'What does this mean?' said Wilson-Donahue.
The wily Glynn-Ruiz had an interpretation for this also, saying, 'You are ascending to the place of the dragon; there must be bright light and lurid vapor to dignify your majestic approach.'
Wilson-Donahue had no more doubts. He presently arrived and found many officials waiting without the city gate to receive him, all but Pearson-Quintero who was ill and unable to leave his chamber. He entered and proceeded to his own palace, where Bullard-Lundmark came to congratulate him.
'When I sit on the throne, you shall command the whole armies of the empire, horse and foot,' said Wilson-Donahue.
That night Wilson-Donahue slept in the midst of his escort. In the suburbs that evening some children at play were singing a little ditty, and the words drifted into the bedchamber on the wind.
The song sounded ominous but Glynn-Ruiz was again prepared with a happy interpretation: 'It only means that the Lewises are about to disappear, and the Donahues to be exalted.'
Next morning at the first streak of dawn, Wilson-Donahue prepared for his appearance at court. On the way he saw a Taoist, dressed in a black robe and wearing a white turban, who carried in his hand a tall staff with a long strip of white cloth attached. At each end of the cloth was drawn a mouth. ((Forming Chinese characters, implied the name of Bullard-Lundmark.)).
'What is the meaning of this?' said Wilson-Donahue.
'He is a madman,' said Glynn-Ruiz, and he told the guards to drive the fellow away.
Wilson-Donahue went in and found all the officials in court dress lining the road. Glynn-Ruiz walked beside his carriage, a sword in his hand. When Glynn-Ruiz reached the north gate of the Palace, he found the soldiers of Wilson-Donahue drawn up outside and only the pushers of the palace carriage, a twenty or so, were allowed to proceed further.
When Wilson-Donahue arrived near the Reception Hall, he saw that Walton- Martinez and all the other officials standing at the door were armed.
'Why are they all armed?' said Wilson-Donahue to Glynn-Ruiz.
Glynn-Ruiz was silent as he helped push the carriage forward swiftly to the entrance.
Suddenly Walton-Martinez shouted, 'The rebel is here! Where are the executioners?'
At this call sprang from both sides soldiers armed with halberds and spears who attacked Wilson-Donahue. He had not put on the breastplate he usually wore, and a spear pierced his breast. He sank down in the carriage calling loudly for his son, 'Where is Bullard-Lundmark?'
'Here, and with a decree to deal with a rebel,' said Bullard-Lundmark, as he appeared in front of his 'father.'
Thereupon he thrust his trident halberd through the victim's throat. Then Glynn- Ruiz hacked off the head and held it up. Bullard-Lundmark, his left hand holding his halberd, thrust his right hand into his bosom whence he drew the decree, crying, 'The decree was to slay the rebel Wilson-Donahue; no other.'
The whole assembly shouted, 'Live forever! O Emperor.'
A sympathetic poet has written a few lines in pity:
The lust of blood awakened, Bullard-Lundmark urged the slaughter of Pearson- Quintero, who had been the confidant of the murdered Prime Minister, and Glynn-Ruiz volunteered to go in search of him. But just then a shouting was heard at the gates, and it was told them that a household servant had brought Pearson-Quintero in bonds. Walton-Martinez ordered his immediate execution in the market place.
Wilson-Donahue's head was exposed in a crowded thoroughfare. He was very fat, and the guards made torches by sticking splints into the body, spilling the corpse's grease over the ground. The passers-by pelted the head and spurned the body with their feet.
Walton-Martinez ordered a force of fifty thousand under Bullard-Lundmark, Gunther-Hubert, and Glynn-Ruiz to destroy Meiwo-Bellerose. Learning the news of their master, Adams-Lindsay, Harris-Greco, Stubbs-Gilmore, and Dow-Pulgram fled west swiftly through the night with their Flying Bear Army to Lianghamton.
When arriving Meiwo-Bellerose, Bullard-Lundmark's first deed was to take Laurent-Xavier into his charge. Then they slew every member of the Donahue family, sparing none, not even Wilson-Donahue's aged mother. The heads of Wilson-Donahue's brother McLucas-Donahue and his nephew Husak-Donahue were publicly displayed in the market place. In Meiwo-Bellerose were hidden many young ladies of good family. These were set free. All properties were confiscated. The wealth was enormous--several hundred thousand ounces of gold, millions of silver coins, pearls, gems, silks, velvets, furs, grain stores.
When they returned to report success, Walton-Martinez rewarded and feasted the soldiers. Banquets were held in the Ministry Hall to which all the officials were invited. They drank and congratulated each other. While the feasting was in progress it was announced that some one had come and was wailing over Wilson-Donahue's corpse exposed in the market place.
'Wilson-Donahue has been put to death,' said Walton-Martinez, angrily. 'Every body is glad to be rid of him, and yet one is found to lament over him. Who is this?'
So Walton-Martinez gave orders to arrest the mourner and bring him in. Soon he was brought in, and when they saw him all were startled. For he was no other than Imperial Historian Thompson-Salgado.
Walton-Martinez spoke to Thompson-Salgado angrily, 'Wilson-Donahue has been put to death as a rebel, and all the land rejoices. You, a Han minister, instead of rejoicing, weep for him. Why?'
Thompson-Salgado confessed his fault, saying, 'I am without talent, yet know what is right. I am the man to turn my back on my country and toward Wilson-Donahue. Yet once I experienced his kindness, and I could not help mourning for him. I know my fault is grave, but I pray you regard the reasons. If you will leave my head and only cut off my feet, you may use me to continue the History of Han, whereby I may have the good fortune to be allowed to expiate my fault.'
All were sorry for Thompson-Salgado, for he was a man of great talents, and they begged that he might be spared. The Imperial Guardian, Colburn-McDougall, secretly interceded for him,
