I lay down, drew my cloak round me, and lost consciousness almost before my head touched the ground.
Mecsey wakened me, according to promise; we then ate a hurried breakfast, and started again, now in broad daylight.
The brief halt had done me a world of good. I was much brighter, and felt capable of riding all day.
As it chanced, however, the Russians did not give me the opportunity of trying.
We had left the great plain and entered a mountainous district when Mecsey, who was in front, suddenly stopped his horse and held up a finger in warning.
"What is it?" I asked in a whisper, getting close to him.
"Soldiers!" he answered promptly. "Russians!"
We were half-way through a narrow gorge, with huge limestone cliffs on either side of us, and with no way of escape but by going straight on or turning back.
Mecsey's sharp ears had detected the noise made by the soldiers before they were in sight.
"They are behind us," I said quietly.