion of the soldiers would be instantly aroused and if I crossed the road so as not to pass so closely to them they might be equally sus- picious. l decided to march bravely by the Huns, bluff my way through and trust to Providence. If anybody imagines, however, that I was at all comfortable as I approached these soldiers, he must think I am a much braver man than l claim to be. My heart beat so loud I was afraid they would hear it. Every step I took brought me so much nearer to what might prove to be the end of all my hopes. It was nerve-raclzing ordeal.
 was now within few feet of them. Another step and
 They didn't turn a hairl I passed right by them-heard what they were saying, although, of course, I didn't | understand it, and went right on. 1 can't say I didn't walk little faster as left them behind, but I 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 I really felt-to know that I had suc- cessfully passed through the first of series of similar tests which I real ized were in store for mccullough l 1 did not know then how soon I was to be confronted with the second. As it was, however, the incident of