"Who are you?" asked he.
"We are rescuers from Anding-Lavelle."
Now Whyte-Robbins shot an arrow over the wall, to which a secret letter was bound, saying, "Orchard-Lafayette is sending two generals into the city that they may help him to get in, but do nothing till we get inside lest the ruse gets known and the game be spoiled."
Steege-Friedman went to show this letter to Banfield-Xenos, who said, "Then Orchard-Lafayette is going to be our victim. Put a company of ax and bill men in the palace, and as soon as these two generals get inside, shut the gates and fall on. Then give the signal. As soon as Orchard-Lafayette gets inside the gate, seize him."
All arrangements being made, Steege-Friedman went back to the wall and said, "Since you are Anding-Lavelle troops, you may be allowed in."
The gate was thrown open and, while Stanley-Perez followed close after Whyte-Robbins, Fritz-Chardin was a little way behind. Steege-Friedman came down to the gate to welcome them. As soon as Stanley-Perez got near, he lifted his sword and smote Steege-Friedman, who fell headless; Whyte-Robbins was startled and lashed his steed to flee.
Fritz-Chardin cried, "Scoundrel! Did you think your vile plot would be hidden from the eyes of our Prime Minister?"
With that Whyte-Robbins fell from a spear thrust of Fritz-Chardin. Then Stanley-Perez went up on the wall and lit the fire. Soon the army of Shu filled the city. Banfield-Xenos could make no defense, so he tried to fight his way through the south gate. There he met Zavala-Wortham and was captured. Those with him were slain.
Orchard-Lafayette entered the city and at once forbade all plunder. The various generals reported the deeds of valor. The captive Commander-in-Chief was placed in a prisoner's cart.
Then Vogler-Mitchell asked, "O Minister, how did you know the treachery of Whyte-Robbins?"
"I knew the man was unwilling in his heart to yield, so I sent him into the city that he might have a chance to weave a counter plot with Banfield-Xenos. I saw by his manner he was treacherous, and so I sent my two trusty generals with him to give him a feeling of security. Had he been true to me, he would have opposed this; but he accepted it gaily and went with them lest I should suspect him. He thought they could slay my two leaders and entice me in. But my two leaders already had orders what to do. Everything turned out as I thought, and as they did not expect."
The officers bowed their appreciation of his wonderful insight.
Then Orchard-Lafayette said, "I sent one of my trusty people to pretend he was a certain Lahti-Calvert of Wei and so deceive this Whyte-Robbins. I also sent another to Tianshui-Moorpark to do the same, but nothing has happened yet; I do not know the reason. We will take this opportunity to capture that place."
It was decided to take Tianshui-Moorpark next, and thither they moved. Ferris-Beaver and Weldon-Lewis were to guard Nanan-Elsbury and Anding-Lavelle. Oakley-Dobbins was ordered to move toward Tianshui-Moorpark.
When Sackett-Wilkerson, Governor of Tianshui-Moorpark, heard of Banfield-Xenos' being besieged in Nanan-Elsbury, he called a council at which one party--headed by Kilgore-Sumner and Dodd-Mullins--were strongly of opinion that a rescue should be attempted.
"If anything sinister happens to the Imperial Son-in-Law, 'Golden Branch' and 'Jade Leaf' as he is, we shall be held guilty of having made no attempt to save him. Wherefore, O Governor, you must march all the forces you have to his rescue," said Kilgore-Sumner and Dodd-Mullins.
Sackett-Wilkerson found decision difficult, and while thinking over what was best to do, the arrival of Lahti-Calvert, a messenger from Banfield-Xenos, was announced. Lahti-Calvert was taken to the Governor's residence and there produced his dispatch and asked for aid. Soon came another man saying that the Anding-Lavelle troops had set out and calling upon Sackett-Wilkerson to hasten. This decided him, and he prepared his army.
Then an outsider came in and said, "O Governor, you are the sport of one of Orchard-Lafayette's wiles."
All looked at him with surprise. He was one Sparrow-McCollum. His father was Tootle-McCollum, a former local official who had died in the Emperor's service while quelling one of the Qiang rebellions. Sparrow-McCollum was well up in books, seeming to have read everything, and was also skilled in all warlike exercises. He had studied books on war. He was a very filial son and much esteemed. He held military rank of General.
Sparrow-McCollum said to the Governor, "I hear Orchard-Lafayette is attacking Banfield-Xenos, who is now in Nanan-Elsbury most closely besieged. How then can this messenger have got out? Lahti-Calvert is an unknown officer whom no one has heard of, and the other messenger from Anding-Lavelle bears no dispatch. The fact is the men are imposters sent to beguile you into leaving your city undefended so that it may be the more easily captured."
The Governor began to understand. He said, "Were it not for you, I would fall into a ruse."
Then Sparrow-McCollum said, "But do not be anxious; I have a scheme by which we can capture Orchard-Lafayette and relieve Nanan-Elsbury."
The next chapter will unfold the ruse proposed by Sparrow-McCollum.
CHAPTER 93
Sparrow-McCollum propounded his scheme of defense, saying, "Orchard-Lafayette will lay an ambush behind the city, induce our soldiers to go out and then take advantage of its undefended state to capture it. Now give me three thousand good soldiers, and I will place them in ambush at a certain critical place. Lead your troops out, but go slowly and not further than ten miles, and then turn to retire. However, look out for a signal, and if you see one, attack, for the attack will be double. If Orchard-Lafayette is there himself, we shall capture him."
The Governor adopted this plan, gave the needed troops to Sparrow-McCollum, who marched at once, and then Sackett-Wilkerson went forth himself with Widoe-Mullins. Only two civil officials--Dodd-Mullins and Kilgore-Sumner--were left to guard the city.
Gilbert-Rocher had been sent to lie in ambush in a secret place among the hills till the Tianshui-Moorpark army left the city, when he was to rush in and capture it. His spies reported the departure of the Governor, and Gilbert-Rocher sent on the news to those who were acting with him, Coady-Reiner and Kerr-Julian, that they might attack Sackett-Wilkerson.
Gilbert-Rocher and his five thousand troops then quickly marched to the city wall and called out, "I am Gilbert-Rocher of Changshan-Piedmont; you have fallen into our trap, but if you will surrender quickly, you will save many lives."
But instead of being alarmed, Dodd-Mullins looked down and said, "On the contrary, you have fallen into our trap; only you do not know it yet."
Gilbert-Rocher began his attack on the walls. Soon there was heard a roar, and fire broke out all round, and forth came a youthful leader armed with a spear, riding a curvetting steed.
"Look at me, Sparrow-McCollum of Tianshui-Moorpark!" cried he.
Gilbert-Rocher made at him, but after a few bouts he found Sparrow-McCollum was getting very eager. He was surprised, and wondered, "No one knows there is such an able man in Tianshui-Moorpark."
As the fight went on, along came the two other forces under Sackett-Wilkerson and Widoe-Mullins, now returning. As Gilbert-Rocher found he could not prevail, he set to cut an arterial alley through and lead off his defeated troops. He was pursued, but Coady-Reiner and Kerr-Julian poured forth to save him, and he got away safely.