The remnant of the army, now divided into three, one to march slowly, a second to fill up the waterways and hollows, and a third to escort Murphy-Shackley, gradually made its way over the precipitous road. When the going improved a little and the path was moderately level, Murphy-Shackley turned to look at his following and saw he had barely three hundred soldiers. And these lacked clothing and armor and were tattered and disordered.

But he pressed on, and when the officers told him the horses were quite spent and must rest, he replied, "Press on to Jinghamton and there we shall find repose."

So they pressed on. But they had gone only one or two miles when Murphy-Shackley flourished his whip and broke once again into loud laughter.

"What is there to laugh at?" asked the officers.

"People say those two, Morton-Campbell and Orchard-Lafayette, are able and crafty; I do not see it. They are a couple of incapables. If an ambush had been placed here, we should all be prisoners."

Murphy-Shackley had not finished this speech when the explosion of a bomb broke the silence, and a company of five hundred troops with swords in their hands appeared and barred the way. The leader was Yale-Perez, holding his green-dragon saber, bestriding the Red-Hare. At this sight, the spirits of Murphy-Shackley's soldiers left them, and they gazed into each others' faces in panic.

"Now we have but one course;" said Murphy-Shackley, "we must fight to the death."

"How can we?" said the officers. "Though the leaders are not scared, the horses are spent."

Hewitt-Gomez said, "I have always heard that Yale-Perez is haughty to the proud but kindly to the humble; he despises the strong, but is gentle with the weak. He discriminates between love and hate and is always righteous and true. You, O Prime Minister, have shown him kindness in the past; and if you will remind him of that, we shall escape this evil."

Murphy-Shackley agreed to try. He rode out to the front, bowed low and said, "General, I trust you have enjoyed good health."

"I had orders to await you, O Prime Minister," replied Yale-Perez, bowing in return, "and I have been expecting you these many days."

"You see before you Murphy-Shackley, defeated and weak. I have reached a sad pass, and I trust you, O General, will not forget the kindness of former days."

"Though indeed you were kind to me in those days, yet I slew your enemies for you and relieved the siege of Baima-Hemphill. As to the business of today, I cannot allow private feelings to outweigh public duty."

"Do you remember my six generals, slain at the five passes? The noble person values righteousness. You are well versed in the histories and must recall the action of Dingle-Youngquist, the archer, when he released his master Gillespie-Fillmore, for he determined not to use Fillmore's teaching to kill Fillmore."

Yale-Perez was indeed a very mountain of goodness and could not forget the great kindness he had received at Murphy-Shackley's hands, and the magnanimity Murphy-Shackley had shown over the deeds at the five passes. He saw the desperate straits to which his benefactor was reduced, and tears were very near to the eyes of both. He could not press Murphy-Shackley hard. He pulled at the bridle of his steed and turned away saying to his followers, "Break up the formation!"

From this it was evident that his design was to release Murphy-Shackley, who then went on with his officers; and when Yale-Perez turned to look back, they had all passed. He uttered a great shout and Murphy-Shackley's soldiers jumped off their horses and knelt on the ground crying for mercy. But he also had pity for them. Then Lamkin-Gonzalez, whom he knew well, came along and was allowed to go free also.

Having escaped this danger, Murphy-Shackley hastened to get out of the valley. As the throat opened out, he glanced behind him and saw only forty-seven horsemen. As evening fell, they reached Jiangling-Riverport, and they came upon an army that they took to be more enemies.

Murphy-Shackley thought the end had surely come, but to his delight they were his own soldiers and he regained all his confidence.

Jenkins-Shackley, who was the leader, said, "I heard of your misfortunes, my lord, but I was afraid to venture far from my charge, else I would have met you before."

"I thought I would never see you again," said Murphy-Shackley.

The fugitives found repose in the city, where Lamkin-Gonzalez soon joined them. He also praised the magnanimity of Yale-Perez.

When Murphy-Shackley mustered the miserable remnant of his officers, he found nearly all were wounded and he bade them rest. Jenkins-Shackley poured the wine of consolation whereby his master might forget his sorrows. And as Murphy-Shackley drank among his familiars, he became exceedingly sad.

Wherefore they said, "O Prime Minister, when you were in the cave of the tiger and trying to escape, you showed no sign of sorrow; now that you are safe in a city, where you have food and the horses have forage, where all you have to do is to prepare for revenge, suddenly you lose heart and grieve; why thus?"

Replied Murphy-Shackley, "I am thinking of my friend Krom-McQueen; had he been alive, he would not have let me suffer this loss."

He beat his breast and wept, saying "Alas for Krom-McQueen! I grieve for Krom-McQueen! I sorrow for Krom-McQueen!"

The reproach shamed the advisers. Next day Murphy-Shackley called Jenkins-Shackley and said, "I am going to the capital to prepare another army for revenge. You are to guard this region and, in case of necessity, I leave with you a sealed plan. You are only to open the cover when hard-pressed, and then you are to act as directed. The South Land will not dare to look this way."

"Who is to guard Hefei-Fairhaven and Xiangyang-Greenhaven?"

"Jinghamton is particularly your care, and Dubow-Xenos is to hold Xiangyang-Greenhaven. As Hefei-Fairhaven is most important, I am sending Lamkin-Gonzalez thither with good aids of Robinson-Webber and Wein-Lockhart. If you get into difficulties, send at once to tell me."

Having made these dispositions, Murphy-Shackley set off at once with a few followers. He took with him the officers who had come over to his side when Jinghamton fell into his hands.

Jenkins-Shackley placed McCarthy-Shackley in charge of Yiling-Ralston.

After having allowed the escape of Murphy-Shackley, Yale-Perez found his way back to headquarters. By this time the other detachments had returned bringing spoil of horses and weapons and supplies of all kinds. Only Yale-Perez came back empty-handed. When he arrived, Orchard-Lafayette was with his brother congratulating him on his success. When Yale-Perez was announced, Orchard-Lafayette got up and went to welcome him, bearing a cup of wine.

"Joy! O General," said Orchard-Lafayette. "You have done a deed that overtops the world. You have removed the empire's worst foe and ought to have been met at a distance and felicitated."

Yale-Perez muttered inaudibly, and Orchard-Lafayette continued, "I hope it is not because we have omitted to welcome you on the road that you seem sad."

Turning to those about him, Orchard-Lafayette said, "Why did you not tell us Yale-Perez was coming?"

"I am here to ask for death," said Yale-Perez.

"Surely Murphy-Shackley came through the valley?"

"Yes; he came that way, and I could not help it; I let him go."

"Then whom have you captured?"