CROOK COUNTY JOURNAL
Al'Ot'HT H, IOIS
0U1WTTW
THE HUN
n
Br
LIEUTENANT
PAT O'BRIEN
Dwmtii Wkiru ai O'saea
SYNOPSIS.
CHAPTER I Introductory. Pat O'Brien
Wit of hia purpose la writing; the story
etf sJe adventures.
CHAPTER n Tells of hia enlistment la
the Royal Flying corpe, hie training- la
Caned s and hia transier to "ranoe for ac
tive duty.
CHAPTER in-Deecrlbes ngnta la which
h brought down two Uumu airplanes
and his final tight in which he waa
Brought down wounded wlthia tha Oar
u Unas and waa mada a prisoner of
CHAPTER IT Flxown that Oermaa
hospital staff barbarously neglected tha
fatally wounded and devoted their ener
gtee to restoring thoee who might be
returned to the firing lima. Witnesses
death In fight ot hia beat chum. Lmul
Faul Ralaey.
CHAPTER V He Is taken to tha of
Ooars' prison camp at CourlraL There he
began planning his escape. By great ea
fftnoa he manages to save and hide aaay
two daily rations of bread.
CHAPTER VI He confiscates a map of
Oormany and Just half an hour later is
ut on a train bound for a prison camp
i Germany. He leaps through a window
while the train is traveling at a rats of W
snlles an hour.
CHAPTER VII For nine days he
are wis through Germany, hiding during
tha day, traveling at night, guided by the
at are and subsisting on raw vegetables.
He covers 1& miles before reaching Juux
sen burg.
CHAPTER Vin For nine days mors he
Struggles on In a weakened condition
through
Belgian
ougn uixemiHui in us airecuon ox
CHAPTER IX He endures, terrible
hardships, swims rivers while delirious
from hunger, living like a hunted animal
and on the eighteenth day after Jumping
from the train he crosses Into Belgium.
CHAPTER X When well on his way
through Belgium he Is befriended one
Sight by a Flemish peasant, who feeds
1m and directs him to a man in a Bel
elan city who will help him to get a paas
Jort. tires. Instead heavy Iron bands were
employed. I could hear them come
rumbling along the stone roads for
tnlles before they rea"hed the spot
where I happened to be In hllding.
When I saw these military roads In
Belgium for the first time, with their
heavy cobblestones that looked as If
they would last for centuries, I real
ized at once why It was that the Ger
mans had been able to make such a
rapid advance Into Belgium at the
Mart of the war.
I noticed that the Belgians used
dogs to a considerable extent to pull
their carts, and I thought many times
that 11 I could have stolen one of
those dogs It would have been a very
food companion for me and might. If
the occasion arose, help me out In a
light. But I had no way of feeding It
and the animal would probably have
tarred to death. I could live on veg
etables, which I could always depend
upon finding In tiie fields, bat a dog
couldn't, and so I gave up the Idea.
The knack of making fire with two
piece of dry wood I had often read
about, but I had never put It to a test
and for various reasons I concluded
that It would be unsafe for me to
build a fire even If I bad matches. In
the first place, there was no absolute
need for. it I didn't have anything
to cook nor utensils to cook It In even
If I bad. While the air was getting
to be rather cool at night, I was usu
ally on the go at that time and didn't
notice it In the daytime, when I
was resting or sleeping, the sun was
usually out
To have borrowed matches from a
ibelgian peasant would have been feas
ible, but when I was willing to take
the chance of approaching anyone. It
wag Just as easy to auk for food as
matches.
It the second place, It would have
been extremely dangerous to have
built a fire even if I had needed It
Ton can't build a fire in Belgium,
which Is the most thickly populated
country In Europe, without everyone
knowing It, and I was far from anx
ious to advertising my whereabouts.
The villages In that part of. Bel
gium through which I was making my
course were so close together that
there was hardly ever an hour paused
without my hearing some clock strike.
Every village has Its clock. Many
times I could hear the clocks striking
In two villages at the same time.
But the hour had very little Interest
to me. . My program was to travel as
fast as I could from sunset to sunrise
and pay no attention to the hours In
between, and In the daytime I had
only two things to worry about: keep
concealed and get as much sleep as
possible. '
The cabbage that I got In Belgium
consisted of the small beads that the
peasants bad not cut. All the strength
had concentrated In these little heads
and they would be as bitter as gall. I
would have to be pretty hungry to
day before I could ever eat cabbage
again and the same observation ap
plies to carrots, turnips and sugar
beets especially sugar beets.
It Is rather a remarkable thing that
today even a smell of turnips, raw or
cooked, makes me sick, and yet a few
abort months ago my life depended
upon them.
Night after night as I searched for
food, I was always In hopes that I
might come upon some tomatoes or
celery vegetables which J really
nVearbuTVllh the exception of once,
when I found tome celery, I wag never
o fortunate. I at so much of the
celery the night I came upon It that
I wat alck for two day thereafter,
but I carried several bunches away
with me and used to chew on It as I
walked along.
Of course, I kept my eye open all
the time fur fruit trees, but apparently
it was too late In the year for fruit as
all that I ever was able to find were
two pears, which I got out of a tree.
That was one of my red-letter days,
but I was never able to repeat It.
In the brooks and ponda that 1
passed I often noticed Can of different
kind. That was either in the early
morning Just before I turned in for
the day, or on moonlight nights when
the water seemed aa clear In spots
as In the daytime. It occurred to me
that It would be a simple matter to rig
a hook and line and catch some fish,
but I had no means of cooking them
and it was useless .to fish for the sake
of It
One night in Belgium my course
took me through a desolate stretch of
country which seemed to be absolutely
uncultivated. I roust have covered
twelve miles during the night without
passing a single farm or cultivated
field. My stock of turnips which I
had picked the night before was gone
and I planned, of course, to get enough
to -carry me through the following
day.
The North Star was shining brightly
that night and there was absolutely
nothing to prevent my steering an ab
solutely direct course for Holland and
liberty, but my path seemed to He
through arid pastures. Far to the
east or to the west I could hear
faintly the striking of village bells,
and I knew that If I changed my
course I would undoubtedly strike
farms and vegetables, but the North
Star seemed to plead with me to fol
low It and I would not turn aside.
When daylight came, the conse
quence was I was empty handed and I
had to find a hiding place for the day.
I thought I would approach the first
peasant I came to and ask for food,
but that day I had misgivings a
hunch that I would get Into trouble
if I did, and I decided to go without
food altogether for that day.
It was a foolish thing to do, I found,
because I not only suffered greatly
from hunger all that day, but It Inter
fered with my sleep. I would drop off
to sleep for half an hour, perhaps,
and during that time I would dream
that I was free, back home, living a
life of comparative ease, and then I
would wake up with a start and catch
a glimpse of the bushes surrounding
me, feel the hard ground beneath me
and the hunger pangs gnawing at my
sides, and then I would realize how
far from home I really was, and I
would lie. there and wonder whether
I would ever really see my home
again. Then I would fall asleep again
and dream this time, perhaps of the
days I spent in Court ra I, or my leap
from the train window, of the Bava
rian pilot whom I sent to eternity In
my last air fight, of my tracer bullets
getting closer and closer to his bead,
and then I would wake np again with
a start and thank the Lord that I was
only dreaming it all again instead of
living through ltl
That night I got an early start be
cause I knew I had to have food, and
I decided that rather than look for
vegetables I would take a chance and
apply to the first Belgian peasant
whom I came to.
It was about 8 o'clock when I came
to a small bouse. I had picked up a
heavy stone and had bound It In my
handkerchief and I was resolved to use
It as a weapon If It became necessary.
After all I bad gone through, I was
resolved to win my liberty eventually
at whatever cost
As it happened, I found that night
the first real friend I had encountered
in all my traveling. When I knocked
timidly on the door, it was opened by
a Belgian peasant, about fifty years of
age. He asked me In Flemish what I
wanted, but . I . shook my head and
pointing to my ears and mouth Inti
mated that I was deaf and dumb, and
then I opened and closed my mouth
several times to show him that I
wanted food. :
He showed me Inside and sat me at
the table. He apparently lived alone,
for his Ill-furnished room had bat one
chair, and the plate and knife and
fork be put before me seemed to be all
he had. He brought me some cold
potatoes and several slices of stale
bread, and be warmed me some milk
on a small oil stove.
I ate ravenously and all the time I
was engaged I knew that he was eye
ing me closely.
Before I was half through he came
over to me, touching me on the shoul
der, and stooping over so that his lips
almost touched my ear, hetsald in
broken English. "You are an Eng
lishman I know It and you can hear
and talk if you wish am I not right T
There was a smile on his face and
a friendly attitude about him that told
me instinctively that he could be
trusted, and I replied: "You have
guessed right only I am an Ameri
can, not an Englishman."
He looked at me pityingly and filled
my cup again with warm milk.
His kindness und apparent willing
ness to help me almost overcame me,
and I felt like warning him of the
consequences be would suffer If the
Huns discovered he had befriended
me. I had heard that twenty Belgians
had been shot for helping Belgians
to escape into Holland, and I hated
to think what might happen to this
good old Samaritan If the Huns ever
knew that he bad helped an escaped
American prisoner.
After my meal was finished, I told
him In as simple language as I could
cojnffland of some of the experiences
1 1 had gone tnrougu uaa I outlined my
future plana,
j "You will never be able to get to
I Holland," he declared, "without a
I passport The nearer yoe get to the
frontier the more German soldiers
I you will encounter, and without a
j passport you will be a marked man."
I I asked him to suggest a way by
whjch I could overcome the difficulty.
He thought for several moments
and studied me closely all the time
perhaps endeavoring to make abso
"You Can Hear and Talk If You Wish
Am I Not Rlflhtr
lately sure that I was not a German
i spy aud then apparently deciding In
my favor, told me what he thought It
was best for me to do.
"If you will call on this man"
(mentioning the name of a Belgian In
a city through which I had to
pass), h advised, "you will be able to
make arrangements with him to se
cure a passport and he will do every
thing he can to get you out of Bel
gium." He told me where the man In ques
tion could be found and gave me some
useful directions to continue my Jour
ney, and then he led me to the door.
I thanked blm a thousand times and
wanted to pay him for his kindness
and help but he would accept nothing.
He did give me his name and you may
be sure I shall never forget It, but to
mention It here might, of course, re
sult in serious consequences for blm.
When the war Is over, however, or the
Germans are thrown out of Belgium,
I shall make It my duty to find that
kind Belgian if I have to go through
again all that I have suffered already
to do It
CHAPTER XI.
I Encounter German 8oldlers.
What the Belgian told me about
the need of a passport gave me fresh
cause for worry. Suppose I should
run Into a German sentry before I
succeeded in getting one?
I decided that until I reached tha
big city which the Belgian had men
tioned and which I cannot name for
fear of Identifying some of the people
there who befriended me I would
proceed with the utmost precaution.
Since I bad discarded my uniform
and had obtained civilian clothes, I
; Last .Photograph Taken of Lieutenant
9 O'Brien Before His Capture. With
Him Is His Chum, Lieutenant Raneyv
j had not been quite as careful as I was
at first While I had done my trav
eling at night I had not gone Into
hiding so early in the morning as
before and I had sometimes started
again before it was quite dark, rely
ing upon the fact that I would prob
ably be mistaken for a Belgian on his
way to or from work, as the case
might be. .. From now on, I resolved,
however, ( I . would take no more
j chances.
I Tha evening I came to a river per
haps seventy-five yards wide and I
I was getting ready to swim It when I
; thought I would walk a little way to
find, If possible, a better place to get
to the river from the bank. I had not
walked more. Uum. a, faw. hundred
I . " I,, .
, vM 1 1 fit
yards when I saw a boat" It was' (L !
first time I had seen a boat in all my
experiences.
It was firmly chained, but as tha
stakes were sunk In the soft bank It
was not much ot a Job to pull them
at I gt In, drnnk to my heart's
content shoved Over to the other aid a,
got out drove a stake Into the ground
and moored the boat It would have
been a simple matter to bare drifted
down the river, but the river was not
shown on the map and I had no Idea
where It might lead me. Very reluc
tantly, therefore, I had to abandon
the boat and proceed on foot
I made several miles that night and
before daylight found a safe place In
which to hide for the day. From my
billing place I could sea through tbs
bushes a heavy thick wood only a
short distance away. I decided that
I would start earlier than usual, hurry
over to the wood and perhaps. In that
way. I could cover two or three miles
In the daytime and gain Just so much
time. Traveling through the wood
would be comparatively safe. There
was a railroad going through the
wood, bat I did not figure that that
would make It any the leas safe. ,
About three o'clock that afternoon,
therefore, I emerged from my hiding
place and hurried Into the wood.
After proceeding for half a mils or
so I came to the railroad. I took a
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.
I soon came upon a clearing and
knew that someone must be living In
the vicinity. As I turned a group of
trees I saw a small house and In the
distance an old man working In a
garden. I decided to enter the house
aud ask for food, figuring the woman
would pmhably be old anil would be
no match for me even If she proved
hostile. The old woman who came
to tbe door In response to. my knock
waa older than I expected. If she
wasn't close to a hundred, I miss my
guess very much.
She could not ieak English and I
could not speak Flemish, of course,
but nevertheless I made her under
stand that I wanted something to eat
She came out of the door and hol
loed for her husband In a shrill voire
that would have done credit to a girl
of eighteen. The old man came In
from the garden and between tho two
of them they managed to get tbe Idea
that I was hungry and they gave me
t piece of bread a very small piece
srhleh was quite a treat
The house they lived In consisted of
Just two rooms the kitchen and a
bedroom. The kitchen was perhaps
fourteen feet square, eight feet of
one side being taken up by an enor
mous fireplace. What was In the bed
room I bad no way of telling, as I
did not dare to be too Inquisitive.
I made the old couple understand
that I would like to stay In their house
all night, but the old man shook bis
bead. 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 I
must be in the outskirts of the big
city which the Belgian had mentioned
and where I was to procure a pass
port Village after village Intercepted me,
and although I tried to skirt them
wherever possible I realized that I
would never make much progress If
I continued that course. To gain a
mile I would sometimes have to make
a detour of two or three. I decided
that I would try my luck In going
straight through the next village I
came to.
Aa I approached It 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 tbem and It was
dangerous to arouse suspicion even
among the Belgians. For all I knew,
one of tbem might be treacherous
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 a point where ahead of me on
the right was a Belgian police station
I knew It from Its red lights and
on the other side of tbe street were
two German soldiers in uniform
leaning against a bicycle.
Here was a problem which called
for Instant decision ; If I 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. I decided to march bravely
by the Huns, bluff my way through
and "trust1 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 I claim to be. My
heart beat so loud I was afraid they
would bear it Every step I took
brought me so much nearer to what
might prove to be the end of all my
hopes. It was a nerve-racking ordeal.
I was now within a few feet of
them. Another step and
, They didn't turn a hair! , I 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 I left them behind, but I tried to
maintain an even gait so as not to
give them any Idea of the Inward ex
altation I was experiencing. No words
can explain, however, how relieved I
really felt to know that I had suc
cessfully passed through tbe first of
a series of similar tests which I real
ized were In store for me although
I did not know then bow soon I was
to be confronted with the second, '
i ij It. was,. Jiowevgr,. tha. tacldegt
gave me a world of coiiAdencs, It
demonstrated to nis that there was
nothing In my appearance at any rata
to attract the attention of the German
soldiers. Apparently -I looked llks a
Belgian peasant and If could only
work things so that I would never
have to answer questions and thus
give away my nationality, I figured 1
would be tolerably safe.
As I marched along I felt so' happy
I couldn't help humming sn air of one
of tha new patriotic songs that ws
used to sing at the airdrome back In
Tpres.
In this happy frame of mind I cov
ered the next three miles In about an
hour and then came to another Utile
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 detourlng around
It and my apearance 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 feellug of
alarm.
I had proceeded perhaps, a mile
along tbe malu street when I noticed
ahead of me three German soldiers
standing at the curb.
Again my heart started to beat fast,
I must confess, but I wss not nearly
so scared as I had been an hour or
so before.
I walked ahead, determined to fol
low my previous procedure In every
particular.
I had got to about fifteen feet away
from the soldiers when one of them
stepped onto the sidewalk and
shouted :
"Halt I"
My heart stopped beating fast for
a moment, I believe, It stopped beatlug
altogether! I can't attempt to de
scribe my feelings. I thought that
the Jig waa U that all I bad gone
through and all I hud escaped would
now avail me nothing, mingled with
the feeling of disgust with my
self because of the foolish risk I
hud taken In going through tbe vil
lage, combined to take all the starch
out of me, and, I could feel myself
wilting as the soldier ad van red to the
spot where I stood rooted tu Ui
tracks.
I bad a bottle of water In one pocket
and a piece of bread In tbe other, aud
as the Hun advanced to search me I
held the bottle up In one hand and
the piece of bread. In the other so that
he could see that was all I hud.
It occurred to me that be would
"frisk" me that Is, feel me over for
arms or other weapons, 'then place
me under arrest and march me elf to
the guardhouse, I bad not the slight
est Idea hut that I was captured and
there didn't seem to be much use In
resisting, unarmed as I was and with
two other German soldiers within a
few feet of as.
Like a flash It suddenly dnned rn
me, however, that for all this u!dler
could have known I was only a llel
gian peasant and that bis oh.'-i t in
searching me, which he proceed ! to
do, was to ascertain whether 1 bud
committed the common "crime" of
smuggling potatoes.
The Belgians were allowed only a
certain amount of potatoes, and It Is
against the Jaws luld down by the
Huns to deal in vegetables of any
kind except under the rigid supervi
sion of the authorities. Nevertheless,
It was one of the principal vocations
of tbe average poor Belgian to boy
potatoes out In the country from
peasants and then smuggle them Into
the large cities and sell them clan
destinely at a high price.
To stop this traffic In potatoes, the
German soldiers were in tha habit of
subjecting the Belgians to frequent
search, and I was being held op by
this soldier for no other reason than
that ha thought I might be a potato
smuggler I ,
He felt of my outside clothes snd
pockets, and finding no potatoes
seemed to be quite satisfied. Hud he
but known who I was he could have
earned an Iron cross t Or, perhaps, In
view of the fact that I had a heavy
water bottle In my uplifted hand, It
might have turned out to be a wooden
cross 1
He said something In ' German,
which, of course, I did not understand,
and then some Belgian peasants came
along and seemed to distract his atten
tion. Perhaps be had suld: "It's all
right; you may go on," or he may
have been talking to the others In
Flemish, but at any rate, observing
that be was more Interested In the
others than he was In me at the mo
ment I put the bottle In my pocket
and walked on.
After I walked a few steps, I took a
furtive glance backward and noticed
the soldier who had searched me re
join his comrades at the curb and then
stop another fellow who had come
along, and then I disappeared In the
darkness.
I cannot say that the outcome of
this adventure left jne In the same
confident 'frame of mind that followed
tbe earlier one. I was sure I had
come out of It all right, but I could
not help thinking what a terribly close
shave I had. '
Suppose the soldier had questioned
met The, ruse f hud been following
In my dealings with the Belgian peas
ants pretending I was deuf and
dumb might possibly' have worked
here, too, but a soldier a Gurman
soldier might not so easily have been
fooled. It was more than an even
chance that It would huve at least
aroused his suspicion and resulted In
further investigation. A' search of
my clothing would have revealed a
dozen things which would huve estab
lished my. ldjmititE and. uJl my. sham-
Uilng of deafness would havs" availed
we nothing.
As I wandered along I knsw that I
waa now approaching the big city
which my Belgian friend had spoken
Searched by German Guards.
of and which I would have to enter
If I was to get the pnssrt and I
realized now how essential It was to
have something to enuble me to get
through the frequeut examination
to which I ex)HHted to bo subjected.
While I wus stilt debating In my
mind whether It was going to be pos
sible for me to enter the city that
night, I saw In the distance what ap
peared lo be an arc light, and as I
ueared It that was what It turned out
to be. Beneath the light I could
make out the forms of three guards,
and the thought of having to go
through the same kind of ordeal that
I bud Just experienced Oiled me with
misgivings. Was It possible that I
could be fortunate enough to get by
again T
As I slowed up a little, trying to
make up my mind what was best to do,
I was overtaken by a group of Be
gian women who were sbnffllng along
the road, and I decided to , mingle
wlththem and see If I couldn't couvey
the impression that I was one ot
their party.
Aa we approached the arc tight tha
figures of those three soldiers with
their spiked helmets loomed before
like a regiment I felt as if I were)
wulklng right Into the Jaws of death,
Bather than go through what waa la
stfire for me, I felt that I would In
finitely prefer to be fighting again la
the air with those four desperat
Huns who had been tbe cause of my
present plight then, at bast I
would have a chance to fight back,
but now I had to risk my life and
take what was coming to me without
a cliunce to strlks a blow lu my own
defense.
I shalt never forget my feelings as
we came within the shaft of light pro
jected by that great arc light nor tha
faces of those three guards as we
passed by them. I didn't look directly
at them, but out of the corner of my
eye I never missed a detail. I held a
handkerchief op to my face as wa
passed them und endeavored to Imi
tate the slouching gait of the Belgians
aa well as I could, and apparently It
worked. Wa walked right by those
guards and they paid absolutely no
attention to us.
If ever a fellow felt like going down
on bis knees and praying I did at that
moment, but it wouldn't have done to
abow my elation or gratitude In that
conspicuous way.
It was then well after 11 o'clock and,
I knew it would be unsafe for me to
attempt to find a lodging place In tha
city, aud tbe only thing for me to do
was to locate the man whose name the
Belgian had given me. He had given
me a good description of the street
and hud directed me how to get there,
and I followed bis Instructions closely.
After walking tbe streets for about
half an bour, I came upon one of tha
landmarks my friend had described to
ma and ten minutes afterwards I was
knocking at the door of the man who
was to make It possible for me to reach
Hollaed and liberty I At least, that
was what I hoped.
CHAPTER XII.
The Forged Passport
For obvious reasons, I cannot de
scribe the man to whom I applied for
th.e passport nor the house In which
he lived. While, In view of what sub
sequently happened, I would not ba
very much concerned If be got into
trouble for having dealt with me, I
realize that the hardships he had en
dured In common with the other In
habitants of that conquered city may
possibly have distorted his idea of
right and Justice, and I shall not de
liberately bring further disaster on
him by revealing his Identity.
This man we will call him Huy
liger because that is as unlike hla
name, as It Is mine was very kind to
me on that memorable night when t
aroused him from his Bleep and In
few words of explanation told him ot
my plight. '
He Invited me Inside, prepared some)
food for me and, putting on a dress
ing gown, came and sat by me while I
ate, listening with the greatest Inter
est to the short account of my advea
tnres. v - .,'
(To be continued)