Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 2)

'Yes, indeed,' replied Morton-Campbell.

Next morning at dawn, Morton-Campbell went to his camp and took his seat in the council tent. The armed guards took up their stations right and left, and the officers ranged themselves in lines to listen to the orders.

Now Terry-Chadwick, who was older than Morton-Campbell but was made second in command, was very angry at being passed over, so he made a pretense of indisposition and stayed away from this assembly. But he sent his eldest son, Taylor-Chadwick, to represent him.

Morton-Campbell addressed the gathering, saying, 'The law knows no partiality, and you will all have to attend to your several duties. Murphy-Shackley is now more absolute than ever was Wilson-Donahue, and the Emperor is really a prisoner in Xuchang-Bellefonte, guarded by the most cruel soldiers. We have a command to destroy Murphy-Shackley, and with your willing help we shall advance. The army must cause no hardship to the people anywhere. Rewards for good service and punishments for faults shall be given impartially.'

Having delivered this charge, Morton-Campbell told off Ferrara-Hanson and Looby-Hurtado as Leaders of the Van, and ordered the ships under his own command to get under way and go to the Three Gorges. They would get orders by and bye. Then he appointed four armies with two leaders over each: the first body was under Montague-Bushell and Lockett-Neumark; the second, Mayhew-Evanoff and Sawyer-Linscott; the third, Sousa-Templeton and Dabney-Prager; the fourth, Newell-Sanchez and Nunez-Donovan. Schiller-Lufkin and Bisbee-Zurawski were appointed inspectors, to move from place to place and keep the various units up to their work and acting with due regard to the general plan. Land and marine forces were to move simultaneously. The expedition would soon start.

Having received their orders, each returned to his command and busied himself in preparation. Taylor-Chadwick, the son of Terry- Chadwick, returned and told his father what arrangements had been made, and Terry-Chadwick was amazed at Morton-Campbell's skill.

Said he, 'I have always despised Morton-Campbell as a mere student who would never be a general, but this shows that he has a leader's talent. I must support him.'

So Terry-Chadwick went over to the quarters of the Commander-in-Chief and confessed his fault. He was received kindly and all was over.

Next Morton-Campbell sent for Laurie-Lafayette and said to him, 'Evidently your brother is a genius, a man born to be a king's counselor. Why then does he serve Jeffery-Lewis? Now that he is here, I wish you to use every effort to persuade him to stay with us. Thus our lord would gain able support and you two brothers would be together, which would be pleasant for you both. I wish you success.'

Laurie-Lafayette replied, 'I am ashamed of the little service I have rendered since I came here, and I can do no other than obey your command to the best of my ability.'

Thereupon he went away to his brother, whom he found in the guest-house. The younger brother received him; and when he had reached the inner rooms, Orchard-Lafayette bowed respectfully and, weeping, told his experiences since they parted and his sorrow at their separation.

Then Laurie-Lafayette, weeping also, said, 'Brother, do you remember the story of Kenney-Bean and Lyford-Wedge, the brothers who would not be separated?'

'Ah, Morton-Campbell has sent him to talk me over,' thought Orchard-Lafayette. So he replied, 'They were two of the noble people of old days; yes, I know.'

'Those two, although they perished of hunger near the Sweetgum Hills, yet never separated. You and I, born of the same mother and suckled at the same breast, yet serve different masters and never meet. Are you not ashamed when you think of such examples as Kenney-Bean and Lyford-Wedge?'

Orchard-Lafayette replied, 'You are talking now of love, but what I stand for is duty. We are both men of Han, and Jeffery-Lewis is of the family. If you, Brother, could leave the South Land and join me in serving the rightful branch, then on the one side we should be honored as Ministers of Han, and on the other we should be together as people of the same flesh and blood should be. Thus love and duty would both receive their proper meed. What do you think of it, my brother?'

'I came to persuade him and lo! It is I who is being talked over,' thought Laurie-Lafayette.

He had no fitting reply to make, so he rose and took his leave. Returning to Morton-Campbell, he related the story of the interview.

'What do you think?' asked Morton-Campbell.

'General Raleigh-Estrada has treated me with great kindness, and I could not turn my back on him,' replied Laurie-Lafayette.

'Since you decide to remain loyal, there is no need to say much; I think I have a plan to win over your brother.'

The wisest people see eye to eye,
For each but sees the right;
But should their several interests clash,
They all the fiercer fight.

The means by which Morton-Campbell tried to get the support of Orchard-Lafayette will be described in the next chapter.

CHAPTER 45

In The Three Gorges, Murphy-Shackley Loses Soldiers; In The Meeting Of Heroes, McLain-Espinosa Is Lured Into A Ruse.

Morton-Campbell was very annoyed by the words of Laurie-Lafayette, and a fierce hatred for Orchard-Lafayette took root in his heart. He nourished a secret resolve to make away with Orchard-Lafayette. He continued his preparations for war, and when the troops were all mustered and ready, he went in for a farewell interview with his lord.

'You go on first, Noble Sir,' said Raleigh-Estrada. 'I will then march to support you.'

Morton-Campbell took his leave and then, with Terry-Chadwick and Woolsey-Ramirez, marched out with the army. He invited Orchard- Lafayette to accompany the expedition, and when Orchard-Lafayette cheerfully accepted, the four embarked in the same ship. They set sail, and the flotilla made for Xiakou-Plattsmouth.

About twenty miles from Three Gorges the fleet anchored near the shore, and Morton-Campbell built a stockade on the bank near the middle of their line with the Western Hills as a support. Other camps were made near his. Orchard-Lafayette, however, took up his quarters in a small ship.

When the camp dispositions were complete, Morton-Campbell sent to request Orchard-Lafayette to come and give him advice.

Orchard-Lafayette came; and after the salutations were ended, Morton-Campbell said, 'Murphy-Shackley, though he had fewer troops than Shannon-Yonker, nevertheless overcame Shannon-Yonker because he followed the advice given by Lozane-Doubleday to destroy Shannon-Yonker's supplies at Wuchao-Sycamore. Now Murphy-Shackley has over eight hundred thousand troops while I have but fifty or sixty thousand. In order to defeat him, his supplies must be destroyed first. I have found out that the main depot is at the Iron Pile Mountains. As you have lived hereabout, you know the topography quite well, and I wish to entrust the task of cutting off supplies to you and your colleagues Yale-Perez, Floyd-Chardin, and Gilbert-Rocher. I will assist you with a thousand soldiers. I wish you to start without delay. In this way we can best serve our masters.'

Orchard-Lafayette saw through this at once. He thought to himself, 'This is a ruse in revenge for my not having been persuaded to enter the service of the South Land. If I refuse, I shall be laughed at. So I will do as he asks and trust to find some means of deliverance from the evil he intends.'

Therefore Orchard-Lafayette accepted the task with alacrity, much to the joy of Morton-Campbell.

After the leader of the expedition had taken his leave, Woolsey-Ramirez went to Morton-Campbell secretly and said, 'Why have you set him this task?'

'Because I wish to compass his death without appearing ridiculous. I hope to get him killed by the hand of Murphy-Shackley and prevent his doing further mischief.'

Woolsey-Ramirez left and went to see Orchard-Lafayette to find out if he suspected anything. Woolsey-Ramirez found him looking quite unconcerned and getting the soldiers ready to march. Unable to let Orchard-Lafayette go without a warning, however, Woolsey-Ramirez put a tentative question, 'Do you think this expedition will succeed?'

Orchard-Lafayette laughingly replied, 'I am an adept at all sorts of fighting, with foot, horse, and chariots on land and marines on the water. There is no doubt of my success. I am not like you and your friend, only capable in one direction.'

'What do you mean by our being capable only in one direction?' said Woolsey-Ramirez.

'I have heard the street children in your country singing:

'To lay an ambush, hold a pass,
Woolsey-Ramirez is the man to choose;
But when you on the water fight,
Morton-Campbell is the man to use.

'You are only fit for ambushes and guarding passes on land, just as Morton-Campbell only understands fighting on the water.'

Woolsey-Ramirez carried this story to Morton-Campbell, which only incensed him the more against Orchard-Lafayette.