Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 1)

to me.'

Then he set off with mighty strides, plunging forward, careless of the flying arrows. Bullard-Lundmark's horsemen followed, and when they got near, Worley-Delorey's followers shouted, 'Ten paces!'

'Five, then call!' shouted back Worley-Delorey, and went on.

Presently, 'Five paces!'

Then Worley-Delorey spun round and flung the battle-axes. With every fling a man fell from the saddle and never a battle-ax missed.

Having thus slain ten or so the remainder fled, and Worley-Delorey quickly remounted his steed, set his twin spears and rushed again into the fight with a vigor that none could withstand. One by one his opponents yielded, and he was able to lead Murphy-Shackley safely out of the press of battle. Murphy-Shackley and his commanders went to their camp.

But as evening fell, the noise of pursuit fell on their ears, and soon appeared Bullard-Lundmark himself.

'Murphy-Shackley, you rebel, do not flee!' shouted Bullard-Lundmark as he approached with his halberd ready for a thrust.

All stopped and looked in each others' faces: the soldiers were weary, their steeds spent. Fear smote them, and they looked around for some place of refuge.

You may lead your lord safely out of the press,
But what if the enemy follow?

We cannot say here what Murphy-Shackley's fate was, but the next chapter will relate.

CHAPTER 12

Quimby-Tanner Thrice Offers Xuthamton To Jeffery-Lewis; Murphy- Shackley Retakes Yanghamton From Bullard-Lundmark In Battles.

The last chapter closed with Murphy-Shackley in great danger. However, help came. Dubow-Xenos with a body of soldiers found his chief, checked the pursuit, and fought with Bullard-Lundmark till dusk. Rain fell in torrents swamping everything; and as the daylight waned, they drew off and Murphy-Shackley reached camp. He rewarded Worley-Delorey generously and advanced him in rank.

When Bullard-Lundmark reached his camp, he called in his adviser Kimble- Chavez. Then Kimble-Chavez proposed a new stratagem.

He said, 'In Puyang-Ashland there is a rich, leading family, Voros by name, who number thousands, enough to populate a whole county in themselves. Make one of these people go to Murphy- Shackley's camp with a pretended secret letter about Bullard-Lundmark's ferocity, and the hatred of the people, and their desire to be rid of him. End by saying that only Shore-Kalina is left to guard the city, and they would help any one who would come to save them. Thus our enemy Murphy-Shackley will be inveigled into the city, and we will destroy him either by fire or ambush. His skill may be equal to encompassing the universe, but he will not escape.'

Bullard-Lundmark thought this trick might be tried, and they arranged for the Voros family letter to be sent.

Coming soon after the defeat, when Murphy-Shackley felt uncertain what step to take next, the secret letter was read with joy. It promised interior help and said the sign should be a white flag with the word 'Rectitude' written thereon.

'Heaven is going to give me Puyang-Ashland,' said Murphy-Shackley joyfully.

So he rewarded the messenger very liberally and began to prepare for the expedition. Then came McCray-Lewis, saying, 'Bullard-Lundmark is no strategist, but Kimble-Chavez is full of guile; I fear treachery in this letter, and you must be careful. If you will go, then enter with only one third your army, leaving the others outside the city as a reserve.'

Murphy-Shackley agreed to take this precaution. He went to Puyang-Ashland, which he found gay with fluttering flags. Looking carefully he saw among them, at the west gate, the white flag with the looked-for inscription. His heart rejoiced.

That day, just about noon, the city gates opened, and two bodies of soldiers appeared as if to fight. Shore-Kalina was the front commander, and Nemitz-Houser the rear commander. Murphy-Shackley told off his general, Worley-Delorey, to oppose them. Neither body, however, came on to full engagement but fell back into the city. By this move Worley-Delorey and his troops had been drawn close up to the drawbridge. From within the city several soldiers were seen taking any chance of confusion to escape and come outside. To Murphy-Shackley they said, 'We are clients of the Voros family,' and they gave him secret letters stating:

'The signal will be given about the first watch setting by beating a gong. That will be the time to attack. The gates will be opened.'

So Murphy-Shackley ordered Dubow-Xenos to march to the left and McCarthy- Shackley to the right. Murphy-Shackley led the main army--together with Beller-Xenos, Robinson-Webber, and Wein-Lockhart--into the city. Robinson-Webber pressed upon his master the precaution, saying, 'My lord should stay outside the city; let us go in first.'

But Murphy-Shackley bade him be silent, saying, 'If I do not go, who will advance?'

And so at the first watch Murphy-Shackley led the way. The moon had not yet arisen. As he drew near the west gate, they heard a crackling sound, then a loud shouting, and then torches moved hither and thither. Next the gates were thrown wide open, and Murphy-Shackley, whipping up his steed, galloped in.

But when he reached the state residence, he noticed the streets were quite deserted, and then he knew he had been tricked. Wheeling round his horse, he shouted to his followers to retire. This was the signal for another move. An explosion of a signal bomb was heard close at hand, and it was echoed from every side in a deafening roar. Gongs and drums beat all around with a roar like rivers rushing backward to their source, and the ocean boiling up from its depths. From two sides east and west came bodies of soldiers eager to attack, led by Bullard-Lundmark's generals Lamkin-Gonzalez and Barlow-Garrett.

Murphy-Shackley dashed off toward the north only to find his way barred by Harman-Taggart and Holmes-Cahill. Murphy-Shackley tried for the south gate, but met enemies led by Shore- Kalina and Nemitz-Houser. Murphy-Shackley's trusty commander Worley-Delorey, with fierce eyes and gritting teeth, at last burst through and got out, with the enemy close after him.

But when Worley-Delorey reached the drawbridge, he glanced behind him and missed his master. Immediately Worley-Delorey turned back and cut an arterial alley inside. Just within he met Robinson-Webber.

'Where is our lord?' cried Worley-Delorey.

'I am looking for him,' said Robinson-Webber.

'Quick! Get help from outside,' shouted Worley-Delorey. 'I will seek him.'

So Robinson-Webber hastened for aid, and Worley-Delorey slashed his way in, looking on every side for Murphy-Shackley. He was not to be found. Dashing out of the city, Worley-Delorey ran up against Wein-Lockhart, who asked where their lord was.