I remembered Blenkiron's news about the Russians advancing on a broad front, for it was clear that Stumm was taking pains about the flank of the fortress.
Kara Gubek was the point of interest.

It stood on a rib of land between two peaks, which from the contour lines rose very steep.

So long as it was held it was clear that no invader could move down the Euphrates glen.

Stumm had appended a note to the peaks--'_not fortified_'; and about two miles to the north-east there was a red cross and the name '_Prjevalsky_'.

I assumed that to be the farthest point yet reached by the right wing of the Russian attack.
Then I turned to the paper from which Stumm had copied the jottings on to his map.