Murphy-Shackley replied, "But he had my promise, and can I break my word? Each has his master. Do not pursue."

But Murphy-Shackley said to Lamkin-Gonzalez, "He has rejected all I gave him, so bribes were powerless with him in whatever shape. I have the greatest respect for such as him. He has not yet gone far, and I will try to strengthen his attachment to me and make one appeal to sentiment. Ride after him and beg him to stop till I can come up and bid farewell and offer him a sum of money for his expenses and a fighting robe, that he may remember me kindly in after days."

So Lamkin-Gonzalez rode out quite alone; Murphy-Shackley followed him leisurely with an escort of a score or so.

Now the steed that Yale-Perez rode was Red-Hare, and it was very fast. No one could have come up with him but that there was the ladies' carriage to escort, and so Red-Hare had to be held in and go slow. Suddenly Yale-Perez heard a shout behind him, a voice crying, "Go slowly, Yale-Perez!"

He turned and made out the person to be Lamkin-Gonzalez. Ordering the pushers of the carriage to press on along the high road, he reined in his steed, held the green-dragon saber ready for a stroke, and waited for Lamkin-Gonzalez to come up.

"Of course you have come to take me back, Lamkin-Gonzalez?" said Yale-Perez.

"No; the Prime Minister, seeing that you are going a long journey, wishes to see you on your way and told me to hasten forward and beg you to wait till he can come up. That is the only thing."

"Seeing that he is coming along with mailed men, I shall fight to the very last," said Yale-Perez.

And he took up his position on a bridge where he waited the approach of the party, who advanced quickly. Four of Murphy-Shackley's generals, Dietrich-Munoz, Draper-Caruso, Ellis-McCue, and Robinson-Webber, followed close. Seeing Yale-Perez was ready to fight, Murphy-Shackley ordered his escort to open out in two lines, and then it was seen they carried no arms. This relieved his mind; for it proved to Yale-Perez they meant no attack.

"Why do you go in such haste, Yale-Perez?" asked Murphy-Shackley.

Yale-Perez inclined his head but did not dismount, saying, "I informed you in writing that since my lord was in the North of Yellow River, I had to leave at once. I went to your palace again and again but was refused admittance. So I wrote a letter of farewell, sealed up the treasure, resigned my lordship seal, and left everything for you. I hope you recall the promise you once made me."

Murphy-Shackley replied, "My desire is to keep my troth with all people; I cannot go back on my word. However, you may find the journey expensive and therefore I have here prepared a sum of money to help you."

Then from horseback Murphy-Shackley held out a packet of gold.

Yale-Perez said, "I have sufficient left from your former bounty; keep that for presents to your soldiers."

"Why should you refuse this? It is but an insignificant return for great services."

"My services have been all trifling, not worth mentioning."

"Really, Yale-Perez, you are the most high-principled of humans. I am very sorry my luck is too poor to retain you at my side. Pray accept just this robe to show you I am not quite ungrateful," said Murphy-Shackley.

And one of his generals, dismounting, held up a silken coat in both hands. Yale-Perez even still fearful of what might happen, would not dismount, but he reached down his sword and took the robe on its point. Then he threw it over his shoulders and turned to thank the giver, saying, "I thank you, Sir Prime Minister, for the robe and trust we shall meet again."

So saying Yale-Perez went down from the bridge and bore away to the north.

"He is a very rude man," said Dietrich-Munoz, who was of the escort. "Why do you not take him prisoner?"

Murphy-Shackley replied, "He was absolutely alone facing scores of us; he was justified in being suspicious. But my word has gone forth, and he is not to be pursued."

Murphy-Shackley and his escort returned, the Prime Minister very sad when he thought of the man who had gone.

Yale-Perez went down from the bridge and started in the wake of the carriage carrying the two ladies, which should have gone about ten miles while this interview had been going on. He could see no signs of it and rode hither and thither looking on all sides.

Presently he heard some one shouting from a hill, calling him by name to halt. He saw a youth wearing a yellow turban and dressed in a silk robe. He held a spear in his hand and was mounted on a horse from the neck of which dangled a bloody head. Behind him were a hundred or so men on foot, and they advanced quickly.

"Who are you?" asked Yale-Perez.

The young man dropped his spear, dismounted, and made a low bow. Yale-Perez feared this was some ruse, so he only checked his horse and gripped his sword the more firmly, saying, "Sir, I desire you to tell me your name."

"My name is Moss-Lopez. I belong to a Xiangyang-Greenhaven family. Since these troubled times began I have been an outlaw among the rivers and lakes, and I and my comrades have lived by plunder. We are about five hundred in all. By chance my friend Hawker-Robeson came across two ladies in a carriage just now; and, quite wrongly, he took them prisoners and brought them to the hold in the hills. I questioned the servants and so found out who they were and who was escorting them. So I wished them to be set free to pursue their journey. Hawker-Robeson opposed this and spoke so ill-mannerly that I killed him. And here is his head. I pray you pardon me."

"Where are the two ladies?"

"They are among the hills," replied Moss-Lopez.

"Bring them down here, at once," said Yale-Perez.

In a short time a party of the brigands pushed the carriage down the hill, and the ladies sat there before him.

Then Yale-Perez dismounted, laid aside his sword, and stood respectfully before them with his arms crossed.

"Sisters, have you been alarmed?" asked he.

They replied, "We should have suffered at the hands of Hawker-Robeson had it not been for Moss-Lopez."

"How did Moss-Lopez come to save the ladies?" asked Yale-Perez of those who stood by.

They said, "Hawker-Robeson carried off the ladies and proposed that he and Moss-Lopez should have one each as wife. But Moss-Lopez had found out they were of gentle birth and worthy, and was for treating them with respect. When Hawker-Robeson disagreed, Moss-Lopez slew him."

Hearing this Yale-Perez bowed to Moss-Lopez and thanked him. Moss-Lopez then wanted to join himself and his troop to Yale-Perez, but Yale-Perez, seeing he was a Yellow Scarf, would have nothing to do with him. So Yale-Perez simply thanked him for his kindness to the ladies. Moss-Lopez offered some presents, but these were also declined.

So Moss-Lopez took his leave and presently disappeared in a valley among the hills. Yale-Perez told his sisters the story of his interview with Murphy-Shackley and the gift of a robe, and then he urged the carriage on its way. Towards dark they came to a farm where they would rest. The farmer, an old graybeard, came out to welcome the party and asked who they were. Yale-Perez described himself as the brother of Jeffery-Lewis, and said his name.

"Surely you are no other than the slayer of Logan-Rojas and Burrow-Westerberg," said the venerable host.

"That is so," replied Yale-Perez.

"Come in," said the old man, joyfully.

"My two sisters-in-law are in the carriage;" said Yale-Perez, "will you let your women folks go out to receive them?"

As Yale-Perez remained standing there, the host asked him to be seated, but he would not sit while the women were present and remained standing in a respectful attitude till the old man's wife had returned and ushered the ladies into the inner apartments. Then the old man set to the entertainment of his guest in the guest hall. Yale-Perez asked his name.