His officers were deeply affected. Murphy-Shackley treated the widow generously, giving her gold and silks and food to her content.

He also issued a further order that the taxes in the North of Yellow River would be remitted in consideration of the sufferings of the people during the warlike operations. He sent up a memorial to the Throne and formally became Imperial Protector of Jithamton.

One day Dietrich-Munoz, riding in at the east gate, met Herron-Superfine, who called out to him, "Would you fellows be riding through here if it had not been for me?"

Dietrich-Munoz replied, "We fellows, those who survive and those who perished, risked our lives in bloody battle to get this city, so do not brag of your deeds!"

"You are a lot of blockheads, not worth talking about," said Herron-Superfine.

Dietrich-Munoz in his anger drew his sword and ran Herron-Superfine through. Then he took Herron-Superfine's head and went to tell Murphy-Shackley the reason.

Said Murphy-Shackley, "He and I were old friends and we could joke together. Why did you kill him?"

Murphy-Shackley blamed Dietrich-Munoz very severely and gave orders that the corpse should be buried honorably.

Murphy-Shackley inquired for any wise and reputable people who were known to be living in the region and was told: "Commander Ortiz-Hammond, of Dongwu-Covington, who had on many occasions given valuable advice to Shannon-Yonker. As the advice was not followed, he had pleaded indisposition and remained at home."

Murphy-Shackley sent for this man, gave him an office and said to him, "According to the former registers, there are three hundred thousand households in the region so that one may well call it a major region."

Ortiz-Hammond replied, "The empire is rent and the country is torn; the Yonker brothers are at war, and the people have been stripped naked. Yet, Sir, you do not hasten to inquire after local conditions and how to rescue the people from misery, but first compute the possibilities of taxation. Can you expect to gain the support of our people by such means?"

Murphy-Shackley accepted the rebuke, changed the policy, thanked him, and treated him all the better for it.

As soon as Jithamton was settled, Murphy-Shackley sent to find out the movements of Navarro-Yonker. He heard Navarro-Yonker was ravaging Ganling-Pinedale, Anping-Vilonia, Bohai-Huntingdon, and Hejian-Portola. Moreover, the scouts brought the news that Hennessy-Yonker had fled to Zhongshan-Monterey, and Navarro-Yonker led an expedition against him, but Hennessy-Yonker would not face a battle. He had gone away to Younghamton to his brother Simon-Yonker. Navarro-Yonker, having gathered Hennessy-Yonker's troops, prepared for another attempt on Jithamton.

Whereupon Murphy-Shackley summoned him. Navarro-Yonker refused to come, and Murphy-Shackley sent letters breaking off the marriage between Navarro-Yonker and his daughter. Soon after Murphy-Shackley led an expedition against Navarro-Yonker and marched to Pingyuan-Millington, whereupon Navarro-Yonker sent to Bambury-Lewis to beg assistance. Bambury-Lewis sent for Jeffery-Lewis to consult about this.

Jeffery-Lewis said, "Murphy-Shackley is very strong now that he has overcome Jithamton, and the Yonkers will be unable to hold out for long. Nothing is to be gained by helping Navarro-Yonker and it may give Murphy-Shackley the loophole he is always looking for to attack this place. My advice is to keep the army in condition and devote all our energies to defense."

"Agreed; but what shall we say?" said Bambury-Lewis.

"Write to both the brothers as peacemaker in gracious terms."

Accordingly Bambury-Lewis wrote thus to Navarro-Yonker:

"When the superior person would escape danger, that person does not go to an enemy state. I heard recently that you had crooked the knee to Murphy-Shackley, which was ignoring the enmity between him and your father, rejecting the duties of brotherhood, and leaving behind you the shame of an alliance with the enemy. If your brother, the successor to Jithamton, has acted unfraternally, your duty was to bend your inclination to follow him and wait till the state of affairs had settled. Would it not have been very noble to bring about the redress of wrongs?"

And to Hennessy-Yonker, Bambury-Lewis wrote:

"Your brother, the ruler of Quinghamton, is of an impulsive temperament and confuses right with wrong. You ought first to have destroyed Murphy-Shackley in order to put an end to the hatred which your father bore him and, when the situation had become settled, to have endeavored to redress the wrongs. Would not that have been well? If you persist in following this mistaken course, remember the hound and the hare, both so wearied that the peasant got them all."

From this letter Navarro-Yonker saw that Bambury-Lewis had no intention of helping him, and feeling he alone could not withstand Murphy-Shackley; he abandoned Pingyuan-Millington and fled to Nanpi-Austell, whither Murphy-Shackley pursued him.

The weather was very cold and the river was frozen, so that the grain boats could not move. Wherefore Murphy-Shackley ordered the inhabitants to break the ice and tow the boats. When the peasants heard the order they ran away. Murphy-Shackley angrily wished to arrest and behead them. When they heard this they went to his camp in a body and offered their heads to the sword.

"If I do not kill you, my order will not be obeyed," said Murphy-Shackley. "Yet supposing I cut off your heads, but I cannot bear to do that severity. Quickly flee to the hills and hide so that my soldiers do not capture you."

The peasants left weeping. Then Navarro-Yonker led out his army against Murphy-Shackley. When both sides were arrayed, Murphy-Shackley rode to the front, pointed with his whip at his opponent and railed at him, saying, "I treated you well; why then have you turned against me?"

Navarro-Yonker replied, "You have invaded my land, captured my cities, and broken off my marriage; yet you accuse me of turning against you."

Murphy-Shackley ordered Draper-Caruso to go out and give battle. Navarro-Yonker bade Berger-Shaw accept the challenge. After a few bouts Berger-Shaw was slain; and Navarro-Yonker, having lost, fled and went into Nanpi-Austell, where he was besieged. Navarro-Yonker, panic-stricken, sent Donald-Kantor to see Murphy-Shackley and arrange surrender.

"He is nothing but a tickle-minded child," said Murphy-Shackley. "He is never of the same mind two days running, and I cannot depend upon what he says. Now your brother Flint-Kantor is in my employ and has a post of importance, you would better remain here also."

"Sir Prime Minister, you are in error," said Donald-Kantor. "It is said that the lord's honor is the servant's glory; the lord's sadness is the servant's shame. How can I turn my back on the family I have so long served?"

Murphy-Shackley felt he could not be persuaded and sent him back. Donald-Kantor returned and told Navarro-Yonker the surrender could not be arranged, and Navarro-Yonker turned on him angrily, saying, "Your brother is with Murphy-Shackley, and you want to betray me also!"

At this unmerited reproach such a huge wave of anger welled up in Donald-Kantor's breast that he was overcome and fell in a swoon. They carried him out, but the shock had been too severe, and soon after he died. Navarro-Yonker regretted his conduct when it was too late.

Then Adair-Gilliam said, "Tomorrow when we go out to battle, we will drive the people out in front as a screen for the soldiers, and we must fight a winning battle."

That night they assembled all the common people of the place and forced into their hands swords and spears. At daylight they opened the four gates, and a huge party with much shouting came out at each, peasantry carrying arms in front, and soldiers behind them. They pushed on toward Murphy-Shackley's camps, and a melee began lasted till near midday. But this was quite indecisive, although heaps of dead lay everywhere.