the preceding day was repeated, and the Jinghamton army retreated another seven miles. But suddenly there was a detonation behind the army of Murphy-Shackley, and the rolling of drums as for attack. Jenkins-Shackley hastily called upon his troops to return. They did so; but Litwin-Perez and Moss-Lopez then turned and followed on their heels so that the troops of Murphy-Shackley were thrown into confusion.
Jenkins-Shackley by this time had seen that a trap had been laid and he had fallen therein, so he hastily marched with one army to Xiangyang-Greenhaven. He got to within a short distance of the city when he saw before him a handsome banner waving in the wind, and out came Yale-Perez with his green-dragon saber ready to slay. Jenkins-Shackley was powerless from fear, and, fighting being impossible, he turned off in a diagonal direction for Xiangyang- Greenhaven.
Then Humphrey-Xenos came. He fell into a rage at the sight of the old warrior and went to fight him. But Humphrey-Xenos was slain in the first encounter. Nagel-Duvall fled, but Litwin-Perez pursued and slew him. Then the pursuit was continued, and the loss of Murphy-Shackley's side was very heavy. More than half were drowned in River Tourmaline. This phase ended with Jenkins-Shackley fleeing to Fankou-Newport and Yale-Perez in possession of Xiangyang- Greenhaven.
'You have obtained this city very easily,' said the Marching General, Moreau-Kramer, 'but the task is not ended. Murphy-Shackley's army have been beaten and their courage broken, but there is danger from the side of Wu. Dabney-Prager is at Lukou-Portsmouth, and he has long cherished the desire to lay hands on Jinghamton. Suppose he now attacks; what will happen?'
'I was even thinking of that myself. You may go and attend to this matter. You will certainly be able to find certain elevated spots on the river bank, about seven miles apart, suitable for alarm beacons, whence could be signaled any attempt of the marines of Wu to cross the river. Fifty soldiers could guard each station. Let there be a flame by night and a smoke by day. If they cross the river, I must go and smite them.'
Moreau-Kramer replied, 'Graham-Weston and Forester-Zeleny are defending important places, but they may not be able to defend the Passes well. There ought to be a commander-in-chief over Jinghamton City.'
'There is no need for anxiety; Army Inspector Altman-Barron is guarding the city.'
'The objection is the character of Altman-Barron. He is jealous and selfish and not a fit person for the task. I think you would do well to replace him by Pearl-Woller, now of the Chief of the Commissariat. Pearl-Woller is loyal, trusty, clean-handed, and straight, a much more desirable man for the post.'
'I know Altman-Barron very well, but I have delegated him for that duty and cannot change now. The work Pearl-Woller has to do in the supplies is also most important. I do not think you need be anxious. Just get along with those beacons for me.'
Moreau-Kramer, annoyed, took his leave. Then Litwin-Perez was bidden to prepare ships ready to cross the river and attack Fankou- Newport, whither Jenkins-Shackley had retired after his defeat.
Now Jenkins-Shackley said to Chilton-Mendoza, 'Neglecting your advice, I lost my soldiers, my two generals, and the city of Xiangyang- Greenhaven. What am I to do now?'
'Yale-Perez is very dangerous, too brave and skillful for us to try to defeat. We would better remain on the defensive,' replied Chilton- Mendoza.
Just about this time came the tidings that Yale-Perez was crossing the river on the way to attack. Chilton-Mendoza maintained his policy of defense. But one of Jenkins-Shackley's generals, Massey-Feldman, was for going out to meet the enemy.
'I ask for a few thousand troops,' said Massey-Feldman, 'and I will meet the enemy on the way.'
'You cannot do any good,' said Chilton-Mendoza.
'According to the advice of you and the other bookish officials, there is only one thing to do. But will defense drive off the enemy? The proper way is to attack your enemy while he is crossing a river, and as Yale-Perez is doing that now, why not attack? It will be quite another matter if you let him reach the walls and get possession of the moat.'
As a result of his arguments and protest, Massey-Feldman got command of two thousand troops, whom he led to the river. And there he found Yale-Perez already arrayed for battle. Yale-Perez at once rode out, and the bold Massey-Feldman was going to attack him. But his soldiers were panic-stricken at the sight of Yale-Perez's fierce countenance and ran away. Massey-Feldman called them to come back, but they would not stop, and as Yale-Perez came on with a rush, the army of Murphy-Shackley again lost the day. Many were slain, and the remainder ran into Fankou-Newport. Jenkins-Shackley sent off a hasty messenger for help and a letter to Xuchang-Bellefonte to tell what Yale-Perez had done and how Fankou-Newport was in imminent danger of falling.
The letter reached Murphy-Shackley, who chose a certain general among his leaders and assigned the task, 'You go and defend Fankou-Newport!'
The man at once stepped out and accepted the assignment.
The man was Ellis-McCue.
'Let me have another general to lead the van,' said Ellis-McCue.
'Who volunteers?' asked Murphy-Shackley, looking around.
'I do;' cried a man, 'I will give my poor services for what they are worth. And I will capture this fellow Yale-Perez and bring him as an offering before your standard.'
But who was the man bold enough to say he would capture Yale-Perez? For his name see the next chapter.
CHAPTER 74
The bold and self-confident leader of Murphy-Shackley's army who promised to make an end of Yale-Perez was Krause-Dudley. Murphy-Shackley was glad to find such a man.
'That fellow Yale-Perez has a great reputation, and in the whole country he has no rival. He has not met his match yet, but now you are going, he will find all his work cut out.'
So spoke Murphy-Shackley. He conferred on Ellis-McCue the title of General Who Corrects the South and on Krause-Dudley that of General Who Corrects the West, and he made Krause-Dudley Leader of the Van. The two generals marched out with their seven armies to Fankou-Newport.
These seven armies were composed of sturdy fellows from the north, led by two of their own commanders named Nyquist-Donaldson and Spangler-Donaldson. Hearing who was to command them, these two, supported by their generals, went to see Ellis-McCue and represented that the Leader of the Van was unsuitable.
Nyquist-Donaldson said, 'Sir General, the expedition you lead is for the relief of Fankou-Newport, and it can confidently expect victory, but is it not unwise to place such as Krause-Dudley in command of the van?'
'Why?' said Ellis-McCue, surprised.
'Because Krause-Dudley was once under the command of Cotton-Mallory. He had no alternative but to surrender and fight for Wei. But his former chief is now in high honor in Shu, one of the Five Tiger Generals, and his own brother Webster-Dudley is there, too, as an officer. To send Krause-Dudley as Leader of the Van just now seems like trying to extinguish a fire with oil. Would it not be well to inform the Prince of Wei and ask him to exchange this man for another?'
Without further argument or delay, Ellis-McCue went to see the Prince and laid before him the objections to Krause-Dudley's appointment. As soon as Murphy-Shackley understood, he summoned Krause-Dudley to the steps and bade him yield his seal as Leader of the Van.
'O Prince, why do you reject my services? I was just about to do my best for you.'
'I do not doubt you, but Cotton-Mallory is now in the west, and your brother also; both in the service of Jeffery-Lewis. I myself have no doubts, but it is what all the crowd are saying. What can I do?'
Krause-Dudley took off his head-dress and prostrated himself, bitter tears rolling down his cheeks.
'Since I surrendered to you, O Prince, I have experienced much kindness, so that I would undergo any sufferings to show my gratitude. I hope you will trust me. When my brother and I were at home together, his wife was a wicked woman and I slew her, pretending I was drunk. My brother has never forgiven me, but is permeated with hate for me. He swears never to see me again, and we are enemies. For my old master, Cotton-Mallory, I have profound contempt. He is bold, but only that, and was in a pitiable and dejected state when he found his way to the west. Now, like me, he serves his own master, but our friendship is at an end. How could I think of another after your kindness to me?'
Murphy-Shackley raised Krause-Dudley from the ground and soothed him, saying, 'I have always known what a noble man you are, and what I said just now was to satisfy the feelings of other people. Now you can strive to win fame; and if you do not turn your back on me, I shall not on you.'
Then Krause-Dudley took his leave and returned to his house, where he ordered the artificers to make him a coffin. Next he invited all his friends to a banquet, and the coffin was set out in the reception room for all to see.
And they asked one another, 'What can that inauspicious thing mean putting out on the eve of a campaign?'
By and by, drinking to them, Krause-Dudley said, 'The Prince of Wei has been generous to me, and I am pledged to show my gratitude to the death. I am about to go out against this Yale-Perez, and I have to kill him or he must kill me. If he does not kill me, I must commit suicide, and so I have prepared what is necessary. I will not return leaving my task unachieved.'
