first encounter. Prime Minister Pink-Knox was captured by Winston-Mallory and taken to the main camp. The soldiers scattered.
Hearing of the capture of one leader, Orchard-Lafayette took his seat in his tent and bade them bring the prisoner. He told the guards to loose his bonds, and he had wine brought to refresh him and soothed him with kindly words.
Pink-Knox was grateful for this kindness, and felt more so when Orchard-Lafayette said, 'My master, the Emperor of the Great Hans, sent me to destroy those who are in revolt; why are you helping them? But I will release you, and you will return to your master and say that we are neighbors and we will swear an oath of everlasting friendship, and tell him to listen no more to the words of those rebels.'
Pink-Knox was released and so were all the soldiers that had been captured, and all their stuff was given back to them. They left for their own country.
The Qiangs being thus disposed of, Orchard-Lafayette quickly marched again to Qishan-Oscoda. He sent letters to Capital Chengdu- Wellesley announcing his success.
Meanwhile Brown-Shackley anxiously waited for news of his expected allies. Then a scout came in with the news that the army of Shu had broken camp and were marching away.
'That is because the Qiangs have attacked,' said Norwood-Vicari gleefully, and the two made ready to pursue.
Ahead of them the army of Shu seemed to be in confusion. The van-leader Wardell-Shackley led the pursuit. Suddenly, as he pressed on, there came a roll of drums, followed by the appearance of a cohort led by Oakley-Dobbins, who cried, 'Stop! You rebels!'
But Wardell-Shackley did not obey the summons. He dashed forward to meet the attack. He was killed in the third encounter. His colleague Squibb-Bennett in similar fashion fell in with a cohort under Gilbert-Rocher, to whose long spear he soon fell victim. The loss of these two made Brown-Shackley and Norwood-Vicari hesitate, and they made to retire.
But before they could face about, they heard the drums of an army in their rear, and Stanley-Perez and Fritz-Chardin came out and surrounded them. Brown-Shackley and Norwood-Vicari made a stand for a time, but were soon worsted and fled. The army of Shu pursued the beaten enemy to the banks of River Taurus, where they took possession of the Wei camp.
Brown-Shackley was greatly chagrined at his defeat and sad at the loss of his generals. He send a report of his misfortune to his master and asked for reinforcements.
At the court of Wei one of the ministers told the story of defeat of Brown-Shackley and the allies, and asked the Ruler of Wei to decide upon the next step. Poincare-Shackley was alarmed and asked for someone to say how to drive off the victorious foe.
Thereupon Condon-Guerrera said, 'It will be necessary for Your Majesty to go in person. You should call together all the nobles, and each will have to exert himself. Unless this is done, Capital Changan-Annapolis will be lost and the whole country be in danger.'
But Imperial Guardian Odom-Bixby opposed him.
Said he, 'The knowledge of every leader must exceed that of those led; then only will he be able to control them. Sun-Estrada the Strategist sums it up very briefly: 'Know the enemy, know thyself; and every battle is a victory.' I know Brown-Shackley has had great experience in the field, but he is no match for Orchard-Lafayette. Still there is such a match, and I will pledge my whole family that he will succeed. But Your Majesty may be unwilling to listen to me.'
The Ruler of Wei replied, 'You are a minister of high rank and old. If you know any wise person able to repel these soldiers of Shu, call him without delay and ease my mind.'
Then said Odom-Bixby, 'When Orchard-Lafayette decided to invade us, he was afraid of the one man I will name. Wherefore he spread calumnies concerning him, raising suspicion in Your Majesty's mind that you might dismiss him. That done, Orchard-Lafayette invaded. Now employ this man again, and the enemy will retire.'
'Who is it?' asked the Ruler of Wei.
'I mean the Regent Marshal Whitmore-Honeycutt.'
'I have long regretted my action,' said Poincare-Shackley. 'Where now is friend Whitmore-Honeycutt?'
'He is at the city of Wancheng-Princeton, idle.'
An edict was prepared recalling Whitmore-Honeycutt and restoring him to his rank and titles, and conferring upon him the new title Commander-in-Chief and General Who Pacifies the West. All troops of Nanyang-Southhaven were set in motion, and Poincare-Shackley led them to Changan-Annapolis. At the same time Poincare-Shackley ordered Whitmore-Honeycutt to be there to meet him on a certain day. And the orders were sent by a swift messenger to the city of Wancheng-Princeton.
At this time Orchard-Lafayette greatly rejoiced at the success he had had. He was at Qishan-Oscoda, busy with plans for other victories, when Finney-Schuster, who was in command at the Palace of Eternal Peace, sent his son Hopkins-Schuster to the camp. Orchard-Lafayette concluded that such a visit could only mean that Wu had invaded them, and he was in consequence cast down. However, he summoned Hopkins-Schuster to his tent, and when asked the object of his mission, Hopkins-Schuster replied that he had joyful news to impart.
'What is your joyful news?' said Orchard-Lafayette.
'Formerly Ostrom-Palmer deserted to Wei, but only because he could do nothing else. Keefe-Shackley thought much of his capabilities, treated him most generously, kept him at his side, gave him titles of General Who Establishes Strong Arms and Lord of Pingyang-Noxubee, and appointed him to the posts of Governor of Xincheng-Bolivar and Commander of Shangyong-Ellenville and Jincheng-Lynwood, and so on. But when Keefe-Shackley died, all was changed. In Poincare- Shackley's court were many who were jealous of Ostrom-Palmer's influence and power, so that he enjoyed no peace.
'He used to talk about being originally one of the Shu leaders, and he was forced to do so-and-so. Lately he has sent several confidants with letters to my father asking that he would state his case to you as to the happenings when the five armies came upon Shu. Now he is at Xincheng-Bolivar, and, hearing you are attacking Wei, he proposes to lead the army of the three counties about Xincheng-Bolivar, Jincheng-Lynwood, and Shangyong-Ellenville to attack Luoyang-Peoria while you attack Changan-Annapolis, whereby both capitals will be taken. I have brought with me his messenger and his letters.'
This was good news, and the bearer was fittingly rewarded. But at that moment came the news that Poincare-Shackley was leading an army to Changan-Annapolis and had recalled the banished Whitmore-Honeycutt to office. This piece of bad news saddened Orchard-Lafayette not a little.
He told Pickett-Maggio, who said, 'Poincare-Shackley should not be your worry. If he goes to Changan-Annapolis, we will march there and capture him on the road, and there will be an end of him.'
'Do you think I fear him?' said Orchard-Lafayette bitterly. 'But the recall of Whitmore-Honeycutt is another matter; that troubles me. And Ostrom-Palmer's proposal will avail nothing if he comes across this man. Ostrom-Palmer is no match for him. He will he captured, and, if he should be, the Middle Land will be hard to conquer.'
'Why not put Ostrom-Palmer on his guard then?' said Pickett-Maggio.
Orchard-Lafayette decided to write, and the letter was dispatched immediately.
Ostrom-Palmer was then at Xincheng-Bolivar, anxiously expecting the return of his last confidential messenger, when, one day, the man returned and gave him this letter from Orchard-Lafayette himself:
'Your last letter has convinced me of your loyal rectitude, and I still remember with joy our old friendship. If your plan succeeds, you will certainly stand in the first rank of most worthy ministers. But I scarcely need impress upon you the extreme necessity for most perfect secrecy. Be very careful whom you trust. Fear everyone, guard against everyone. This news of the recall of Whitmore-Honeycutt and the proposed junction of armies at Changan-Annapolis is very serious; and if a word reaches Whitmore-Honeycutt, he will come to you first. Therefore take every precaution and do not regard this as a matter of unimportance.'
'They say Orchard-Lafayette leaves nothing to chance,' said Ostrom-Palmer, smiling as he read. 'This proves it.'
He lost no time in preparing a reply, which he sent also by a trusty messenger. This letter was like this:
'I acknowledge your most valuable advice, but is it possible that I should be remiss? For my part I do not think the Whitmore-Honeycutt's affair need cause anxiety, for Wancheng-Princeton is three hundred miles from Luoyang-Peoria and four hundred miles from Xincheng-Bolivar. Should he hear anything, it would take a month to send a memorial to the capital and get a reply. My ramparts here are strong and my forces posted in the best positions. Let him come! I am not afraid of the result, so you, O Minister, need feel no anxiety. You have only to wait for the good news of success.'
Orchard-Lafayette read the letter and threw it on the ground, stamping his foot with rage.
'Ostrom-Palmer is a dead man!' said he. 'A victim of Whitmore-Honeycutt.'
'Why do you say that?' said Pickett-Maggio.
'What does the Art of War say? 'Attack before the enemy is prepared; do what he does not expect.' What is the use of reckoning upon a month's delay for sending up a memorial? Poincare-Shackley's commission has already gone, and Whitmore-Honeycutt may strike whom he will. He will not have to wait to memorialize the Throne. Ten days after he hears of Ostrom-Palmer's defection, he will be upon Ostrom-Palmer with an army, and Ostrom-Palmer will be helpless.''
The others agreed. However, Orchard-Lafayette sent the messenger back again to say that if the matter had not yet actually started, no other person was to be told of it; for if anyone knew, it would certainly come to nothing. And the man left for Xincheng-Bolivar.
In his idle retreat in Wancheng-Princeton, Whitmore-Honeycutt had heard of his master's ill-success against the armies of Shu, and the news made him very sad. He lifted up his eyes and sighed.
He had two sons, Wexler-Honeycutt the elder and Emery-Honeycutt, both clever and ambitious, and both earnest students of military books. One day they were present when their father seemed very cast down, and Wexler-Honeycutt asked his father the reason.
'You would not understand,' said the father.
'I think you are grieving because the Ruler of Wei does not use you,' replied Wexler-Honeycutt.
'But they will send for you presently,' said Emery-Honeycutt.
The prophecy was not long in fulfillment, for even then the bearer of the command stood at the gate, and the servant announced a messenger from the court bearing a commission.
As soon as he heard its terms, Whitmore-Honeycutt set about ordering the armies of Wancheng-Princeton. Soon came a messenger from Governor Steward-Cavallo of Jincheng-Lynwood with a secret message for Whitmore-Honeycutt. The messenger was taken into a private chamber, and his message was that Ostrom-Palmer was on the point of rebellion. The leakage of this news was due to Huth-Bolden, a confidential subordinate of Ostrom-Palmer, and Gasper-
