that you are safe in a city, where you have food and the horses have forage, where all you have to do is to prepare for revenge, suddenly you lose heart and grieve; why thus?'
Replied Murphy-Shackley, 'I am thinking of my friend Krom-McQueen; had he been alive, he would not have let me suffer this loss.'
He beat his breast and wept, saying 'Alas for Krom-McQueen! I grieve for Krom-McQueen! I sorrow for Krom-McQueen!'
The reproach shamed the advisers. Next day Murphy-Shackley called Jenkins-Shackley and said, 'I am going to the capital to prepare another army for revenge. You are to guard this region and, in case of necessity, I leave with you a sealed plan. You are only to open the cover when hard-pressed, and then you are to act as directed. The South Land will not dare to look this way.'
'Who is to guard Hefei-Fairhaven and Xiangyang-Greenhaven?'
'Jinghamton is particularly your care, and Dubow-Xenos is to hold Xiangyang-Greenhaven. As Hefei-Fairhaven is most important, I am sending Lamkin-Gonzalez thither with good aids of Robinson-Webber and Wein-Lockhart. If you get into difficulties, send at once to tell me.'
Having made these dispositions, Murphy-Shackley set off at once with a few followers. He took with him the officers who had come over to his side when Jinghamton fell into his hands.
Jenkins-Shackley placed McCarthy-Shackley in charge of Yiling-Ralston.
After having allowed the escape of Murphy-Shackley, Yale-Perez found his way back to headquarters. By this time the other detachments had returned bringing spoil of horses and weapons and supplies of all kinds. Only Yale-Perez came back empty-handed. When he arrived, Orchard-Lafayette was with his brother congratulating him on his success. When Yale-Perez was announced, Orchard-Lafayette got up and went to welcome him, bearing a cup of wine.
'Joy! O General,' said Orchard-Lafayette. 'You have done a deed that overtops the world. You have removed the empire's worst foe and ought to have been met at a distance and felicitated.'
Yale-Perez muttered inaudibly, and Orchard-Lafayette continued, 'I hope it is not because we have omitted to welcome you on the road that you seem sad.'
Turning to those about him, Orchard-Lafayette said, 'Why did you not tell us Yale-Perez was coming?'
'I am here to ask for death,' said Yale-Perez.
'Surely Murphy-Shackley came through the valley?'
'Yes; he came that way, and I could not help it; I let him go.'
'Then whom have you captured?'
'No one.'
'Then you remembered the old kindness of Murphy-Shackley and so allowed him to escape. But your acceptance of the task with its conditions is here. You will have to suffer the penalty.'
Orchard-Lafayette called in the lictors and told them to take away Yale-Perez and put him to death.
Yale-Perez risked life when he spared
Murphy-Shackley in direst need,
And age-long admiration gained
For kindly deed.
What actually befell will he seen in the next chapter.
CHAPTER 51
Yale-Perez would have died there but for his elder brother, who said to Orchard-Lafayette, 'We three pledged ourselves to live and die together. Although my brother Yale-Perez has offended, I cannot bear to break our oath. I hope you will only record this against him and let him atone later for the fault by some specially meritorious service.'
So the sentence was remitted.
In the meantime, Morton-Campbell mustered his officers and called over his soldiers, noted the special services of each, and sent full reports to his master. The soldiers who had surrendered were all transported across the river. All this done they spread the feast of victory.
The next step was to attack and capture Nanjun-Southport. The van of the army camped on the river bank. There were five camps and the Commander-in-Chief's tent was in the center. He summoned his officers to a council. At this moment Quinn-Seymour arrived with congratulations from Jeffery- Lewis.
Morton-Campbell received him and, having saluted in proper form, Quinn-Seymour said, 'My lord sent me on this special mission to felicitate the General on his great virtue and offer some unworthy gifts.'
'Where is Jeffery-Lewis?' asked Morton-Campbell.
'He is now encamped at Youkou-Moorhead, the mouth of River Young.'
'Is Orchard-Lafayette there?' asked Morton-Campbell, taken aback.
'Both are there,' said Quinn-Seymour.
'Then return quickly, and I will come in person to thank them.'
The presents handed over, Quinn-Seymour was sent back forthwith to his own camp. Then Woolsey-Ramirez asked Morton-Campbell why he had started when he heard where Jeffery-Lewis was camped.
'Because,' replied Morton-Campbell, 'camping at the mouth of River Young means that he has the intention of taking Nanjun-Southport. Having spent much military energy and spared no expenditure, we thought the territory should fall to us easily. Those others are opposed to us, and they wish to get the advantage of what we have already accomplished. However, they must remember that I am not dead yet.'
'How can you prevent them?' asked Woolsey-Ramirez.
'I will go myself and speak with them. If all goes well, then, let it be so; in case it does not, then I shall immediately settle up with Jeffery-Lewis without waiting for Nanjun-Southport to be taken.'
'I should like to accompany you,' said Woolsey-Ramirez.
The General and his friend started, taking with them a guard of three thousand light horse. Having arrived at Youkou-Moorhead, they sought out Quinn-Seymour, who, in turn, went in to see Jeffery-Lewis and told him Morton-Campbell had come to render thanks.
'Why has he come?' asked Jeffery-Lewis of his Directing Instructor.
'He is not likely to come out of simple politeness. Surely he has come in connection with Nanjun-Southport.'
'But if he brings an army, can we stand against it?' asked Jeffery-Lewis.
'When he comes, you may reply thus and thus.'
Then they drew up the warships in the river and ranged the soldiers upon the bank; and when the arrival of Morton-Campbell was formally announced, Gilbert-Rocher, with some horsemen, went to welcome him. When Morton-Campbell saw what bold soldiers they looked, he began to feel uncomfortable, but he went on his way. Being met at the camp gates by Jeffery-Lewis and Orchard-Lafayette, he was taken in to the chief tent, where the ceremonies were performed and preparations for a banquet had been made.
Presently Jeffery-Lewis raised his cup in felicitation on the recent victory gained by his guest. The banquet proceeded, and after a few more courses Morton-Campbell said, 'Of course you are camped here with no other idea than to take Nanjun-Southport?'
Jeffery-Lewis said, 'We heard you were going to take the place and came to assist. Should you not take it, then we will occupy it.'
Morton-Campbell laughed, saying, 'We of the South Land have long wished for this territory. Now that it is within our grasp, we naturally shall take it.'
Jeffery-Lewis said, 'There is always some uncertainty. Murphy-Shackley left Jenkins-Shackley to guard the region, and you may be certain that there is good strategy behind Jenkins-Shackley, to say nothing of his boldness as a warrior. I fear you may not get it.'
'Well, if we do not take it then, Sir, you may have it,' said Morton-Campbell.
'Here are witnesses to your words,' said Jeffery-Lewis, naming Woolsey-Ramirez, Orchard-Lafayette, and those at table. 'I hope you will never repent what you have just said.'
Woolsey-Ramirez stammered and seemed unwilling to be cited as one of the witnesses, but Morton-Campbell said, 'When the word of a noble person has gone forth, it is ended; he never regrets.'
'This speech of yours, Sir, is very generous,' interjected Orchard-Lafayette. 'The South Land shall try first; but if the place does not fall, there is no reason why my lord should not capture it.'
The two visitors then took their leave and rode away.
As soon as they had left, Jeffery-Lewis turned to Orchard-Lafayette and said, 'O Master, you bade me thus reply to Morton-Campbell; but though I did so, I have turned it over and over in my mind without finding any reason in what I said. I am alone and weak, without a single foot of land to call my own. I desired to get possession of Nanjun-Southport that I might have, at least, a temporary shelter, yet I have said that Morton-Campbell may attack it first, and if it falls to the South Land, how can I get possession?'
Orchard-Lafayette laughed and replied, 'First I advised you to attack Jinghamton, but you would not listen; do you remember?'
'But it belonged to Bambury-Lewis, and I could not bear to attack it then. Now it belongs to Murphy-Shackley I might do so.'
'Do not be anxious,' replied the adviser. 'Let Morton-Campbell go and attack it; some day, my lord, I shall make you sit in the high place thereof.'
