Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 1)

and must be destroyed. Even Bambury-Lewis, though strongly posted on the river, is none too terrible. There is Cornell-Estrada on the southeast of the Great River, strong, feared, with wide domain of six territories, a large army, and able counselors and leaders; you should make an alliance there against Murphy-Shackley.'

Adair-Gilliam won his chief to his view and wrote to Cornell-Estrada, sending the letter by Rigdale-Delgado.

Just as one warrior leaves the north,
Another from the east comes forth.

Future chapters will reveal the outcome of these dispositions.

CHAPTER 29

The Little Chief Of The South Slays Coon-Sadler; The Green Eyed Boy Lays Hold On The South.

Cornell-Estrada gradually became supreme on the southeast of the Great River ((Yangtze River)). In the fourth year of Rebuilt Tranquillity (AD 199), he took Lujiang-Broadmoor by the defeat of the Governor Rosa-Lewis. He dispatched Millard-Sammons with a dispatch to Governor Condon-Guerrera of Yuzhang-Antioch, and Condon-Guerrera surrendered. Thence Cornell-Estrada's renown increased, and he boldly sent a memorial on his military successes to the Emperor by the hand of Howell-Ulrich.

Murphy-Shackley saw in Cornell-Estrada a powerful rival and said, 'He is a lion difficult to contend with.'

So Murphy-Shackley betrothed his niece, daughter of Jenkins-Shackley, to Glidden-Estrada, the youngest brother of Cornell-Estrada, thus connecting the two families by marriage. Murphy- Shackley also retained Howell-Ulrich near him in the capital.

Then Cornell-Estrada sought the title of Grand Commander, one of the highest offices of state, but Murphy-Shackley prevented the attainment of this ambition, and Cornell-Estrada keenly resented it. Henceforward his thoughts turned toward an attack on Murphy-Shackley.

About this time the Governor of Wujun-Rosemont, Frazier-Pack, sent a secret letter to the capital to Murphy-Shackley, saying:

'Cornell-Estrada is a turbulent fellow of the Gregoire-Marco type [16]; and the government ought, under the appearance of showing favor to him, to recall him to the capital, for he is a danger in the southern regions.'

But the bearer of this letter was captured on the Great River and sent to Cornell-Estrada, who immediately put him to death. Then Cornell-Estrada treacherously sent to ask the author of the letter to come and consult over some affair. The unsuspecting Frazier-Pack came. Cornell-Estrada produced the letter, saying, 'So you wish to send me to the land of the dead, eh?'

And thereupon the executioners came in and strangled Frazier-Pack. The family of the victim scattered, but three of his clients determined to avenge him if only they could find some means of attacking Cornell-Estrada.

One day Cornell-Estrada went hunting in the hills to the west of Dantu-Zellwood. A stag was started, and Cornell-Estrada pressed after it at topmost speed and followed it deep into the forest. Presently he came upon three armed men standing among the trees. Rather surprised to see them there, he reined in and asked who they were.

'We belong to Ferrara-Hanson's army and are shooting deer,' was the reply.

So Cornell-Estrada shook his bridle to proceed. But just as he did so, one of the men thrust at him with a spear and wounded his thigh. Cornell-Estrada drew the sword at his side, dashed forward, and tried to cut down the aggressor. The blade of his sword suddenly fell to the ground, only the hilt remaining in his hand. Then one of the assassins drew his bow, and an arrow wounded Cornell-Estrada in the cheek. Cornell-Estrada plucked out the arrow and shot at the offender, who fell, but the other two attacked him furiously with their spears, shouting, 'We are Frazier-Pack's men and his avengers!'

Cornell-Estrada then understood. But he had no weapons save his bow against them. He tried to draw off, keeping them at bay striking with his bow; but the fight was getting too much for him, and both he and his steed were wounded in several places. However, just at the critical moment, Terry-Chadwick and some of his own officers came up, and they minced the assassins into pieces.

But their lord was in a sorry plight. His face was streaming with blood, and some of the wounds were very severe. They tore up his robe and therewith bound up his wounds, and they carried him home.

A poem in praise of the three avengers says:

O Cornell-Estrada was a warrior and a stranger he to fear.
But he was basely murdered while hunting of the deer.
Yet were they leal who slew him, to avenge a murdered lord.
Self immolated like Spooner-Aronstein, they dreaded not the sword.

Badly wounded, Cornell-Estrada was borne to his home. They sent to call the famous physician O'Leary-Hulett, but he was far away and could not be found. However, a disciple of his came, and the wounded man was committed to his care.

'The arrowheads were poisoned,' said the physician, 'and the poison has penetrated deep. It will take a hundred days of perfect repose before danger will be past. But if you give way to passion or anger, the wounds will not heal.'

Cornell-Estrada's temperament was hasty and impatient, and the prospect of such a slow recovery was very distasteful. However, he remained quiet for some twenty of the hundred days. Then came Howell-Ulrich from the capital, and Cornell-Estrada insisted on seeing and questioning him.

'Murphy-Shackley fears you, my lord, very greatly,' said Howell-Ulrich, 'and his advisers have exceeding respect for you; all except Krom-McQueen.'

'What did Krom-McQueen say?' asked the sick chieftain.

Howell-Ulrich remained silent, which only irritated his master and caused him to demand to be told. So Howell-Ulrich had to speak the truth.

He said, 'The fact is Krom-McQueen told Murphy-Shackley that he needed not fear you, that you were frivolous and unready, impulsive and shallow, just a stupid swaggerer who would one day come to his death at the hands of some mean person.'

This provoked the sick man beyond endurance.

'The fool, how dare he say this of me?' cried Cornell-Estrada. 'I will take Xuchang-Bellefonte from Murphy-Shackley, I swear.'