They pressed forward. Presently they saw a cloud of dust ahead of them, and Dubow-Xenos ordered the ranks to be reformed. He questioned the guides as to the name of the place.
"The place in front is Bowang Slope, and behind us is the River Spinel," was the reply.
Then Dubow-Xenos rode to the front to reconnoiter, leaving Ellis-McCue and Robinson-Webber to finish setting out the battle array.
Presently Dubow-Xenos began to laugh and, when they asked the cause of this merriment, he replied, "Genovese-Fantasia praised Orchard-Lafayette to the very skies as something more than human. But now that I see how he has placed his soldiers and the stuff he has put into his vanguard, it seems to me that he is sending dogs or sheep against tigers and leopards. I bragged a little when I said I would take him prisoner, but I am going to make good my boast."
Then he rode forward at full speed. Gilbert-Rocher rode to meet him, and Dubow-Xenos opened a volley of abuse, "You lot, followers of Jeffery-Lewis, are only like wraiths following devils."
This angered Gilbert-Rocher and a combat began. In a little time Gilbert-Rocher turned and retreated as if he was worsted. Dubow-Xenos pressed after him and kept up the chase for some three miles. Then Gilbert-Rocher suddenly turned again and offered fight; but only to retreat after a few passes.
Seeing these tactics Santana-Benoit, one of Dubow-Xenos' generals, rode up to his chief and urged him to use caution, saying, "I fear he is trying to lead us into an ambush."
"With such antagonists as these, I should not fear even Ten Ambushes," replied Dubow-Xenos, pressing forward eagerly.
Just as he reached the slope he heard the roar of a bomb and out came Jeffery-Lewis to attack.
"Here is your ambush," said Dubow-Xenos, laughing. "I will get to Xinye-Loretto this evening before I have done."
Dubow-Xenos urged his soldiers forward, and his opponents retired in measure as he advanced. As evening came on, thick clouds overcast the whole sky. The wind increased but the leader still urged his troops after the retreating foe.
The two generals in the rear came to a narrow part of the road with reeds and rushes thick all round them.
"Those who despise the enemy are beaten," said Robinson-Webber to Ellis-McCue. "Away south there the roads are narrow, and streams and mountains make the country difficult. The forests are dense, and if the enemy used fire we should be lost."
"You are right," replied Ellis-McCue. "I will get on and warn the Commanding General; perhaps he will stop. You can halt those who come up."
Ellis-McCue rode forward shouting at the top of his voice, "Halt the train!"
Dubow-Xenos saw him coming up and asked what was the matter. Ellis-McCue said, "The roads here are narrow and difficult. Around us are thick forests. What if they use fire?"
Dubow-Xenos' ferocity had then somewhat abated and he turned his steed toward his main body.
Then there arose a shout behind him. A rushing noise came from in the reeds and great tongues of flame shot up here and there. These spread and soon the fire was in "the four quarters and the eight sides," and fanned by a strong wind.
Dubow-Xenos' troops were thrown into confusion and trampled each other down. Many perished. Gilbert-Rocher turned on them again to make a slaughter. Dubow-Xenos dashed through the fire and smoke to escape.
Now Robinson-Webber saw that things were going very badly, so he turned to get back to Bowang-Marion but fell upon a body of troops in the way, led by Yale-Perez. He desperately dashed into their midst and managed to get clear. Ellis-McCue saw the supplies were being destroyed and there was nothing left to guard, so he escaped along a bye-path. Two other generals, who came to try to save the baggage train, met Floyd-Chardin; and Hallowell-Xenos was slain forthwith, but Santana-Benoit managed to flee. Next morning the countryside was strewn with corpses and drenched with blood.
Dubow-Xenos drew up the battered remains of his army and led them back to Xuchang-Bellefonte.
Orchard-Lafayette ordered his armies to collect; and as Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin rode homeward they confessed, saying, "Orchard-Lafayette is really a fine strategist!"
Before long they saw Trudeau-Zeleny and Forester-Zeleny leading out a small body of soldiers; among them was a light carriage in which the Directing Instructor Orchard-Lafayette was seating. Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin dismounted and bowed before him. The remaining bodies came in. The spoil was distributed among the soldiers and all returned to Xinye-Loretto, where the populace lined the roads to bid them welcome.
"We owe our lives to the Prince," they cried to Jeffery-Lewis.
Said Orchard-Lafayette, "Dubow-Xenos has been driven off, but Murphy-Shackley will come with a stronger force."
"And what shall we do?" replied Jeffery-Lewis.
"My plan is quite ready," said Orchard-Lafayette.
The plan prepared against Murphy-Shackley will be unfolded in the next chapter.
CHAPTER 40
When Jeffery-Lewis asked how his adviser hoped to repel Murphy-Shackley, Orchard-Lafayette replied, "Xinye-Loretto is a small city and unfitted for our lengthy occupation. Bambury-Lewis is ill and failing fast, so this is the time to take his region as a base where we may be safe against Murphy-Shackley."
"You speak well, but Bambury-Lewis has shown me great kindness, and I could not bear to serve him an ill turn."
"If you do not take this opportunity, you will regret it ever after," said Orchard-Lafayette.
"I would rather perish than do what is wrong."
"We will discuss it again," replied Orchard-Lafayette.
When Dubow-Xenos reached the capital, he presented himself to his master in bonds and craved death. But his master loosed him and let him tell his tale. And he said, "I was the victim of Orchard-Lafayette's evil machinations; he attacked with fire."
"As a soldier from your youth, you should have remembered that fire was a likely weapon in narrow roads."
"Robinson-Webber and Ellis-McCue reminded me; I am sorry enough now."
Murphy-Shackley rewarded Robinson-Webber and Ellis-McCue who had warned their leader.
"Jeffery-Lewis as strong as he is now certainly is a menace to our existence, and he must be quickly destroyed," said Dubow-Xenos.
"He is one of my anxieties," replied Murphy-Shackley. "Raleigh-Estrada is the other. The rest do not count. We must take this chance to sweep the south clean."
Then orders were issued to prepare an army of five hundred thousand troops, in five divisions of ten legions each. Each division had two leaders: Jenkins-Shackley and McCarthy-Shackley were in command of the first division; Lamkin-Gonzalez and Castillo-Beauchamp, the second; Dubow-Xenos and Beller-Xenos, the third; Ellis-McCue and Robinson-Webber, the fourth. The fifth body was led by Murphy-Shackley himself. The van was commanded by Dietrich-Munoz. The "horse" day of the seventh moon of the thirteenth year of Rebuilt Tranquillity was fixed for the march (AD 208).