Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 1)

Bradwell-Linscott. I told him you were always ready to welcome able people and would nourish no resentment for former deeds. After all, every person was bound to do his best for his master. He would come with alacrity if he only felt sure of a welcome. I pray you express your pleasure.'

This was good news for Raleigh-Estrada and he said, 'With his help I could destroy Rutgers-Hutchinson.'

Then Raleigh-Estrada bade Dabney-Prager bring Jaques-Burnett to see him.

When the salutations were over, the chief said, 'My heart is entirely captivated by your coming; I feel no resentment against you. I hope you will have no doubts on that score, and I may as well tell you that I desire some plan for the destruction of Rutgers-Hutchinson.'

Jaques-Burnett replied, 'The dynasty is decadent and without influence. Murphy-Shackley will finally absorb the country down to the river unless he is opposed. Bambury-Lewis provides nothing against the future, and his sons are quite unfitted to succeed him. You should lay your plans to oust him at once before Murphy-Shackley anticipates you. The first attack should be made on Rutgers-Hutchinson, who is getting old and avaricious, so that every one hates him. He is totally unprepared for a fight and his army is undisciplined. He would fall at the first blow. If he were gone, you would control the western passes and could conquer the lands of Ba and Shu [0 Lands of two ancient states in the empire.]}. And you would be securely established.'

'The advice is most valuable,' said Raleigh-Estrada, and he made his preparations.

Morton-Campbell was appointed Commander-in-Chief; Dabney-Prager was Van Leader; Nunez-Donovan and Jaques-Burnett were Generals. Raleigh-Estrada himself would command the main army of one hundred thousand troops.

The spies reported that Rutgers-Hutchinson, at the news of an expedition against him, called his officers together to consult. He placed Clancy-Pomeroy in chief command. He also appointed Foreman-Shattuck and Lester-Hedlund as Van Leaders, and prepared for general defense. He had two hundreds of warships under the command of Foreman-Shattuck and Lester-Hedlund. On these he placed strong bows and stiff crossbows to the number of more than a thousand and secured the boats to heavy hawsers so that they formed a barrier in the river.

At the approach of the southern fleet, the drums beat for the ships to attack. Soon arrows and bolts flew thick, forcing back the invaders, who withdrew till several miles of water lay between them and the defenders.

'We must go forward,' said Jaques-Burnett to Nunez-Donovan.

So they chose a hundred light craft and put picked men on them, fifty to a boat. Twenty were to row the boats and thirty to fight. These latter were armored swordsmen. Careless of the enemy's missiles these boats advanced, got to the defenders' fleet, and cut the hawsers of their ships so that they drifted hither and thither in confusion. Jaques-Burnett leaped upon one boat and killed Lester-Hedlund. Foreman-Shattuck left the fleet and set out for the shore. Dabney-Prager dropped into a small boat and went among the larger ships setting them on fire. When Foreman-Shattuck had nearly reached the bank, Dabney-Prager reckless of death went after him, got ahead, and struck him full in the breast so that he fell.

Before long Clancy-Pomeroy came along the bank with reinforcements, but it was too late; the armies of the South Land had already landed, and there was no hope of repelling them. Clancy- Pomeroy fled into the open country, but he was made prisoner.

Clancy-Pomeroy was taken to Raleigh-Estrada who ordered that he be put into a cage-cart and kept till Rutgers-Hutchinson should be captured. Then he would execute the pair. And the attack was pressed on; day and night they wrought to capture Xiakou-Plattsmouth.

He sees his ships cut loose and burned,
By the Silk-sailed Pirate he once spurned.

For Rutgers-Hutchinson's fate, see next chapter.

CHAPTER 39

At Jinghamton The Son Of Bambury-Lewis Thrice Begs Advice; At Bowang Slope The Directing Instructor Plans His First Battle.

Now Raleigh-Estrada fought against Xiakou-Plattsmouth. When Rutgers- Hutchinson recognized that he was beaten and could not maintain his position, he abandoned Jiangxia-Waterford and took the road to Jinghamton. Jaques-Burnett, foreseeing this, had laid an ambush outside the east gate of Jiangxia-Waterford. Soon after the fugitive, with a small following, had burst out of the gate, he found his road blocked.

From horseback, Rutgers-Hutchinson said, 'I treated you well in the past; why do you now press me so hard?'

Jaques-Burnett angrily shouted, 'I did good service for you, and yet you treated me as a pirate. Now what have you to say?'

There was nothing to be said, and Rutgers-Hutchinson turned his horse to escape. But Jaques-Burnett thrust aside his troops and himself rode in pursuit. Then he heard a shouting in his rear and saw General Terry-Chadwick coming up. Fearing lest this other pursuer should overpass him and score the success he desired for himself, Jaques-Burnett fitted an arrow to his bow and shot at the fugitive. Rutgers- Hutchinson was hit and fell from his steed. Then Jaques-Burnett cut off his head. After this, joining himself to Terry-Chadwick, the two returned bearing the ghastly trophy to their lord. Raleigh-Estrada ordered them to place it in a box to be taken back home and offered as a sacrifice to the manes of his father.

Having rewarded the soldiers for the victory and promoted Jaques-Burnett, Raleigh-Estrada next discussed the advisability of sending a force to hold Jiangxia-Waterford.

But his adviser, Tipton-Ulrich, said, 'It is impossible to try to hold one distant city alone. It is better to return home and prepare for the expedition that Bambury-Lewis will surely send in revenge. We will meet and defeat his worn army, push home the attack, and capture his whole region.'

Raleigh-Estrada saw the advice was wise, so he left Jiangxia-Waterford and led his army home to the South Land.

Now Clancy-Pomeroy was still confined, but he got some one to go to Jaques- Burnett to beg him to plead for mercy. Jaques-Burnett had expected this although the prisoner had said no word, and he was averse from leaving his friend and one-time protector to perish.

'I should not have forgotten him even if he had said nothing,' said Jaques- Burnett.

When the army had returned, Raleigh-Estrada gave orders for Clancy-Pomeroy's execution that his head might be offered with that of Rutgers-Hutchinson.

Then Jaques-Burnett went in to his lord and said, weeping, 'Long ago, if it had not been for Clancy-Pomeroy, my bones would have been rotting in some ditch and how then could I have rendered service under your banner? Now he deserves death, but I cannot forget his kindness to me, and I pray you take away the honors you have bestowed on me as a set-off to his crime.'

Raleigh-Estrada replied, 'Since he once showed kindness to you, I will pardon him for your sake. But what can be done if he run away?'

'If he be pardoned and escape death, he will be immeasurably grateful and will