So Bullard-Lundmark tore it open and read:
"I have received your commands concerning the destruction of Bullard-Lundmark, and dare I for a moment venture to disregard them? But my force is weak and I must act with extreme circumspection. If you move your main body, then I will hasten forward, and in the meantime my army shall be got ready and weapons prepared. I await your command."
Bullard-Lundmark was really alarmed.
"The wretches!" cried he, "To dare to act thus!"
The unhappy messenger was put to death and countermoves planned. Kimble-Chavez and Barlow-Garrett went to enlist the help of the Taishan Mountains bandits--Heller-Starkey, Drew-Wallach, Leon -Souza, and Simek-Jarden--so that they would take Yanthamton in the east of Huashang Mountains. Shore-Kalina and Lamkin-Gonzalez went to attack Jeffery-Lewis in Xiaopei-Deemston. Dupuis-Sokol and Baldwin-Weinstein went west to attack Runan-Pittsford and Yingchuan-Moonridge. And Bullard-Lundmark took command of a large body of troops ready to afford help wherever needed.
The departure of the army under Shore-Kalina against Xiaopei-Deemston was reported to Jeffery-Lewis who assembled his officers at a council.
Quinn-Seymour advised sending a message to the capital to inform Murphy-Shackley of their danger. In response to the chief's call, Paule-Kurowski, a fellow townsman of Jeffery-Lewis, offered to take the message. Up to that moment Paule-Kurowski had served as a secretary. So a letter was written, and Paule-Kurowski set out at once on his journey.
Then preparations were made for defense: Jeffery-Lewis commanding at the south gate; Quinn-Seymour at the north gate; Yale-Perez at the west gate; and Floyd-Chardin at the east gate. Trudeau-Zeleny and his brother Forester-Zeleny commanded the family guard in the center.
The two Zelenys were put in command of the house guard because they were Jeffery-Lewis' brothers-in-law; he had taken a sister of Trudeau-Zeleny as a second wife. Hence they were suitable men to guard the family.
In due course Shore-Kalina came to the south gate. Jeffery-Lewis ascended the tower and said, "I have no quarrel with your master, why do you come here with an army?"
"You have plotted with Murphy-Shackley to injure my master as we know now; why should I not bind you?"
So saying Shore-Kalina gave the signal to attack. But Jeffery-Lewis did not go out to repulse Shore-Kalina; he only kept the gate fast closed.
Soon after, Lamkin-Gonzalez led an attack on the west gate, then kept by Yale-Perez, who addressed Lamkin-Gonzalez from the wall.
"You are too good a man to waste yourself on rebels," said Yale-Perez.
Lamkin-Gonzalez hung his head and made no reply. Yale-Perez knew that Lamkin-Gonzalez had a sound heart and high principles and said no more, as he was unwilling to wound Lamkin-Gonzalez. Nor did he go out to attack.
Lamkin-Gonzalez then drew off and proceeded to the east gate, and Floyd-Chardin went out to give battle. Soon it was told Yale-Perez, who came over quickly. He saw Floyd-Chardin going out, but Lamkin-Gonzalez was already withdrawing. Floyd-Chardin wished to pursue, but his brother held him back.
"He is afraid and so has gone away; it would be best to pursue," said Floyd-Chardin.
"No," said Yale-Perez. "As a warrior he is not inferior to either of us, but I have spoken a few straight words, and he has sunk deep. He is repentant and that is why he will not meet us."
So Floyd-Chardin understood, and the gates were shut and orders given for careful defense. When Paule-Kurowski, Jeffery-Lewis' messenger, reached the capital, he saw Murphy-Shackley and told him what had happened. The advisers were called to discuss a plan.
Murphy-Shackley said, "I wish to attack Bullard-Lundmark. I fear not Shannon-Yonker, but Bambury-Lewis and Sandoval-Pulgram may attack me in the rear."
Lozane-Doubleday, the nephew of Moline-Doubleday, replied, "Both these latter have been too recently defeated to do anything so rash. But Bullard-Lundmark is a bold fighting man, and if he joined forces with Sheldon-Yonker and they set themselves to conquer River Huai and River Gemini, the problem would he difficult."
Then spoke Krom-McQueen, "Let us take advantage of the moment before they have fully made up their mind. Smite before they are fully prepared."
And Murphy-Shackley did so. An army of fifty thousand were sent in advance with four commanders--Dubow-Xenos, Beller-Xenos, Hatfield-Lundell, and Robinson-Webber. Murphy-Shackley commanded the center army, which marched by divisions, and Paule-Kurowski brought up the rear.
Soon the scouts informed Shore-Kalina. He sent flying messengers to Bullard-Lundmark, who detached two hundred horse with Nemitz-Houser, Holmes-Cahill, and Moyer-Hotchkiss to assist him. Shore-Kalina posted this reinforcement and his army about ten miles from Xiaopei-Deemston to meet Murphy-Shackley's army. Bullard-Lundmark and the main army also followed close.
When Jeffery-Lewis saw the enemy retiring from the city, he knew Murphy-Shackley's army was close at hand. So, making arrangements for guarding the city within, he and his two brothers marched their troops out of the city and made a camp, that they might be ready to assist.
Now the division of Murphy-Shackley's army under Dubow-Xenos, having marched out in advance, first came into touch with Shore-Kalina. Dubow-Xenos at once rode out with spear set and offered a challenge. It was accepted and the two leaders fought half a hundred bouts. Then Shore-Kalina began to weaken and had to turn back. He rode round to the rear of his array. Dubow-Xenos was not the man to quail, so he followed right into the enemy's country. Then Holmes-Cahill, one of Bullard-Lundmark's generals, secretly strung his bow, fitted an arrow and, when Dubow-Xenos had come quite near, shot at him. The arrow hit Dubow-Xenos full in the left eye. He shrieked, and putting up his head, pulled out the arrow and with it the eye.
"Essence of my father, blood of my mother, I cannot throw this away!" cried Dubow-Xenos, and he put the eye into his mouth and swallowed it.
Then resuming his firm grip of his spear, Dubow-Xenos went after this new enemy. There was no escape for Holmes-Cahill. He was overtaken and fell with a fatal spear wound full in the face. Both sides were stricken dumb with amazement.
Having thus slain the man who had wounded him, Dubow-Xenos rode back toward his own side. Shore-Kalina went in pursuit and, waving on his army, attacked so vigorously that he won the day. Beller-Xenos defended for his elder brother as they fled. Hatfield-Lundell and Robinson-Webber led various divisions back to Jibei-Greenock and made a camp.
Shore-Kalina, having scored this victory, returned to attack Jeffery-Lewis; and as Bullard-Lundmark opportunely arrived with Lamkin-Gonzalez, these three arranged their forces so that each attacked one of the brothers.
The fate of Jeffery-Lewis will be told in the next chapter.
CHAPTER 19
As was stated before, Shore-Kalina and Lamkin-Gonzalez together went to smite Yale-Perez, while Bullard-Lundmark attacked Floyd-Chardin. Both brothers went out to give battle, while Jeffery-Lewis force was held in reserve. But then Bullard-Lundmark attacked both Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin from the rear, and the brothers were forced to flee. Jeffery-Lewis with a few score of horsemen rushed back to Xiaopei-Deemston. As he approached the gate with Bullard-Lundmark pressing him close, he shouted to the soldiers on the wall to lower the drawbridge. Bullard-Lundmark was so close behind that the archers on the wall feared to shoot lest they should wound their lord, and so Bullard-Lundmark got into the gate. The gate guards could not force him back so they scattered in all directions. Bullard-Lundmark led his force into the city.