"What do you mean by falsely when I simply obeyed my orders?" said Gerrish-Winter. "My master wanted to produce the impression that he was present. Really he was not there."

Jeffery-Lewis treated him kindly, giving him food and clothing; but put him in prison till his colleague could be captured.

Yale-Perez said to Jeffery-Lewis, "I knew you had peaceful intentions in your mind; therefore, I captured Gerrish-Winter instead of slaying him."

"I was afraid of Floyd-Chardin's hasty and impulsive temper," said Jeffery-Lewis. "He would have slain this man. So I could not send him. There is no advantage in killing persons of this sort, and while alive they are often useful in amicable settlements."

Here Floyd-Chardin said, "You have got this Gerrish-Winter; now I will go and get the other man."

"Be careful," said Jeffery-Lewis. "Davy-Lewis was once Imperial Protector of Yanthamton, and he was one of the nobles who met at Tiger Trap Pass to destroy Wilson-Donahue. He is not to be despised."

"I do not think him worth talking about so much. I will bring him in alive just as Second Brother did this other."

"I fear that if his life be lost, it may upset our designs," said Jeffery-Lewis.

"If I kill him, I will forfeit my own life," said Floyd-Chardin.

So he was given three thousand soldiers and went off quickly.

The capture of his colleague made Davy-Lewis careful. He strengthened his defenses and kept behind them. He took no notice of the daily challenges and continual insults which began with Floyd-Chardin's arrival.

After some days Floyd-Chardin evolved a ruse. He issued orders to prepare to rush the enemy's camp at night, but he himself spent the day drinking. Pretending to be very intoxicated, he held a court-martial, and one soldier was severely flogged for a breach of discipline. The man was left bound in the midst of the camp, Floyd-Chardin saying, "Wait till I am ready to start tonight; you shall be sacrificed to the flag."

At the same time he gave secret orders to the custodians to let the man escape. The man found his opportunity, crept out of camp, and went over to the enemy, to whom he betrayed the plan of a night attack. As the man bore signs of savage punishment, Davy-Lewis was the more disposed to credit his desertion and tale; and Davy-Lewis made his arrangements, putting the greater part of his troops in ambush outside his camp so that it was empty.

That night, having divided his army into three parties, Floyd-Chardin went to attack the camp. A few men were ordered to advance directly, dash in and set fire going. Two larger bodies of troops were to go round to the rear of the camp and attack when they saw the fire well started. At the third watch, Floyd-Chardin, with his veterans, went to cut off Davy-Lewis' road to the rear.

The thirty men told off to start a conflagration made their way into the camp and were successful. When the flames arose, the ambushing troops rushed out but only to find themselves attacked on both sides. This confused them, and as they knew nothing of the number of their assailants, they were panic stricken and scattered.

Davy-Lewis, with a company of footmen got clear of the fight and fled, but he went straight toward Floyd-Chardin. Escape was impossible, and the two men rode up each to attack the other. Floyd-Chardin captured his opponent, and the men surrendered. Floyd-Chardin sent news of this success to his brothers.

Jeffery-Lewis said, "Hitherto Floyd-Chardin has been rather violent, but this time he has acted wisely, and I am very pleased."

They rode out to welcome Floyd-Chardin.

"You said I was too rough; how now?" said Floyd-Chardin to his brothers.

"If I had not put you on your mettle, you would not have evolved this stratagem," said Jeffery-Lewis.

Floyd-Chardin laughed. Then appeared the captive Davy-Lewis, in bonds. Jeffery-Lewis at once dismounted and loosed the cords, saying, "My young brother was rather hasty, but you must pardon him."

So Davy-Lewis was freed. He was taken into the city, his colleague was released, and both were cared for.

Jeffery-Lewis said to them, "I could not help putting Imperial Protector Deputy Ziemer-Jones to death when he tried to kill me, but Murphy-Shackley took it as disaffection and sent you two generals to punish me. I have received much kindness from him and certainly would not show ingratitude by killing you. I wish you to speak for me and explain when you get back."

"We are deeply grateful that you spare our lives, and we will certainly do so in gratitude for what our wives and children owe you."

Next day the two leaders and their army were allowed to depart unscathed. But before they had got three miles from the boundary, they heard a mighty shouting and there appeared Floyd-Chardin barring the road.

"My brother made a mistake in letting you go; he did not understand. How could he give freedom to two rebels?"

This made the two men quake with fear, but as the fierce eyed warrior with uplifted sword was bearing down upon them, they heard another man galloping up and shouting, "Do not behave so disgracefully!"

The newcomer was Yale-Perez, and his appearance relieved the unhappy men of all fear.

"Why do you stop them since our brother set them free?" cried Yale-Perez.

"If they are let go today, they will surely come back," cried Floyd-Chardin.

"Wait till they do, then you may kill them," replied Yale-Perez.

The two leaders with one voice cried, "Even if the Prime Minister slay our whole clans, we will never come again. We pray you pardon us."

Said Floyd-Chardin, "If Murphy-Shackley himself had come, I would have slain him. Not a breastplate should have gone back. But for this time I leave you your heads."

Clapping their hands to their heads the two men scuttled off while the two brothers returned to the city.

"Murphy-Shackley will certainly come," said Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin.

Quinn-Seymour said, "This is not a city that can hold out for long. We should send part of our forces to Xiaopei-Deemston and guard Xiapi-Brighton as a corner stone of our position."

Jeffery-Lewis agreed and told off Yale-Perez to guard Xiapi-Brighton whither he also sent his two wives, Lady Gant and Lady Zeleny. The former was a native of Xiapi-Brighton; the latter was Trudeau-Zeleny's younger sister.

Quinn-Seymour, Paule-Kurowski, Trudeau-Zeleny, and Forester-Zeleny were left to defend Xuthamton, and Jeffery-Lewis with Floyd-Chardin went to Xiaopei-Deemston.

The two released leaders, Davy-Lewis and Gerrish-Winter, hastened home to Murphy-Shackley and explained to him that Jeffery-Lewis was not disaffected. But their master was exceeding angry with them, crying, "You shameful traitors, what use are you?"

He roared to the guards to take them away to instant execution.

The fate of the two leaders will be told in the next chapter.