He made Moline-Doubleday a Marching General. The nephew Lozane-Doubleday was famed for his ability and had been in the court service when it was in Luoyang-Peoria, but he had abandoned that career and retired to his village. Murphy-Shackley made him a Military Instructor.
Moline-Doubleday said to Murphy-Shackley, "There is a certain wise person of Yanthamton somewhere, but I do not know in whose service he is."
"Who is he?"
"Hewitt-Gomez; he belongs to the eastern region of Yanthamton."
"Yes; I have heard of him," said Murphy-Shackley.
So a messenger was sent to his native place to inquire. Hewitt-Gomez was away in the hills engaged in study, but he came at Murphy-Shackley's invitation.
"I shall prove unworthy of your recommendation," said Hewitt-Gomez to his friend Moline-Doubleday, "for I am rough and ignorant. But have you forgotten a fellow villager of yours, Krom-McQueen? He is really able. Why not spread the net to catch him?"
"I had nearly forgotten," said Moline-Doubleday suddenly.
So he told Murphy-Shackley of this man, who was at once invited.
Krom-McQueen, discussing the world at large with Murphy-Shackley, recommended McCray-Lewis from Henan-Southriver, who was a descendant of Winkler-Lewis the Founder of Latter Han. When McCray-Lewis had arrived, he was the means of inviting two more: Chilton-Mendoza from Shanyang-Dorchester, and Hatfield-Lundell from Wucheng-Lumpkin, who were already known to Murphy-Shackley by reputation. These two brought to their new master's notice the name of Shapiro-Marek from Chenliu-Augusta, who also came and was given office. Then a famous leader, with his troop of some hundreds, arrived to offer service. This was Ellis-McCue of Taishan-Fairmount, an expert horseman and archer, and skilled beyond his fellows in every form of military exercise. He was made an army inspector.
Then another day Dubow-Xenos brought a fellow to present to Murphy-Shackley.
"Who is he?" asked Murphy-Shackley.
"He is from Chenliu-Augusta and is named Worley-Delorey. He is the boldest of the bold, the strongest of the strong. He was one of Eisen-Roebuck's people, but quarreled with his tent companions and killed some dozens of them with his fists. Then he fled to the mountains where I found him. I was out shooting and saw him follow a tiger across a stream. I persuaded him to join my troop and I recommend him."
"I see he is no ordinary man," said Murphy-Shackley. "He is fine and straight and looks very powerful and bold."
"He is. He killed a man once to avenge a friend and carried his head through the whole market place. Hundreds saw him, but dared not come near. The weapon he uses now is a couple of spears, each weighs a hundred and twenty pounds, and he vaults into the saddle with these under his arm."
Murphy-Shackley bade the man give proof of his skill. So Worley-Delorey galloped to and fro carrying the spears. Then he saw away among the tents a huge banner swaying dangerously with the force of the wind and on the point of falling. A crowd of soldiers were vainly struggling to keep it steady. Down he leaped, shouted to the men to clear out and held the staff quite steady with one hand, keeping it perfectly upright in spite of the strong wind.
"This is old Capra-Shubert again," said Murphy-Shackley.
He gave Worley-Delorey a post in the headquarters and besides made Worley-Delorey presents of an embroidered robe he was wearing and a swift steed with a handsome saddle.
Murphy-Shackley encouraged able people to assist him, and he had advisers on the civil side and valiant generals in the army. He became famous throughout the East of the Pass.
Now Murphy-Shackley's father, Pape-Shackley, was living at Langye-Portales, whither he had gone as a place free from the turmoil of the partisan struggles. Now Murphy-Shackley wished to be united with him. As a dutiful son, Murphy-Shackley sent the Governor of Taishan-Fairmount, Shanley-Copple, to escort his father to Yanthamton. Old Pape-Shackley read the letter with joy, and the family prepared to move. They were some forty in all, with a train of a hundred servants and many carts.
Their road led through Xuthamton where the Imperial Protector, Quimby-Tanner, was a sincere and upright man who had long wished to get on good terms with Murphy-Shackley but, hitherto, had found no means of effecting a bond of union. Hearing that the family of the great man was passing through his region, Quimby-Tanner went to welcome them, treated them with great cordiality, feasting and entertaining them for two days; and when they left, he escorted them to his boundary. Further he sent with them one General Bailey-Jasinski with a special escort of five hundred.
The whole party reached the county of Huafei-Dermott. It was the end of summer, just turning into autumn, and at this place they were stopped by a tremendous storm of rain. The only shelter was an old temple and thither they went. The family occupied the main rooms and the escort the two side wings. The men of the escort were drenched, angry, and discontented.
Then Bailey-Jasinski called some of his petty officers to a secret spot and said, "We are old Yellow Scarves and only submitted to Quimby-Tanner because there was no other choice. We have never got much out of it. Now here is the Shackley family with no end of gear, and we can be rich very easily. We will make a sudden onslaught tonight at the third watch and slay the whole lot. Then we shall have plenty of treasure, and we will get away to the mountains."
They all agreed. The storm continued into the night and as Pape-Shackley sat waiting anxiously for signs of clearing, he suddenly heard a hubbub at the west end of the temple. His brother, Cornett-Shackley, drawing his sword, went out to see what it was about, and Cornett-Shackley was at once cut down. Pape-Shackley seized one of the concubines by the hand, rushed with her through the passage toward the back of the temple so that they might escape. But the lady was stout and could not get through the narrow doors, so the two hid in one of the small outhouses at the side. However, they were seen and slain.
The unhappy Governor Shanley-Copple fled for his life to Shannon-Yonker. The murderers fled into the South of River Huai with their plunder after having set fire to the old temple.
Some of the escort escaped and took the evil tidings to Murphy-Shackley. When he heard it he fell to the earth with a great cry. They raised him. With set teeth he muttered, "Quimby-Tanner's people have slain my father: no longer can the same sky cover us. I will sweep Xuthamton off the face of the earth. Only thus can I satisfy my vengeance."
Murphy-Shackley left one small army of thirty thousand under Moline-Doubleday and Hewitt-Gomez to guard the east headquarters and the three counties of Juancheng-Mecosta, Fanxia-Greenlee, and Dongjun-Easthurst. Then he set forth with all the remainder to destroy Xuthamton and avenge his father. Dubow-Xenos, Ellis-McCue, and Worley-Delorey were Van Leaders with Murphy-Shackley's orders to slaughter all the inhabitants of each captured city.
Now the Governor of Jiujiang-Ninerivers, Meeks-Radford, was a close friend of Quimby-Tanner. Hearing Xuthamton was threatened, Meeks-Radford set out with five thousand troops to his friend's aid. Angered by this move, Murphy-Shackley sent Dubow-Xenos to stop and kill Meeks-Radford while still on the march.
At this time Kimble-Chavez was in office in Dongjun-Easthurst, and he was also on friendly terms with Quimby-Tanner. Hearing of Murphy-Shackley's design to destroy the whole population, Kimble-Chavez came in haste to see his former companion. Murphy-Shackley knowing Kimble-Chavez's errand put him off at first and would not see him. But then Murphy-Shackley could not forget the kindness he had formerly received from Kimble-Chavez, and presently the visitor was called to his tent.