The Confessions of a 'Poacher. 167 



though I was in luck. Every wall, every 

 hedgerow, every mound aided my going. 

 Now a dash across an open field would land 

 me almost at my own door. Then I should 

 be safe. I had hardly had time to congratulate 

 myself on my getting in unobserved when a 

 constable, then a second, and a third were all 

 tearing down upon me from watch points, where 

 they had been in hiding. The odds were against 

 me, but I grasped my load desperately, drew 

 it tightly upon my shoulders, and ran. The 

 police had thrown down their capes, and were 

 rapidly gaining upon me. I got into a long 

 slouching trot, however, determined to make 

 a desperate effort to get in, where I should 

 have been safe. This they knew. Strong 

 and fleet as I was I was too heavily handi- 

 capped, but I felt that even though I fell 

 exhausted on the other side of the door-way, I 

 would gain it. My pursuers all heavy men 

 were blown, and in trouble, and I knew there 

 was now no obstacle before me. Now it was 

 only a distance of twenty yards now a dozen. 

 The great thuds of the men's feet were close 



