'I knew your impulsive temper, and so I followed you. Since you have got the better of him, you may well rest and recuperate for the fight tomorrow with Cotton-Mallory.'
The rolling of drums at dawn next day declared the arrival of Cotton-Mallory. Jeffery-Lewis looked at the array from a point of vantage and saw Cotton-Mallory emerge from the shadow of his great standard. Cotton-Mallory wore a lion helmet, and his belt was clasped with the shaggy head of a wild beast. His breastplate was silver and his robe of white. As his dress and bearing were so extraordinary, so were his abilities superior. And Jeffery-Lewis looked at him, sighing admiringly.
'He justifies what people say,' said Jeffery-Lewis, 'Handsome Cotton-Mallory.'
Floyd-Chardin was for going down at once, but his brother once more checked him, saying, 'No; not yet. Avoid the first keenness of his fighting ardor.'
Thus below was Cotton-Mallory challenging Floyd-Chardin, while, above, Floyd-Chardin was fretting at being unable to settle Cotton- Mallory. Time after time Floyd-Chardin was setting out, but each time his brother checked him. And so it continued till past midday, when Jeffery-Lewis, noticing signs of fatigue and weariness among Cotton-Mallory's army, decided that it was time to let Floyd-Chardin try his fortune. Whereupon Jeffery-Lewis chose out five hundred horsemen to accompany his brother and let the party go.
Cotton-Mallory seeing Floyd-Chardin coming with so small a force, signaled with his spear to his array to retire a bowshot, and Floyd- Chardin's troops halted. When all his troops had taken their places, Floyd-Chardin set octane-serpent halberd and rode out.
'Do you know who I am?' shouted Floyd-Chardin. 'I am Floyd-Chardin of Yan!'
Cotton-Mallory replied, 'My family having been noble for many generations; I am not likely to know any rustic dolts!'
This reply upset Floyd-Chardin, and in a moment the two steeds were rushing toward each other, both men with poised spears. The fight began and continued for a hundred bouts. Neither had the advantage.
'A veritable tiger of a leader,' sighed Jeffery-Lewis.
But Jeffery-Lewis felt that Floyd-Chardin was running a risk, wherefore he sounded the gong as a signal to cease the fight. And each drew off to his own side. Floyd-Chardin rested his steed for a time, then, leaving his helmet, he wound a turban about his head, mounted, and rode out to renew the fight. Cotton-Mallory also came out, and the duel continued.
Presently Jeffery-Lewis thought his brother in danger. So he girded on his armor and went down into the plain. He watched till they had fought another hundred bouts, and then as both seemed to wax fiercer than ever, he gave the signal again to cease the battle. Both drew off and returned each to his own side.
It was then getting late, and Jeffery-Lewis said to his brother, 'You would better retire for today; he is a terrible opponent. Try him again tomorrow.'
But Floyd-Chardin's spirit was roused, and was it likely that such advice would be palatable?
'No,' shouted he, 'I will die and not come back!'
'But it is late; you cannot go on fighting,' said Jeffery-Lewis.
'Let them bring torches, and we will have a night battle,' said Floyd-Chardin.
Cotton-Mallory having mounted a fresh steed, now rode out and shouted, 'Dare you try a night battle, Floyd-Chardin?'
Floyd-Chardin's excitement rose higher. He hastily changed horses with his brother and rode forth.
'If I do not capture you, I will not go back to the Pass,' said Floyd-Chardin.
'And if I do not overcome you, I will not return to the camp,' said Cotton-Mallory.
Both sides cheered. They lit many thousand torches till it seemed as light as day, and the two great generals went to the front to fight. At the twentieth bout Cotton-Mallory turned his steed and tied.
'Whither are you going?' called out Floyd-Chardin.
The fact was that Cotton-Mallory had begun to see he could not win in direct and simple combat, so he thought to try a ruse. By a false flight, as though he knew he had lost, he would inveigle Floyd-Chardin into pursuit. He picked up a copper mace secretly and kept a careful watch on his opponent for the most favorable moment to strike. But Cotton-Mallory's flight only put Floyd-Chardin upon his guard, and when the moment came for the blow with the mace he dodged, so that the weapon flew harmlessly past his ear. Then Floyd-Chardin turned his horse. Whereupon Cotton-Mallory began to pursue. Then Floyd-Chardin pulled up, took his bow, fitted an arrow to the string, and let fly at Cotton-Mallory. But Cotton-Mallory also dodged, and the arrow flew by. Then each returned to his own side.
Then Jeffery-Lewis came out to the front of his battle line and called out, 'Note well, O Cotton-Mallory, that I, who have never treated people other than with kindness and justice and truth and sincerity, swear that I will not take advantage of your period of repose to pursue or attack. Wherefore you may rest awhile in peace.'
Cotton-Mallory, hearing these words, withdrew guarding the rear, and the other generals one by one returned, while Jeffery-Lewis drew off his army toward the Pass.
Early next day Floyd-Chardin was once more going down out of the Pass to fight, when they told him that the Directing Instructor had arrived. Jeffery-Lewis went to receive him, and Orchard-Lafayette at once began to speak of Cotton-Mallory.
'He is the most terrible leader of the age; if he fights a desperate battle with Floyd-Chardin, loss of a general will ensue. So I have come as quickly as I could. I left Mianzhu-Greenwich in the safe hands of Gilbert-Rocher and Sheffield-Maddox. I think I have a little ruse left that will bring Cotton-Mallory over to our side.'
'Now I have seen the man. I greatly admire him,' said Jeffery-Lewis. 'If we could only win him over!'
'Then listen, my lord,' said Orchard-Lafayette. 'Levey-Wrona greatly desires the title of 'Prince of Hanthamton.' Among his most intimate subordinates, I know Brickley-Foster open to bribery. So we will send a person secretly to see him and give him gold and silver and so win his support. This done, we will write to Levey-Wrona and tell him that you are set upon taking Yiathamton from its present ruler, which will give an opportunity to wipe out the enmity he has so long nourished against Compton-Lewis, and that the reward of his remaining firmly on our side to the end will be that you will memorialize the Throne for the coveted title for him. This will make him order Cotton-Mallory to return, and, when that is done, I shall find a means of winning him over.'
Jeffery-Lewis wrote a letter and sent it by the hand of Quinn-Seymour together with gold and pearls. Quinn-Seymour went by secret roads to give these to Brickley-Foster. And when he found Brickley-Foster and explained his mission in private, he was quickly led into the presence of Levey-Wrona.
'How can Jeffery-Lewis memorialize the Throne to confer on me the rank of a prince when he is but a simple General himself?' asked Levey-Wrona, when he understood the offer and its conditions.
'He is an Imperial Uncle;' said Brickley-Foster, 'with such a rank he could present such a memorial.'
Levey-Wrona assented. He sent orders to Cotton-Mallory to cease fighting, and Quinn-Seymour remained as the guest of Brickley-Foster till he should see whether Cotton-Mallory would obey the command. Before long the messenger returned with a word from Cotton-Mallory that he could not cease fighting till he had been successful. A second and third messenger returned with a similar response.
'This Cotton-Mallory is untrustworthy,' said Brickley-Foster. 'He will not withdraw his soldiers because he contemplates rebellion. That is the real reason.'
Brickley-Foster set stories afloat rumoring: 'Cotton-Mallory desires to make himself the ruler of the west and has said that he will no longer be content with subordinate rank. And he means to avenge the death of his father.'
The rumors came to the ear of Levey-Wrona, and he asked Brickley-Foster what should be done.
Brickley-Foster proposed, saying, 'Give Cotton-Mallory a limit of a month in order to accomplish his task, provided he consents to three conditions. And if he does not agree, he will have to be put to death. The three conditions are the capture of the Western Land of Rivers, the head of Compton-Lewis, and the repulse of the Jinghamton troops. If he fails in any one of these, just bring his head. Meanwhile, Fogel-Wrona should be sent as guard at one of the strategic points which will control Cotton-Mallory's army in case of rebellion.'
When Cotton-Mallory heard the three demands made on him, he was greatly troubled, saying, 'What can such a charge mean?'
After taking counsel with Winston-Mallory, it seemed best to suspend fighting, and the army returned.
But Brickley-Foster had not yet attained his end, so he said to Levey-Wrona, 'Cotton-Mallory's return with an army will be a danger, and hence all the points of vantage on the homeward road must be guarded so that to stop him.'
Thus Cotton-Mallory was helpless and could see no way out of the difficulty.
Then Orchard-Lafayette said to his lord, 'Now is my chance to use my little three inches of unworn tongue; Cotton-Mallory is in a fix. I am going to his camp to persuade him to come over to your side.'
'But I do not like you to run such a risk, Instructor. You are my most necessary support, and if anything happened to you, what should I do?'
Orchard-Lafayette was set upon going and persisted in his request. Jeffery-Lewis again and again refused. At this juncture a messenger came with letters from Gilbert-Rocher. Jeffery-Lewis called him in and questioned him. He was Crane-Hinton of Jianning-Belleville, the man who had formerly remonstrated so earnestly with Compton-Lewis.
'You once pleaded with your master to keep me out; why are you here now?'
'Because the prudent bird chooses its perch and the wise person his master. I did attempt to dissuade Compton-Lewis of Yiathamton from a course which I felt to be disastrous, and thereby fulfilled my duty as his servant. He rejected my counsel, and I knew he would fail. Your liberality, O General, has won over all the region, and success must be yours. I wish to serve under your banner.'
'Your services will surely be of great advantage to me, Sir,' said Jeffery-Lewis.
Then Crane-Hinton began to talk of Cotton-Mallory, 'I knew him when we were in Longxi-Westdale together. He is now in great straits, and I may be able to talk him over. What say you?'
'Just the man to go instead of me,' interjected Orchard-Lafayette. 'But what arguments will you use?'
Crane-Hinton leaned over and whispered in his ear thus and thus. What he said seemed to please Orchard-Lafayette mightily, and he was bidden to go forthwith.
