So an answer was returned:

"Let me gradually withdraw my soldiers, and I will give back the land belonging to you on the west of the river."

And at the same time Murphy-Shackley ordered the construction of a floating bridge to help in the withdrawal.

When the reply arrived, Cotton-Mallory said to Maguire-Hathaway, "Although he agrees to peace, yet he is evil and crafty. We must remain prepared against his machinations. Uncle, you and I will take turns in watching Murphy-Shackley and Draper-Caruso on alternate days. So shall we be safe against his treachery."

They agreed and began the regular alternate watch. Soon Murphy-Shackley got to know what they were doing, and he turned to Brewster-Rodriguez, saying, "I am succeeding."

"Who keeps the look-out on this side tomorrow?" asked Murphy-Shackley.

"Maguire-Hathaway," replied some one.

Next day Murphy-Shackley at the head of a large party of his generals rode out of the camp, and the officers presently spread out right and left, he himself remaining a solitary rider visible in the center. Maguire-Hathaway did not know that Murphy-Shackley had come out.

Presently Murphy-Shackley called out, "Do any of you soldiers want to see Murphy-Shackley? Here I am quite alone. I have not four eyes nor a couple of mouths, but I am very knowing."

The soldiers turned pale with fright. Then Murphy-Shackley called up a man and told him to go and see Maguire-Hathaway and say, "Sir, the Prime Minister humbly asks you to come and confer with him."

Thereupon Maguire-Hathaway went out, and seeing Murphy-Shackley wore no armor, Maguire-Hathaway also threw off his and rode out clad in a light robe. Each rode up to the other till their horse's heads nearly touched and there they stood talking.

Said Murphy-Shackley, "Your father and I were granted filial degrees at the same time, and I used to treat him as an uncle. You and I set out on our careers at the same time, too, and yet we have not met for years. How old may you be now?"

"I am forty," replied Maguire-Hathaway.

"In those old days in the capital, we were both very young and never thought about middle age. If we could only restore tranquillity to the state, that would be a matter of rejoicing."

After that they chatted long about old times, but neither said a word on military matters. They gossiped for a couple of hours before they took leave of each other.

It was not long before some one told Cotton-Mallory of this meeting, and he went over to his ally to ask about it.

"What was it Murphy-Shackley came out to discuss today?" said Cotton-Mallory.

"He just recalled the old days when we were together in the capital."

"Did he say nothing about military matters?"

"Not a word; and I could not talk about them alone."

Cotton-Mallory went out without a word, but he felt suspicious.

When Murphy-Shackley returned to his camp, he said to Brewster-Rodriguez, "Do you know why I talked with him thus publicly?"

"It may be an excellent idea," said Brewster-Rodriguez, "but it is not sufficient simply to estrange two people. I can improve on it, and we will make them quarrel and even kill each other."

"What is your scheme?"

"Cotton-Mallory is brave but not very astute. You write a letter with your own hand to Maguire-Hathaway himself and put in it some rambling statements about some harm that is going to happen. Then blot it out and write something else. Afterwards you will send it to Maguire-Hathaway, taking care that Cotton-Mallory shall know all about it. Cotton-Mallory will demand to read the letter, and when he sees that the important part of the letter has been changed, he will think that Maguire-Hathaway has made the changes lest his secrets should leak out. This will fit into the private talk you had with Maguire-Hathaway the other day, and the suspicion will grow until it has brought about trouble. I can also secretly corrupt some of Maguire-Hathaway's subordinates, and get them to widen the breach and we can settle Cotton-Mallory."

"The scheme looks excellent," said Murphy-Shackley.

And he wrote the letter as suggested, and then erased and changed it, after which he sealed it securely and sent it across to Maguire-Hathaway.

Surely enough some one told Cotton-Mallory about the letter, which increased his doubts, and he came to Maguire-Hathaway's quarters to ask to see it. Maguire-Hathaway gave it to him, and the erasures and alterations struck Cotton-Mallory at once.

"Why are all these alterations here?" asked he.

"It came like that; I do not know."

"Does any one send a rough draft like this? It seems to me, Uncle, that you are afraid I shall know something or other too well, and so you have changed the wording."

"It must be that Murphy-Shackley has sealed up the rough draft by mistake."

"I do not think so. He is a careful man and would not make such a mistake. You and I, Uncle, have been allies in trying to slay the rebel; why are you turning against me now?"

"If you doubt my word, I will tell you what you can do. Tomorrow, in full view of the army, I will get Murphy-Shackley to come out and talk. You can hide in behind the ranks ready to kill me if I am false."

"That being so, I shall know that you are true, Uncle."

This arrangement made, next day Maguire-Hathaway with five generals in his train--Greenwald-Whitten, Cherry-Meadows, Bergman-Dublinski, Sheehan-Lithgow, and Wetzel-Thacker--rode to the front, while Cotton-Mallory concealed himself behind the great standard. Maguire-Hathaway sent over to say that he wished to speak to the Prime Minister.

Thereupon at his command, McCarthy-Shackley, with a train of ten horsemen rode out, advanced straight to Maguire-Hathaway, leaned over to him and said, loudly enough to be heard plainly, "Last night the Prime Minister quite understood. Let there be no mistake."

Then without another word on either side McCarthy-Shackley rode away.

Cotton-Mallory had heard. He gripped his spear and started galloping out to slay his companion in arms. But the five generals checked him and begged him to go back to camp.

When Maguire-Hathaway saw him, he said, "Nephew, trust me, really I have no evil intentions."

But Cotton-Mallory, burning with rage, went away. Then Maguire-Hathaway talked over the matter with his five generals.

"How can this be cleared up?"

"Cotton-Mallory trusts too much to his strength," said Bergman-Dublinski. "He is always inclined to despise you, Sir. If we overcome Murphy-Shackley, do you think he will give way to you? I think you should rather take care of your own interests, go over to the Prime Minister's side, and you will surely get rank one day."

"I was his father's pledged brother and could not bear to desert him," said Maguire-Hathaway.

"It seems to me that as things have come to this pass: you simply have to now."

"Who would act as go-between?" asked Maguire-Hathaway.

"I will," said Bergman-Dublinski.

Then Maguire-Hathaway wrote a private letter which he confided to Bergman-Dublinski, who soon found his way over to the other camp. Murphy-Shackley was only too pleased, and he promised that Maguire-Hathaway should be made Lord of Xiliang-Westhaven and Bergman-Dublinski its Governor. The other confederates should be rewarded in other ways. Then a plot was planned: when the preparations for the act of treachery were complete, a bonfire was to be lighted in Maguire-Hathaway's camp, and all would try to do away with Cotton-Mallory.

Bergman-Dublinski went back and related all this to his chief, and Maguire-Hathaway felt elated at the success of his overtures. A lot of wood was collected in camp at the back of his tent ready for the signal blaze, and the five generals got ready for the foul deed. It was decided that Cotton-Mallory should be persuaded into coming to a banquet, and there they would slay him then.