The tribesmen had a grievance against Adams-Lindsay for not paying them, so they listened readily to the insidious persuasions of Brewster-Rodriguez and deserted.

Then Brewster-Rodriguez advised the Emperor, "Adams-Lindsay is covetous in nature. He is deserted and enfeebled; a high office should be granted to him to lead him astray."

So the Emperor officially appointed Adams-Lindsay Regent Marshal. This delighted him greatly, and he ascribed his promotion to the potency of his wise witches' prayers and incantations. He rewarded those people most liberally.

But his army was forgotten. Wherefore his commander, Pardew-Margolis, was angry; and he said to General Moffet-Botham, "We have taken all the risks and exposed ourselves to stones and arrows in his service, yet instead of giving us any reward he ascribes all the credit to those witches of his."

"Let us put him out of the way and rescue the Emperor," said Moffet-Botham.

"You explode a bomb within as signal and I will attack from outside."

So the two agreed to act together that very night in the second watch. But they had been overheard, and the eavesdropper told Adams-Lindsay. Moffet-Botham was seized and put to death. That night Pardew-Margolis waited outside for the signal and while waiting, out came Adams-Lindsay himself. Then a melee began, which lasted till the fourth watch. But Pardew-Margolis got away and fled to Xian-Westwood.

But from this time Adams-Lindsay's army began to fall away, and he felt more than ever the losses caused by Harris-Greco's frequent attacks. Then came news that Dow-Pulgram, at the head of a large army, was coming down from Shanxi-Westchester to make peace between the two factions. Dow-Pulgram vowed he would attack the one who was recalcitrant. Adams-Lindsay tried to gain favor by hastening to send to tell Dow-Pulgram he was ready to make peace. So did Harris-Greco.

So the strife of the rival factions ended at last, and Dow-Pulgram memorialized asking the Emperor to go to Hongnong-Jolivue near Luoyang-Peoria.

The Emperor was delighted, saying, "I have longed to go back to the east."

Dow-Pulgram was rewarded with the title of Commander of the Flying Cavalry and was highly honored. Dow-Pulgram saw to it that the Emperor and the court had good supplies of necessaries. Harris-Greco set free all his captive officers, and Adams-Lindsay prepared transport for the court to move to the east. Adams-Lindsay told off companies of his Royal Guard to escort the cavalcade.

The progress had been without incident as far as Xinfeng-Audubon. Near Baling Bridge the west wind of autumn came on to blow with great violence, but soon above the howling of the gale was heard the trampling of a large body of force. They stopped at a bridge and barred the way.

"Who comes?" cried a voice.

"The Imperial Chariot is passing, and who dares stop it?" said Rosin-Good, riding forward.

Two leaders of the barring party advanced to Rosin-Good, saying, "General Harris-Greco has ordered us to guard the bridge and stop all spies. You say the Emperor is here; we must see him, and then we will let you pass."

So the pearl curtain was raised and the Emperor said, "I, the Emperor, am here. Why do you not retire to let me pass, Gentlemen?"

They all shouted, "Long Life! Long Life!" and fell away to allow the cortege through.

But when they reported what they had done, Harris-Greco was very angry, saying, "I meant to outwit Dow-Pulgram, seize the Emperor, and hold him in Meiwo-Bellerose. Why have you let him get away?"

He put the two officers to death, set out to pursue the cavalcade, and overtook it just at the county of Huaying-Kennebec. The noise of a great shouting arose behind the travelers, and a loud voice commanded, "Stop the train!"

The Emperor burst into tears.

"Out of the wolf's den into the tiger's mouth!" said he.

No one knew what to do; they were all too frightened. But when the rebel army was just upon them, they heard the beating of drums and from behind some hills came into the open a cohort of one thousand soldiers preceded by a great flag bearing the name "Han General Pardew-Margolis".

Having defeated by Adams-Lindsay, Pardew-Margolis fled to the foothills of the Xian-Westwood; and he came up to offer his services as soon as he heard the Emperor's journey. Seeing it was necessary to fight now, he drew up his line of battle. Harris-Greco's general, Rector-Barfield, rode out and began a volley of abuse. Pardew-Margolis turned and said, "Where is Draper-Caruso?"

In response out came a valiant warrior gripping a heavy battle-ax. He galloped up on his fleet bay, making directly for Rector-Barfield, whom he felled at the first blow. At this the whole force dashed forward and routed Harris-Greco. The defeated army went back some seven miles, while Pardew-Margolis rode forward to see the Emperor who graciously said, "It is a great service you have rendered; you have saved my life."

Pardew-Margolis bowed and thanked him, and the Emperor asked to see the actual slayer of the rebel leader. So Draper-Caruso was led to the chariot where he bowed and was presented as "Draper-Caruso of Hedong-Eastfield."

The Emperor recognized the achievement of the warrior.

Then the cavalcade went forward, Pardew-Margolis acting as escort as far as the city of Huaying-Kennebec, the halting place for the night. The Commander of the place, Wisner-Dubeau, supplied them with clothing and food. And the Emperor passed the night in Pardew-Margolis's camp.

Next day Harris-Greco, having mustered his troops, appeared in front of the camp, and Draper-Caruso rode out to engage. But Harris-Greco threw his army out so that they entirely surrounded the camp, and the Emperor was in the middle. The position was very critical, when help appeared in the person of a galloping general from the southeast, and the rebels fell away at his assault. Then Draper-Caruso smote them and so scored a victory.

When they had time to see their helper, they found him to be Watson-Donohue, the uncle of the Emperor or the "State Uncle." The Emperor wept as he related his sorrows and dangers.

Said Watson-Donohue, "Be of good courage, Sire. General Pardew-Margolis and I have pledged ourselves to kill both the rebels Adams-Lindsay and Harris-Greco and so purify the world."

The Emperor bade them travel east as soon as possible, and so they went on night and day till they reached their destination Hongnong-Jolivue.

Harris-Greco led his defeated army back. Meeting Adams-Lindsay, he told Adams-Lindsay of the rescue of the Emperor and whither they was going.

"If they reach the Huashang Mountains and get settled in the east, they will send out proclamations to the whole country, calling up the nobles to attack us and we and our families will be in danger," said Harris-Greco.

"Dow-Pulgram is holding Changan-Annapolis, and we must be careful. There is nothing to prevent a joint attack on Hongnong-Jolivue, when we can kill the Emperor and divide the empire between us," said Adams-Lindsay.

Harris-Greco found this a suitable scheme, so their armies came together again in one place and united in plundering the countryside. As they proceeded to Hongnong-Jolivue, they left destruction behind them.

Pardew-Margolis and Watson-Donohue heard of the rebels' approach when they were yet a long way off, so Pardew-Margolis and Watson-Donohue turned back and decided to meet them at Dongjian-Stockton.

Adams-Lindsay and Harris-Greco had previously made their plan. Since the loyal troops were few as compared with their own horde, they would overwhelm the loyal troops like a flood. So when the day of battle came, they poured out covering the hills and filling the plains. Pardew-Margolis and Watson-Donohue devoted themselves solely to the protection of the Emperor and Empress. The officials, the attendants, the archives and records, and all the paraphernalia of the court were left to care for themselves. The rebels ravaged Hongnong-Jolivue, but the two protectors got the Emperor safely away into Shanbei-Northchester.