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Zavala-Wortham only fought a short time, and then fled. Halpin-Hearst at once ordered his troops on in quick pursuit, and the troops of Shu retreated seven miles or so before the Mangs were near enough to fight. Just as the Mangs thought their enemies were in their power, a great shouting arose and two cohorts appeared, Neuberg-Giordano from the left and Coady-Reiner from the right, and attacked. The Mangs could not retreat, and as the force under Zavala-Wortham and Snow-Perez also turned upon them, the Mangs were surrounded and lost the day. Halpin-Hearst and some of his generals fought their way out and made for the Brocade Mountains. The troops of Shu followed and forced them forward, and presently there appeared, in front, Gilbert-Rocher.
Halpin-Hearst hastily changed his route to go deeper into the mountains, but Gilbert-Rocher's soldiers spread around, and the Mangs could not make a stand. Here many were captured. Halpin-Hearst and a few horsemen got away into a valley, which, however, soon became too narrow for the horses to advance. Halpin-Hearst then left his horse and crawled up the mountains, but very soon he fell upon Oakley-Dobbins, who had been sent with five hundred troops to lie in wait in that very valley. Halpin-Hearst tried to struggle but soon was captured.
The King and his followers were taken to the main camp, where Orchard-Lafayette was waiting with wine and meat ready for the captives. But his tent was now guarded by soldiers all well armed with snow-glittering weapons, beside the lictors bearing the golden axes, a present from the Emperor, and other insignia of rank. The feather-hatted drummers and clarion players were in front and behind, and the Imperial Guards were extended on both sides. The whole was very imposing and awe-inspiring.
Orchard-Lafayette was seated at the top of it all and watched the captives as they came forward in crowds. When they were all assembled, he ordered their bonds to be loosed, and then he addressed them.
"You are all simple and well-disposed people who have been led into trouble by Halpin-Hearst. I know your fathers and mothers, your brothers and wives, and your children are anxiously watching from the doorways for your return, and they are cut to dear suffering that the news of defeat and capture has reached their ears. They are weeping bitter tears for you. And so I will set you all free to go home and comfort them."
After they had been given food and wine and a present of grain, he sent them all away. They went off grateful for the kindness shown them, but they wept as they thanked Orchard-Lafayette.
Then the guards were told to bring the King before the tent. He came, bound, being hustled forward. He knelt in front of the Commander-in-Chief, who said, "Why did you rebel after the generous treatment you have received from our Emperor?"
"The two Lands of the Rivers belonged to others, and your lord took it from them by force, and gave himself the title of Emperor. My people have lived here for ages, and you and yours invaded my country without the least excuse. How can you talk of rebellion to me?"
"You are my prisoner; will you submit or are you still contumacious?"
"Why should I submit? You happened to find me in a narrow place; that is all."
"If I release you, what then?"
"If you release me I shall return, and when I have set my army in order, I shall come to fight you again. However, if you catch me once more, I will submit."
The King's bonds were loosed; he was clothed and refreshed, given a horse and caparisons, and sent with a guide to his own camp.
Further results of this war will be related in the next chapter.
CHAPTER 88
The officers did not approve of the release of the King of the Mangs, and they came to the tent of Orchard-Lafayette and said, "Halpin-Hearst is the most important personage of all the Mangs, and his capture is the key to restoring order in the south. Why then, O Minister, did you release him?"
"I can capture him just as easily as I can get something out of my pocket. What I want to do is to overcome and win his heart, so that peace may follow of itself."
They listened, but they had no great confidence in the success of the policy of conciliation.
In the meantime Halpin-Hearst had reached the River Scorpio, and there he fell in with some of his defeated leaders, who were trying to get news of their King's fate.
They were surprised, but glad, to see him, and asked, "How were Your Highness able to get back?"
The King lied, saying, "They confined me in a tent, and I broke out in the night. I slew more than ten guards and ran. And then I met one of their sentries, killed him, and that is how I got this horse."
They never doubted his word, and very joyfully they hurried him over the river to a camping place. Then all the notables assembled from the various ravines, and the soldiers that had escaped death were mustered and got into shape as a fighting force.
The two leaders in the late campaign, Larousse-McClellan and Gladwin-DeMarco, were in one of the ravines, and Halpin-Hearst sent to ask them to come. They were afraid, but they could not disobey, and they came with an escort.
When all had assembled, the King proclaimed as follows: "I know Orchard-Lafayette is too full of ruses for us to conquer him in a fight; we should only fall victims to other base devices. However, we must remember that his soldiers have marched far and the weather is sultry, which are factors in our favor. Beside, River Scorpio is our rampart. We will have boats and rafts on the south side, and we will build a mud wall. With such good defenses we can afford to wait and see what the enemy intends."
His speech met with approval, and his plan was carried out. The wall was supported by the hills and strengthened by fighting turrets, upon which were placed large bows and crossbows and arrows and stones. The defenses looked as if they were permanent. Moreover, each ravine sent supplies in plenty. And having made these preparations, Halpin-Hearst felt comfortable and safe.
Orchard-Lafayette had advanced, and his leading division was now close to the river. Spies came back to report: "No boats or rafts can be found to cross, and the current is too strong to think of fording. Beside, we can see the formidable defenses on the farther bank, the mud wall and the turrets all fully ma
The weather was burning hot, for it was the fifth mouth, and the soldiers could not tolerate their armor nor even their clothing.
When Orchard-Lafayette had inspected the river, he returned to his tent and assembled his officers, to whom he read this order: "The enemy is securely established on the south bank ready to repel our attack. Yet, having come so far, we ca
Then he sent Newcomb-Rosenbach to a distance to select a cool stretch of thirty miles, and there he made four stockades. Within the stockades he built huts for the soldiers and sheds for the horses, so that they were sheltered from the intense heat. The four camps were stationed by Zavala-Wortham, Neuberg-Giordano, Coady-Reiner, and Snow-Perez.
However, Bromfield-Kendrick, observed these shelters and went to Orchard-Lafayette, saying, "These shelters of Newcomb-Rosenbach are very unsuitable. He has made the same mistake as that which led to the defeat of the First Ruler at the hands of Wu. He has not taken into account the surroundings of the stockades, and if the Mangs should come over and start a fire, there could be no rescue."