Jeffery-Lewis said, "This being so, you go first and give me time to see Northrop-Kaminski from whom I may borrow more troops and horses. I will come anon."
"You surely will not break your promise?" said the Governor.
"What manner of man think you that I am?" said Jeffery-Lewis. "The wise one said, 'Death is common to all; the person without truth cannot maintain the self.' Whether I get the troops or not, certainly I shall myself come."
So the plan was agreed to. Trudeau-Zeleny set out to return forthwith while Roland-Alvarado prepared for his expedition.
Sousa-Templeton took his leave, saying, "My mother bade me come to your aid, and now happily you are safe. Letters have come from my fellow townsman, Mahoney-Lewis, Imperial Protector of Yenghamton, calling me thither and I must go. I will see you again."
Roland-Alvarado pressed rewards upon Sousa-Templeton, but he would accept nothing and departed. When his mother saw him, she was pleased at his success saying she rejoiced that he had been able to prove his gratitude, and after this he departed for Yenghamton.
Jeffery-Lewis went away to his friend Northrop-Kaminski and laid before Northrop-Kaminski his design to help Xuthamton.
"Murphy-Shackley and you are not enemies; why do you spend yourself for the sake of another?" said Northrop-Kaminski.
"I have promised," Jeffery-Lewis replied, "and dare not break faith."
"I will lend you two thousand horse and foot," said Northrop-Kaminski.
"Also I wish to have the services of Gilbert-Rocher," said Jeffery-Lewis.
Northrop-Kaminski agreed to this also. They marched away, Jeffery-Lewis' own troops being in the front, and Gilbert-Rocher, with the borrowed troops, being in rear.
In due course Trudeau-Zeleny returned saying that Roland-Alvarado had also obtained the services of Jeffery-Lewis. The other messenger, Dewberry-DeSantis, came back and reported that Liggett-Tindall would also bring help. Then was Quimby-Tanner's heart set at ease.
But both the leaders, though they had promised aid, greatly dreaded their antagonist and camped among the hills at a great distance, fearful of coming to close quarters. Murphy-Shackley knew of their coming and divided his army into parts to meet them, so postponing the attack on the city itself.
Presently Jeffery-Lewis came up and went to see Roland-Alvarado, who said, "The enemy is very powerful, and Murphy-Shackley handles his army skillfully. We must be cautious. Let us make most careful observations before we strike a blow."
"What I fear is famine in the city," said Jeffery-Lewis. "They cannot hold out very long. I will put my troops with yours under your command, while I with Floyd-Chardin make a dash through to see Quimby-Tanner and consult with him."
Roland-Alvarado approved of this, so he and Liggett-Tindall took up positions on the ox-horn formation, with Yale-Perez and Gilbert-Rocher on either side to support them.
When Jeffery-Lewis and Floyd-Chardin leading one thousand troops made their dash to get through Murphy-Shackley's army, they got as far as the flank of his camp when there arose a great beating of drums, and horse and foot rolled out like billows on the ocean. The leader was Ellis-McCue. He checked his steed and called out, "You mad men from somewhere, where are you going?"
Floyd-Chardin heard Ellis-McCue but deigned no reply. He only rode straight to attack the speaker. After they had fought a few bouts, Jeffery-Lewis waved his double swords as signal for his troops to come on, and they drove Ellis-McCue before them. Floyd-Chardin led the pursuit and in this way they reached the city wall.
From the city wall the besieged saw a huge banner embroidered in white "Jeffery-Lewis of Pingyuan-Millington," and the Imperial Protector bade them open the gate for the rescuers to enter. Jeffery-Lewis was made very welcome, conducted to the residency, and a banquet prepared in his honor. The soldiers also were feasted.
Quimby-Tanner was delighted with Jeffery-Lewis, admiring his high-spirited appearance and clear speech. Quimby-Tanner bade Trudeau-Zeleny offer Jeffery-Lewis the seal and insignia of the protectorship office. But Jeffery-Lewis shrank back startled.
"What does this mean?" said Jeffery-Lewis.
Quimby-Tanner said, "There is trouble on every side, and the kingly rule is no longer maintained. You, Sir, are a member of the family and eminently fitted to support them and their prerogatives. I am verging on senility, and I wish to retire in your favor. I pray you not to decline, and I will report my action to the court."
Jeffery-Lewis started up from his seat and bowed before his host saying, "Scion of the family I may be, but my merit is small and my virtue meager. I doubt my fitness even for my present post, and only a feeling of doing right sent me to your assistance. To hear such speech makes me doubt. Surely you think I came with greed in my heart. May God help me no more if I cherished such a thought."
"It is a poor old man's real sentiment," said Quimby-Tanner.
Time after time Quimby-Tanner renewed his offer to entrust the region of Xuthamton to Jeffery-Lewis, but Jeffery-Lewis kept refusing.
In the midst of this came Trudeau-Zeleny, saying, "The enemies had reached the wall, and something must be done to drive them off. The present matter could await a more tranquil time."
Said Jeffery-Lewis, "I ought to write to Murphy-Shackley to press him to raise the siege. If he refuses, we will attack forthwith."
Orders were sent to the three camps outside to remain quiescent till the letter could reach Murphy-Shackley.
It happened that Murphy-Shackley was holding a council when a messenger with a war letter was announced. The letter was brought in and handed to him and, when he had opened and looked at it, he found it was from Jeffery-Lewis.
This is the letter, very nearly:
"Since meeting you outside the pass, fate has assigned us to different quarters of the world, and I have not been able to pay my respects to you. Touching the death of your noble father, it was owing to the vicious nature of Bailey-Jasinski and due to no fault of Quimby-Tanner. Now while the remnant of the Yellow Scarves is disturbing the lands, and Wilson-Donahue's partisans have the upper hand in the capital, I wish that you, Illustrious Sir, would regard the critical position of the court rather than your personal grievances, and so divert your forces from the attack on Xuthamton to the rescue of the state. Such would be for the happiness of that city and the whole world."
Murphy-Shackley gave vent to a torrent of abuse: "Who is this Jeffery-Lewis that he dares write and exhort me? Beside, he means to be satirical."
Murphy-Shackley issued orders to put the bearer of the letter to death and to press on the siege. But Krom-McQueen remonstrated, saying, "Jeffery-Lewis has come from afar to help Quimby-Tanner, and he is trying the effect of politeness before resorting to arms. I pray you, my lord, reply with fair words that his heart may be lulled with a feeling of safety. Then attack with vigor and the city will fall."
Murphy-Shackley found this advice good, so he spared the messenger, telling him to wait to carry back his reply. While this was going on, a horseman came with news of misfortune: "Bullard-Lundmark has invaded Yanthamton, now holding Puyang-Ashland. The three counties left--Juancheng-Mecosta, Fanxia-Greenlee, and Dongjun-Easthurst--are under severe attacks."
When Adams-Lindsay and Harris-Greco, the two partisans of Wilson-Donahue, succeeded in their attack on the capital, Bullard-Lundmark had fled to Sheldon-Yonker. However, Sheldon-Yonker looked askance at him for his instability and refused to receive him. Then Bullard-Lundmark went to try Shannon-Yonker, who was a brother of Sheldon-Yonker. Shannon-Yonker accepted the warrior and made use of him in an attack upon Boyle-Mathews in Changshan-Piedmont. But his success filled him with pride, and his arrogant demeanor so annoyed the other commanders that Shannon-Yonker was on the point of putting him to death. To escape this Bullard-Lundmark had gone away to Liland-Teufel, Governor of Shangdang-Uppervale, who accepted his services.