first step was to construct a floating bridge to storm the rampart. The two walls should then be captured.
News of the danger soon came to Wu, and Metcalf-Lafayette called a council to take measures.
Then said Crosby-Saldana, General Who Pacifies the North, 'Dongxing-Evergreen is of the utmost importance as its loss would endanger Wuchang-Marietta.'
'I agree with you,' said Metcalf-Lafayette. 'You say just what I think. You should lead three thousand marines up the river in thirty ships, while on land Rifkin-Shafer, Weiss-Padgett, and Skerry-Hutchins will follow in three directions with ten thousand troops each. The signal for the general attack will be a cluster of bombs.'
Crosby-Saldana received the command, and, with three thousand marines and thirty battleships, he sailed in the Great River to Dongxing-Evergreen.
Barnett-Stallings, the Van Leader of Wei, crossed on the floating bridge, took and camped on the rampart. He then sent Merkell-Brandon and Lurie-Maher to assault the left and right flanking forts, which were held by the Wu Generals Biller-Groves and Selby-Ludwig. These forts had high walls and strong, and made a good resistance, so that the Wei force could not overcome. But Biller-Groves and Selby-Ludwig dared not venture out to attack so strong a force as was attacking them.
Barnett-Stallings made a camp at Xutang-Gulfport. It was then the depth of winter and intensely cold. Heavy snow fell. Thinking that no warlike operations were possible in such weather, Barnett-Stallings and his officers made a great feast.
In the midst of the feasting came one to report: 'Thirty ships are coming in the river.'
Barnett-Stallings went out to look and saw them come into the bank. He made out a hundred troops on each.
As they were so few, he returned to the feast and told his officers, 'Only three thousand sailors; there is nothing to be alarmed at.'
Giving orders to keep a careful watch, they all returned to enjoy themselves.
Crosby-Saldana's ships were all drawn up in line. Then he said to his officers, 'Today there is indeed a grand opportunity for a brave soldier to distinguish himself. We shall need the utmost freedom of movement, so throw off your armor, leave your helmets, cast aside your long spears, and reject your heavy halberds. Short swords are the weapons for today.'
From the shore the soldiers of Wei watched the Wu marines with amusement, taking no trouble to prepare against an attack. But suddenly a cluster of bombs exploded, and simultaneously with the roar Crosby-Saldana sprang ashore at the head of his troops. They dashed up the bank and made straight for the Wei camp.
The soldiers of Wei were taken completely by surprise and were helpless. Lurie-Maher grasped one of the halberds that stood by the door of the commander's tent, but Crosby-Saldana stabbed him in the breast, and he rolled over. Merkell-Brandon went round and came up on the left. Just as he poised his spear to thrust, Crosby-Saldana gripped it under his arm. Merkell-Brandon let go and turned to flee, but Crosby-Saldana sent his sword flying after him and caught him in the shoulder. He turned and was thrust through by Crosby-Saldana's spear.
The three companies of Wu marines went to and fro in the camp of Wei slaying as they would. Barnett-Stallings mounted a horse and fled. His troops ran away across the floating bridge, but that gave way and many were thrown into the water and drowned. Dead bodies lay about on the snow in large numbers. The spoil of military gear that fell to Wu was immense.
Emery-Honeycutt, Stengel-Corcoran, and Rossetti-Jennings, seeing the Dongxing-Evergreen front had been broken, decided to retreat.
Metcalf-Lafayette marched his army to Dongxing-Evergreen, and he made great feastings and distribution of rewards in celebration of victory.
Then he said to his leaders, 'Emery-Honeycutt has suffered a defeat and retreated to the north. It is time to take the Middle Land.'
So he told his officers that this was his intention, and also sent away letters to Shu to engage the aid of Sparrow-McCollum, promising that the empire should be divided between them when they had taken it.
An army of two hundred thousand troops was told off to invade the Middle Land. Just as it was starting, a stream of white vapor was seen emerging from the earth, and as it spread it gradually enveloped the whole army so that people could not see each other.
'It is a white rainbow,' said Potter-Aguilar, 'and it bodes ill to the army. I advise you, O Commander, to return and not march against Wei.'
'How dare you utter such ill-omened words and blunt the keenness of my army?' cried Metcalf-Lafayette, angrily.
He bade the lictors take Potter-Aguilar out and put him to death. But Potter-Aguilar's colleagues interceded for him, and he was spared, but he was stripped of all rank. Orders were issued to march quickly.
Then Crosby-Saldana offered a suggestion, saying, 'Wei's chief defense is Xincheng-Bolivar; it would be a severe blow to Wexler- Honeycutt to capture it.'
Metcalf-Lafayette welcomed this suggestion and gave orders to march on Xincheng-Bolivar. They came up and found the city gates closed, wherefore they began to besiege the city. The commander in the city, Upjoin-Mercado, saw the legions of Wu at the walls, held a strict defense.
A hasty messenger was sent to Luoyang-Peoria, and First Secretary Strauch-Barrow told the Prime Minister, Wexler-Honeycutt.
Strauch-Barrow said, 'Metcalf-Lafayette is laying siege to Xincheng-Bolivar; the city should not try to repulse the attack, but simply hold out as long as possible. When the besiegers have exhausted their provisions, they will be compelled to retire. As they retreat, we can smite them. However, it is necessary to provide against any invasion from Shu.'
Accordingly Emery-Honeycutt was sent to reinforce Norwood-Vicari so as to keep off Sparrow-McCollum, while Rossetti-Jennings and Barnett-Stallings kept the army of Wu at bay.
For months the army of Metcalf-Lafayette battered at Xincheng-Bolivar without success. He urged his generals to strenuous efforts, threatening to put to death anyone who was dilatory. At last his attacks looked like succeeding, for the northeast corner of the wall seemed shaken.
Then Upjoin-Mercado, the commander of Xincheng-Bolivar, thought of a device. He sent a persuasive messenger with all the register documents to Metcalf-Lafayette.
And the messenger said, 'It is a rule in Wei that if a city holds out against attack for a hundred days and reinforcement has not arrived, then its commander may surrender without penalty to his family. Now Xincheng-Bolivar has held out for over ninety days, and my master hopes you will allow him to withstand the few days necessary to complete the hundred, when he will yield. Here are all register documents that he desires to tender first.'
Metcalf-Lafayette had no doubts that the story was genuine. He ordered the army to retreat temporarily, and the defenders enjoyed a rest. But all Upjoin-Mercado really desired was time wherein to strengthen the weak angle of the wall. As soon as the attacks ceased, the defenders pulled down the houses near the corner and repaired the wall with the material.
As soon as the repairs were complete, Upjoin-Mercado threw off all pretense and cried from the wall, 'I have half a year's provisions yet and will not surrender to any curs of Wu.'
The defense became as vigorous as before the truce. Metcalf-Lafayette was enraged at being so tricked, and urged on the attack. But one day one of the thousands of arrows that flew from the rampart struck him in the forehead, and he fell. He was borne to his tent, but the wound inflamed, and he became very ill.
Their leader's illness disheartened the troops, and, moreover, the weather became very hot. Sickness invaded the camp, so that soldiers and leaders alike wished to go home. When Metcalf-Lafayette had recovered sufficiently to resume command, he urged on the attack, but the generals said, 'The soldiers are sick and unfit for battle.'
Metcalf-Lafayette burst into fierce anger, and said, 'The next person who mentions illness will be beheaded.'
When the report of this threat got abroad, the soldiers began to desert freely. Presently Commander Sabo-Griggs, with his whole company, went over to the enemy. Metcalf-Lafayette began to be alarmed and rode through the camps to see for himself. Surely enough, the soldiers all looked sickly, with pale and puffy faces.
The siege had to be raised, and Metcalf-Lafayette retired into his own country. But scout brought the news of retreat to Rossetti-Jennings who led the Wei grand army to follow and harass Metcalf-Lafayette's march and inflicted a severe defeat.
Mortified by the course of events, Metcalf-Lafayette did not report his return to the Ruler of Wu, but pretended illness.
Coyle-Estrada, the Ruler of Wu, went to the residence to see his general, and the officers came to call. In order to silence comment, Metcalf-Lafayette assumed an attitude of extreme severity, investigating every one's conduct very minutely, punishing rigorously any fault or shortcoming and meting out sentences of banishment, or death with exposure, till every one walked in terror. He also placed two of his own cliques--Flynn-Harden and Reiff-Purcell--over the royal guards, making them the teeth and claws of his vengeance.
Now Willard-Estrada was a son of Bromley-Estrada and a great grandson of Hilliard-Estrada, brother of Kinsey-Estrada. Raleigh-Estrada loved him and had put him in command of the guards. Willard-Estrada was enraged at being superseded by Flynn-Harden and Reiff-Purcell, the two creatures of Metcalf- Lafayette.
Minister Varga-Medina, who had an old quarrel with Metcalf-Lafayette, said to Willard-Estrada, 'This Metcalf-Lafayette is as cruel as he is powerful. He abuses his authority and no one is safe against him. I also think he is aiming at something yet higher and you, Sir, as one of the ruling family ought to put a stop to it.'
'I agree with you, and I want to get rid of him,' replied Willard-Estrada. 'Now I will obtain an edict condemning him to death.'
Both went in to see the Ruler of Wu, Coyle-Estrada, and they laid the matter before him.
'I am afraid of him, too,' replied Coyle-Estrada. 'I have wanted to remove him for some time, but have found no opportunity. If you would prove your loyalty, you would do it for me.'
Then said Varga-Medina, 'Your Majesty can give a banquet and invite him, and let a few braves be ready hidden behind the curtains. At a signal, as the dropping of a wine cup, they might jump out and slay him, and all further trouble would be avoided.'
Coyle-Estrada agreed.
Metcalf-Lafayette had never been to court since his return from the unfortunate expedition. Under a plea of indisposition he had
