It was one of them, detecting the approach of General Suvaroff and his Cossack raiders, who had spoiled the plan for the capture of von Hindenburg.
But though he had felt that he was perfectly justified in sacrificing Schmidt to his own need to escape, Fred could not help feeling sorry for the poor fellow.
"I hope he'll be able to think up a good story!" he said to himself.
"And, by George, I hope I don't meet any more German soldiers! They would certainly finish me off if they found me riding on a German horse! There isn't anything I could do that would make them think that was all right, no matter how stupid they were!" He urged his horse on now as hard as he dared, tired though he knew it to be.

His plan was simple enough.

He meant to ride to within a mile of the village, and then dismount, letting the horse go wherever it liked.
Its usefulness to him would be over as soon as it had put him past the possibility of pursuit.

He thought his troubles were nearly over.

But suddenly, around a turn in the road, came a glare of light, and in his ears sounded the bugle of a German military automobile..