I knew very little about the country, and I hadn't a notion what I
was going to do. I trusted to the strength of my legs, but I was
well aware that those behind me would be familiar with the lie of
the land, and that my ignorance would be a heavy handicap. I saw
in front of me a sea of hills, rising very high towards the south, but
northwards breaking down into broad ridges which separated wide
and shallow dales. The ridge I had chosen seemed to sink after a
mile or two to a moor which lay like a pocket in the uplands. That
seemed as good a direction to take as any other.
My stratagem had given me a fair start--call it twenty minutes--
and I had the width of a glen behind me before I saw the first heads
of the pursuers. The police had evidently called in local talent to
their aid, and the men I could see had the appearance of herds or
gamekeepers. They hallooed at the sight of me, and I waved my
hand. Two dived into the glen and began to climb my ridge, while
the others kept their own side of the hill. I felt as if I were taking
part in a schoolboy game of hare and hounds.
But very soon it began to seem less of a game. Those fellows
behind were hefty men on their native heath. Looking back I saw
that only three were following direct, and I guessed that the others
had fetched a circuit to cut me off. My lack of local knowledge
might very well be my undoing, and I resolved to get out of this
tangle of glens to the pocket of moor I had seen from the tops.
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