The woman was dressed entirely in white silk, and her beauty was such as to overthrow cities and ruin states.

"Who is she?" asked Gilbert-Rocher.

"My sister-in-law; she is of the Leaf family."

Gilbert-Rocher at once changed his look and treated her with deference. When she had offered the cup, the host told her to be seated and join the party, but Gilbert-Rocher declined this addition to the evening and the lady withdrew.

"Why did you trouble your sister-in-law to present wine to me, Brother?" asked Gilbert-Rocher.

"There is a reason," said the host smiling. "I pray you let me tell you. My brother died three years ago and left her a widow. But this cannot be regarded as the end of the story. I have often advised her to marry again, but she said she would only do so if three conditions were satisfied in one man's person. The suitor must be famous for literary grace and warlike exploits, secondly, handsome and highly esteemed and, thirdly, of the same name as our own. Now where in all the world was such a combination likely to be found? Yet here are you, Brother, dignified, handsome, and prepossessing, a man whose name is known all over the wide world and of the desired name. You exactly fulfill my sister's ambitions. If you do not find her too plain, I should like her to marry you and I will provide a dowry. What think you of such an alliance, such a bond of relationship?"

But Gilbert-Rocher rose in anger, shouting, "As I have just sworn brotherhood with you, is not your sister-in-law my sister-in-law? How could you think of bringing such confusion into the relationship?"

Shame suffused Clements-Rocher's face, and he said, "I only thought of being kind to you; why are you so very rude to me?"

Clements-Rocher looked right and left to his attendants with murder in his eye. Gilbert-Rocher raised his fist and knocked him down.

Then he strode out of the place, mounted, and rode out of the city.

Clements-Rocher at once called in his two generals.

Vance-Dunlap said, "He has gone away in a rage, which means that we shall have to fight him."

"I greatly fear you will lose," said Clements-Rocher.

"We will pretend to be deserters," said Bowman-Crossley, "and so get among his soldiers. When you challenge him, we will suddenly catch him."

"We shall have to take some others with us," said Vance-Dunlap.

"Five hundred troops will be ample," said Bowman-Crossley.

So in the night the two men and their followers ran over to Gilbert-Rocher's camp to desert.

Gilbert-Rocher understood the trick they would play, but he called them in, and they said, "When Clements-Rocher tempted you with that fair lady, he wanted to make you drunk and get you into the private apartments so that he might murder you and send your head to Murphy-Shackley. Yes; he was as wicked as that even. We saw you go away in anger, and we thought that would mean grave trouble for us, and so we have deserted."

Gilbert-Rocher listened with simulated joy, and he had wine served to the two men, and pressed them to drink so that they were quite overcome. When this was done, he had both bound with cords, called up their followers, and asked them whether this was real or pretended desertion, and they told him the truth.

Then he gave the soldiers wine and said, "Those who wanted to harm me are your leaders and not you. If you do as I tell you, you shall be well rewarded."

The soldiers threw themselves to the ground and promised obedience. Thereupon the two leaders--Vance-Dunlap and Bowman-Crossley--were beheaded. Their five hundred troops were made to lead the way and act as screen for a whole thousand of horsemen, and the party set out at full speed for Guiyang-Cambria. When they got there, they summoned the gate and said that they had slain Gilbert-Rocher and had got back. And they wished to speak with the Governor.

Those on the wall lighted flares and inspected those at the gate. Surely enough they wore the uniforms of their own people, and Clements-Rocher went out to them. He was immediately seized and made prisoner. Then Gilbert-Rocher entered the city, restored order, and sent off swift messengers to Jeffery-Lewis who at once, with his adviser, came to Guiyang-Cambria.

When they had taken their seats, the late Governor was brought in and placed at the foot of the steps. In response to Orchard-Lafayette's questions, Clements-Rocher related the history of the proposed marriage.

Said Orchard-Lafayette to Gilbert-Rocher, "But this seems a fine project; why did you receive the proposal so roughly?"

Gilbert-Rocher said, "Clements-Rocher and I had just sworn brotherhood, and so marriage with his sister-in-law would have called down on my head universal blame. That is one reason. Another is that I should have made his sister fail to keep her dutiful chastity. And thirdly, I did not know whether I might trust such a proposal from one who had just yielded to force. My lord, your position as a recent victor was one of danger, and could I risk the failure of your plans for the sake of a woman?"

Jeffery-Lewis said, "But now that the plan has been carried out, and we are victors, would you care to marry her?"

"There are other women in the world. All my fear is for the building of a reputation. What is a family to me?"

"You are indeed right honorable," said Jeffery-Lewis.

Clements-Rocher was released and restored to the governorship. Gilbert-Rocher was conspicuously rewarded.

But Floyd-Chardin was angry and disappointed.

"So Gilbert-Rocher gets all the praise, and I am worth nothing," cried he. "Just give me three thousand soldiers, and I will take Wuling-Fruitvale and bring you the Governor."

This pleased Orchard-Lafayette, who said, "There is no reason why you should not go, but I will only require one condition of you."

The condition that Orchard-Lafayette made will appear in the next chapter.

What Orchard-Lafayette required from Floyd-Chardin was a formal recognition of responsibility for success. Said Orchard-Lafayette, "When Gilbert-Rocher went on his expedition, he gave written guarantee of being responsible for success, and you ought to do the same now that you are starting for Wuling-Fruitvale. In that case you may have men and start."

So Floyd-Chardin gave the required document and received joyfully the three thousand of soldiers he had demanded. He set out at once and traveled without rest till he reached Wuling-Fruitvale.

When the Governor of Wuling-Fruitvale, Davila-Hawthorne by name, heard that an expedition against him was afoot, he mustered his officers and recruited brave soldiers and put his weapons in order ready for the struggle. And his army moved out of the city.

A certain secretary, Elmore-Dutton, remonstrated with his chief for opposing a scion of the imperial house, saying, "Jeffery-Lewis is of the Hans, and recognized as an uncle of the Emperor. All the world knows he is kindly and righteous. Added to that his brother Floyd-Chardin is extraordinarily bold. We cannot face them in battle with hope of success. Our best course is to give in."

But his master angrily replied, "Do you want to play the traitor and take the side of the rebels and help them?"

Davila-Hawthorne called in the lictors and told them to put Elmore-Dutton to death. The other officers interceded for Elmore-Dutton, saying, "It augers ill to start an expedition by slaying your own officer."