He tied him up in most approved fashion and then gagged him with his handkerchief.
"Just to keep you from giving an alarm," he said.
Rapidly he donned the Austrian's clothes and then walked over to his horse. This he mounted and turned the animal's head southward. He waved a hand at the Austrian.
"Auf Wiedersehen," he said, and rode away.
He kept as far as possible from the Austrian troops that patrolled the outposts and half an hour later was beyond the Austrian lines. Out of sight he halted and discarded the Austrian uniform he had drawn on over his civilian attire and then rode on more confidently.
And the little man welcomed a command that broke upon his ears a short time later:
"Halt!"
He drew rein. A soldier in Italian uniform advanced toward him.
"Thank the Lord," said the little man.
He drew a hand across a moist brow and gave a whistle of pure relief.