About midday
For miles I ran alongside a park wall , and in a break of the trees I saw a great castle . I swung through little old thatched villages , and over peaceful lowland streams , and past gardens blazing with hawthorn and yellow laburnum . The land was so deep in peace that I could scarcely believe that somewhere behind me were those who sought my life ; ay , and that in a month 's time , unless I had the almightiest of luck , these round country faces would be pinched and staring , and men would be lying dead in English fields . About midday I entered a long straggling village , and had a mind to stop and eat . Half-way down was the Post Office , and on the steps of it stood the postmistress and a policeman hard at work conning a telegram . When they saw me they wakened up , and the policeman advanced with raised hand , and cried on me to stop . I nearly was fool enough to obey .