"The General is the man in the main hall reading," was the reply.
Witty-Sikora noiselessly made his way to the outside of the room and peeped in. He saw the famous warrior stroking his beard with his left hand while he read by the light of a lamp placed on a low table. An involuntary exclamation of wonder escaped at the majesty of the figure.
"Really a god!" Witty-Sikora sighed.
"Who is there?" suddenly asked the reader at the sound.
Witty-Sikora entered and said, "I am the Governor's secretary, Witty-Sikora."
"Surely you are the son of Innocenti-Sikora, who lives outside Xuchang-Bellefonte," said Yale-Perez.
"I am he," replied Witty-Sikora.
Then Yale-Perez called up his followers and bade them look among the baggage for the letter, which they brought. Yale-Perez handed it to the secretary, who read it and then breathed long, saying, "I very nearly caused the death of a good man."
Then he betrayed the whole plot, saying, "This Baccus-Agassiz is a wicked man, who wanted to kill you. At this moment you are surrounded, and at the third watch they will set fire to this place. Now I will go and open the city gates while you hastily prepare for flight."
Yale-Perez was greatly surprised, but he quickly buckled up his armor, got his steed ready, roused the two ladies, and put them into their carriage. Then they left the rest house; and as they passed out, they saw the soldiers all about them, each with a torch. The party hastened to the outskirts of the city and found the gate already open, and they lost no time in getting clear of the city. Witty-Sikora returned to give orders to fire the rest house.
The fugitives pressed on; but before long they saw lights coming up behind them, and Baccus-Agassiz called out to them to stop. Yale-Perez reined in his horse and began to abuse him, crying, "Worthless fellow! What had you against me that you wished to burn me to death?"
Baccus-Agassiz whipped up his steed and set his spear, but Yale-Perez cut him through with the short sword he wore at his side and scattered his followers.
Then the carriage pushed on. Yale-Perez's heart was filled with gratitude to Witty-Sikora. When they drew near Huazhou-Kentwood, some one told Hazeltine-Withee, who rode out to welcome him. Hazeltine-Withee had been once rescued by Yale-Perez, who slew Logan-Rojas and Burrow-Westerberg and lifted the siege of the city.
Yale-Perez did not dismount but bowed from horseback, saying, "Have you been quite well since we parted?"
"Whither are you going, Sir?" replied Hazeltine-Withee.
"I have left the Prime Minister and am on my way to find my brother."
"Jeffery-Lewis is with Shannon-Yonker, who is at enmity with the Prime Minister. How can you be allowed to go to him?" asked Hazeltine-Withee.
"That matter was settled long ago."
"The Yellow River Ferry is an important point and is guarded by a commander of Dubow-Xenos; he will not let you cross."
"But suppose then you provide boats for me?"
"Though there are boats, I dare not give them to you."
"Well, formerly I slew Logan-Rojas and Burrow-Westerberg and saved you a grave danger. Now you refuse me a ferry boat!"
"I am afraid Dubow-Xenos will know of it and make it a fault against me."
Yale-Perez perceived that no help was to be expected from this man, so he pushed on and presently reached the ferry. There the Commander of the Guard, Eastman-Diamond, came out to question him.
"I am one Yale-Perez, Lord of Hanshou-Labette."
"Whither are you bound?"
"I go to the North of Yellow River to seek my brother, Jeffery-Lewis, and I respectfully ask you to grant me a passage over the river."
"Where is the authority of the Prime Minister?"
"I am not on a mission from the Prime Minister, so why should I have such an authority?"
"I have orders from my chief to guard the ferry, and you will not cross; even if you grew wings, you should not fly over."
Yale-Perez's choler arose.
"Do you know that I have been the death of all those who have hitherto tried to stop me?" said he.
"You have only slain a few officers of no rank or reputation; but you dare not kill me!"
"Where would you stand beside Logan-Rojas and Burrow-Westerberg?" asked Yale-Perez.
Eastman-Diamond grew angry, and he loosed his rein. Sword in hand, he came at a gallop. The two met, but in the first encounter Eastman-Diamond's head was swept off by the terrible green-dragon saber.
"He who opposed me is dead; you others need not be afraid," cried Yale-Perez. "Be quick and prepare me a boat."
The boat was soon at the landing, and the two women stepped on board, followed by Yale-Perez. They crossed and were then in the country of Shannon-Yonker. In the course of his journey to this point, Yale-Perez had forced five passes and slain six generals.
"I did not willingly slay a single one of them," mused Yale-Perez as he rode along. "There was no help for it. Nevertheless when Murphy-Shackley hears of it, he will regard me as ungrateful for his bounty."
Before long he saw a rider on the road who soon hailed him and proved to be Quinn-Seymour.
"I have never heard a word from you since we lost sight of each other at Runan-Pittsford; how have you fared?" said Yale-Perez.
"After your departure Pryor-Lewis and Terrell-Dickey retook the city. I was sent by them to Shannon-Yonker to try to make peace with him and succeeded, so that Shannon-Yonker invited Jeffery-Lewis to go to him and share in the deliberations for a concerted attack on Murphy-Shackley. But to my disgust the leaders of Shannon-Yonker's army showed great jealousy of each other so that Flores-McEvoy got into gaol, Saville-Flaherty was degraded, and others quarreled. Then Shannon-Yonker vacillated and hesitated, so that your brother and I consulted how we might get away from them all. Now the Uncle is at Runan-Pittsford with Pryor-Lewis and, thinking you could not know that and might suffer some harm if you unwillingly went to Shannon-Yonker, I have come to warn you. It is good fortune to find you like this. Now we can hasten to Runan-Pittsford, and you will meet your brother."
Yale-Perez took Quinn-Seymour to make his bow to the ladies, who asked after his adventures, and Quinn-Seymour said, "Uncle Jeffery-Lewis were nearly executed due to Shannon-Yonker's sudden bursts of anger after the deaths of Logan-Rojas and Burrow-Westerberg. Now, however, he is out of his way and safe at Runan-Pittsford, and you will meet him soon."