“I’ll deal with him in my own way, please,” was my reply.
We plunged along at such pace as we could make now that the darkness had deepened; but when we could go no faster than a walk, and were, I reckoned, some two miles from the cross roads, I called a halt.
“We are going to rest here, captain,” I said to him, as we dismounted.
We three sat by the side of the road and while we made a hasty meal I explained my plan to Karasch, who was frankly frightened by the presence of the official.
“The moon will be up in a couple of hours, Karasch, and you must keep watch. I must sleep or I shall not be fit to ride later. We are going to leave that man here. If he dismounts, find the means to turn his horse astray; if he does not, you must disable the horse. But don’t shoot it except in the last resource; for we don’t know who might hear the shot. The man we shall just tie up to a tree.”
“It is dangerous, Burgwan. He is an officer of the Imperial Government,” said Karasch.
“If he were the Emperor of Austria himself, I should do it in the plight we are in.”
I lay down. The excitement had kept me going; but I was done now; utterly exhausted and worn out; and despite the hazard of our position, I was soon fast asleep. I was wakened by a loud, angry cry from the Austrian. I could scarcely lift my head for the throbbing in it; I ached in every joint and muscle; and my leg was woefully stiff and painful from that knife thrust; but I scrambled to my feet in alarm and confusion at the noise.
I must have slept for some three hours; for the moon was up and shining fitfully between the masses of ragged threatening clouds which were scudding across the face of the heavens. By the light I saw the man struggling with Karasch and shouting with a vigour that woke very dangerous echoes in the still night. Mademoiselle was holding Chris, who was growling ominously, and she was attempting to still him.
I went over to them and found that Karasch had strapped the man’s legs tight together and was holding on to the strap with his one arm while the Austrian was fighting and wrestling to get free.