Of course if the watchman had seen me, he would have leaped on his horse and soon caught me; but of that I scarcely even thought, I was in such confusion.
When I had run perhaps a mile (being at that time very slight, and of active figure), I saw a cloud of dust, about two miles off, rising through the bright blue haze.

It was rich yellow dust of the fertile soil, which never seems to cake or clot.

Sometimes you may walk for miles without the smallest fear of sinking, the earth is so elastic.

And yet with a slight exertion you may push a walking-stick down through it until the handle stops it.

My heart gave a jump: that cloud of dust was a sign of men on horseback.