e rode his third
horse, two having already been shot under him.

Clouds of dust and smoke again veiled the combatants, and nothing
could be seen but the two banners--now pressing forward, now retarded,
but slowly approaching, and cutting a deadly passage towards each
other.

Old Gergo was engaged with two cuirassiers, his ardour unmingled with
the impetuosity of youth; and even in the midst of the fray he found
time to instruct the young recruit, illustrating his theory by many a
prompt example.

A troop of hussars now dashed forward and were met by an equal number
of cuirassiers; their leaders, being on the right of their troops, had
not yet met face to face, but, foremost to the charge, they showed a
good example, while each man fought as if he alone were responsible
for the honour of his party. The right flank on either side pressing
back the foe's left, they both turned round the centre, like a stiff
axle--the hussars occupying the place of the cuirassiers, and the
latter that of the hussars.

In the heat of the action, their leaders recognised each other--Laszlo
and Gejza! But the discovery produced no wavering--both were
determined to conquer or to die.

Meanwhile another troop came up to the assistance of the cuirassiers,
and the hussar captain was obliged to cut his way out from between two
fires, and thus came face to face with his antagonist.

"Surrender, comrade!" cried Laszlo.

"Never!" cried the hussar, as he galloped to the charge.

The sword of death was raised in either hand, their glances darted
fire; for a moment they remained motionless, as if spell-bound, their
swords still raised--the next both turned with one accord upon the
nearest foes. Laszlo's sword pierced the heart of a hussar, while
Gejza dealt such a blow on a cuirassier's helmet that he fell without
a groan, and then, without turning, he cut his way through the enemy's
ranks--"Hurrah! hurrah!--rajta!" And the battle-cry mingled with the
clash of swords and the groans of the dying.

Meanwhile a division of cuirassiers marched rapidly through Szolnok to
take the hussars in the rear.

Suddenly, at the turn of a street, two hundred red-caps stood before
them. Both parties were taken by surprise at the unexpected encounter.
It was but a moment. The next, an engagement took place of which we
find few instances in history, namely, infantry attacking cavalry. The
two hundred red-caps suddenly fired on the cuirassiers, and then,
shout