“My mind was made up to leave France, and accordingly directed my way towards a small town on the sea coast.
“I had not gone far when I was overtaken by two mounted officers, who said it had been discovered that the person just liberated from the castle had turned out to be one of the ‘Scorchers,’ and they were in search of him.
“I muffled myself up so well, and assumed a strange voice so cleverly, that I threw the officers off the scent.
“I told them, however, that the very man they were looking for had attempted to rob me, but that I had proved more than a match for him, and in punishment had tied him to a tree, by the roadside.
“They believed my story, and hastily galloped back in the direction I had indicated.
“Of course I need not say that I rode off rapidly in the other direction.
“I came to the small town I intended, but it was walled in and had gates.
“I knocked at the gates for a long time, and at last they were opened by a stout sturdy porter.
“He demanded my passport.
“I gave him the one I had stolen from the merchant.