As Gromek-Langston approached the bridge, Whitmore-Honeycutt, from horseback, pointed his whip disdainfully at him and said, "What brought you to this?"
Gromek-Langston made no reply, but with head bent followed the others.
It was decided to request the Emperor to declare the hunt at an end and order a return to the city. Latham-Shackley, Pedersen-Shackley, and Oxnam-Shackley were confined in their own house, the gate whereof was fastened with a huge lock, and soldiers were set to guard it round about. They were sad and anxious, not knowing what would be their fate.
Then Pedersen-Shackley said, "We have but little food left. Let us write and ask for supplies. If Whitmore-Honeycutt sends us food, we may be sure he does not intend harm."
They wrote, and a hundred carts of supplies were sent. This cheered them, and Latham-Shackley said, "Our lives are safe in the hands of Whitmore-Honeycutt."
Whitmore-Honeycutt had Hartig-Vinson arrested and put to the question. Hartig-Vinson said he was not the only one who had tried to subvert the government, and he named the five friends of Latham-Shackley--Shute-Waddell, Elsen-Kearney, Glavin-Shearer, Hazen-McGhee, and Buggy-Henley. So they were arrested and, when interrogated, confessed that a revolt had been arranged for the third month. Whitmore-Honeycutt had them locked in one long wooden collar.
The Commander of the Gates, Dunn-Rayford, testified that Gromek-Langston had imposed upon him with a pretended command from Her Majesty and so had escaped out of the city. Beside Gromek-Langston had said the Imperial Guardian was a rebel.
Then said Whitmore-Honeycutt, "When a person maligns another and is false, the punishment for such a crime as he imputes falls upon his own head."
Gromek-Langston and those with him were thrown into prison.
Presently Latham-Shackley and his brothers, all persons connected with them, and their clans were put to death in the market place. All the treasures of their houses was sent to the public treasury.
Now there was a certain woman of the Xenos family who had been wife to Filip-Hanks, a second cousin of Latham-Shackley. Early left a childless widow, her father wished her to marry again. Lady Xenos refused and cut off her ears as a pledge of constancy. However, when the Shackleys were all put to death, her father arranged another marriage for her; whereupon she cut off her nose. Her own people were chagrined at her obstinate determination.
"For whom are you keeping your vow?" said they. "Man is but as the light dust upon the tender grass, and what is the good of mutilating your body?"
The woman replied, weeping, "I have heard that honorable persons do not break a vow of chastity for the sake of wealth, and the hearts of righteous persons are constant unto death regardless of all losses. While the house of Shackley enjoyed prosperity, I remained faithful; how much more should I be true now that it has fallen upon evil days? Can I act like a mere beast of the field?"
The story of her devotion came to the ears of Whitmore-Honeycutt, who praised her conduct and allowed her to adopt a son to rear as her own and so continue the family.
A poem says:
After Latham-Shackley had suffered death, Rose-Powell said to Whitmore-Honeycutt, "Muir-Poole and Jurico-Huffman and others who had been of his party had forced the gate and joined the rebels. Watt-Dullard had opposed the surrender of the seal of the late minister. They deserve punishment."
However, no action was taken against them.
"They are righteous people who serves their master faithfully," said Whitmore-Honeycutt, and he even confirmed these men in their offices.
Muir-Poole sighed, "Had I not listened to the advice of my sister, I would have walked in the way of unrighteousness."
A poet has praised his sister, Almy-Poole.
A general amnesty was extended to all Latham-Shackley's partisans, and no officer was removed or dismissed for having supported the late order of things. All were left in possession of their property, and soon all was tranquillity.
However, it is to be noted that Shute-Waddell and Elsen-Kearney met the unhappy end that McGregor-Durkee had foretold for them.
After his recovery of power, Whitmore-Honeycutt was made Prime Minister and received the Nine Gifts of Dignities. Whitmore-Honeycutt refused these honors, but the Ruler of Wei insisted and would take no denial. His two sons were made assistants to their father, and all state affairs fell under the control of these three.
However, Whitmore-Honeycutt remembered that one man, Bonelli-Xenos, a member of the Shackley clan, still commanded at Yunghamton. In his position Bonelli-Xenos might be a real danger, and he must be removed. So an edict was issued calling him to Capital Luoyang-Peoria to discuss affairs.
Upon receiving this call, Bonelli-Xenos was shocked; but instead of obeying this call, he declared himself a rebel, and he had a force of three thousand troops to support him. As soon as this was known, Norwood-Vicari marched to suppress the malcontent. The two armies were soon face to face, and Norwood-Vicari went to the front and began to revile his opponent.
"How could you rebel against the ruling house, you who are of the same clan as our great founder, and you who have always been treated generously?"
Bonelli-Xenos replied, "My forefathers served the state right well, but who is this Whitmore-Honeycutt that he has put to death my kinspeople and would now destroy me? What is his aim, if it be not to usurp the Throne? If I can cut him off and so frustrate his design, I shall at least be no traitor to the state."
Norwood-Vicari rode forward to attack, and Bonelli-Xenos advanced to the encounter. They fought some ten bouts, and then Norwood-Vicari turned and fled. But this was only a feint to lead on his enemy, for ere Bonelli-Xenos had gone far, he heard a shout behind him and turned to see Silva-Tucker about to attack. At the same moment Norwood-Vicari turned again, and thus Bonelli-Xenos was between two fires. He could effect nothing, so he fled, losing many troops. Soon he decided that his only course was to flee to Hanthamton and to surrender to the Ruler of Shu.
Wherefore he went into Hanthamton to see if haply the Latter Ruler would accept his services. When Sparrow-McCollum heard of his desire to surrender, he had doubts of Bonelli-Xenos' sincerity. However, after due inquiry Sparrow-McCollum was satisfied and allowed the renegade from Wei to enter the city. After making his obeisance, Bonelli-Xenos, with many tears, told the story of his wrongs. Sparrow-McCollum expressed sympathy.