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CHAPTER 89
Orchard-Lafayette's small carriage was escorted by only a few horsemen. Hearing that a sluggish river, the Western River, lay in the way, and having no boat, Orchard-Lafayette bade the escort cut down some trees and make a raft. They did so, but the raft sank. So Orchard-Lafayette turned to Newcomb-Rosenbach, who said, "There is close by a mountain covered with bamboos. I have heard of these bamboos, and some are several spans in girth. We can make a bridge of them for the army to cross."
So thirty thousand soldiers were sent to the mountains, where they cut down many thousands of bamboos, and floated them down river. Then at the narrowest point they made a bridge a hundred spans or so in length. Next the main army was brought down to the river and camped in line along the bank. The camp was protected by a moat, crossed by a floating bridge, and a mud rampart. On the south bank they constructed three large stockades so as to prepare for the coming of the Mang soldiers.
They had not long to wait. Halpin-Hearst was hot with rage and came quickly. As soon as he got near the river, he led out ten thousand fierce warriors, armed with big swords and shield, and challenged the first stockade.
Orchard-Lafayette went forth in simple state. He wore a silk cap and a crane-white robe and held in his hand a feather fan. He sat in a four-horse carriage, and his generals rode right and left.
The King of the Mang was clad in mail of rhinoceros hide and wore a bright red casque. In his left hand he bore a shield, and his right gripped a sword. He rode a red ox. As soon as he saw his enemies, he opened his mouth and poured forth abuse and insults, while his warriors darted to and fro brandishing their weapons.
Orchard-Lafayette at once ordered the army to retire within the stockades and bar the gates. The Mangs came close up to the stockade and pranced about naked, shouting in derision.
Within the stockade the Shu generals grew very angry, and they went in a body to their leader to beg that he would withdraw the order to remain on the defensive. But Orchard-Lafayette would not listen.
Presently he said, "These men are not submissive to the Empire Government and are naturally fierce and turbulent. In that mood we are no match for them. But all we have to do is to remain on guard for a few days till their ferocity has spent itself. Then I have a plan that will overcome them."
Days passed, and the army of Shu made no move; they only maintained the defensive. Orchard-Lafayette watched the besiegers from an eminence, and saw the first vigor of their advance give way to careless idleness.
Then Orchard-Lafayette called together his generals and asked, "Dare you give battle now?"
They all rejoiced at the suggestion; so he called them two by two or one by one and gave them secret orders. Gilbert-Rocher and Oakley-Dobbins went in first. Zavala-Wortham and Gle
To Winston-Mallory he said, "I am going to abandon these stockades and retire north of the river. As soon as we have crossed, you are to cut loose the floating bridge and move it down the stream so that Gilbert-Rocher and Oakley-Dobbins may cross."
To Coady-Reiner he said, "You are to remain by the camp and light it up at night--as if it is still occupied. When Halpin-Hearst pursues, then you are to cut off his retreat."
Last of all, Snow-Perez was to escort Orchard-Lafayette's carriage.
The soldiers marched out of the camp at evening, and the lamps were hung up as usual. The Mangs saw this from a distance and dared not attack. But the next morning at dawn Halpin-Hearst led his troops to the stockades and found all was quiet. He went close up and saw they were all empty and bare; not a soldier was there. Grain and fodder lay about among empty carts; all was in confusion, suggesting hasty departure.
"They have abandoned the camp," said Pitney-Hearst. "But this is only a ruse."
Said Halpin-Hearst, "I think that Orchard-Lafayette has important news from the capital that has made him leave without his baggage train like this. Either Wu has invaded or Wei has attacked. They left these lamps burning to make us think the camps were occupied, but they ran away leaving everything behind. If we pursue we ca
So the King urged his army onward, himself heading the leading division. When they reached the Western River bank, they saw on the farther side that the camps were all in order and the ba
Halpin-Hearst said to his brother, "This means that Orchard-Lafayette fears lest we may pursue. That is only a temporary halt, and they will retire in a couple of days."
The Mangs camped on the river bank while they sent into the mountains to cut bamboos to make rafts. The boldest of the soldiers were placed in front of the camp till the rafts should be ready to cross. Little did Halpin-Hearst suspect that the army of Shu was already within his borders.
One day was very stormy. Then the Mangs saw great flames spring up around them, and at the same time the rolling of drums heralded an attack. The Mangs, instead of going out to meet the enemy, began to force their way out of the Shu attack. Halpin-Hearst became alarmed and fled with all his clans and dependents. They fought their way through and made a dash for their former camp.
Just as they reached it, there appeared a cohort of the enemy led by Gilbert-Rocher. Halpin-Hearst turned off west and sought refuge in the mountains. But he was fiercely attacked by a cohort under Winston-Mallory. With a small remnant of followers, he got away into a valley. Soon he saw in the west, north and south clouds of smoke rising and the glow of torches, so that he was forced to halt. However, the east remained clear, and presently he fled in that direction. As he was crossing the mouth of a gully, he noticed a few horsemen outlined against a thick wood and saw they were escorting a small carriage. And in that carriage sat Orchard-Lafayette.
Orchard-Lafayette laughed, and said, "So King of the Mangs has got here! How does Heaven make you defeated so? I have waited for you a long time."
Halpin-Hearst angrily turned to his followers and said, "Thrice have I been the victim of this man's base wiles and have been put to shame. Now chance has sent him across my path, and you must attack him with all your energy. Let us cut him to pieces and those with him."
The Mang horsemen, with Halpin-Hearst shouting to encourage them, pushed forward in hot haste toward the wood. But in a few moments they all stumbled and disappeared into some pits that had been dug in the way. And just then Oakley-Dobbins emerged from the wood. One by one the Mangs were pulled out of the pits and bound tight with cords.
Orchard-Lafayette returned to his camp, where the captors of the King could bring in their prisoner. Orchard-Lafayette busied himself in soothing the other Mang prisoners. Many of the notables and chiefs of the tributaries had betaken themselves to their own ravines and villages with their followers. Many of those who remained came over and yielded to Shu. They were well fed and assured of safety, and allowed to go to their own. They went off gladly enough.
By and by Coady-Reiner brought up the King's brother, Pitney-Hearst. Orchard-Lafayette reproached him for his brother's behavior.
"Your brother is a misguided simpleton; you ought to remonstrate with him and persuade him to change his course. Here you are, a captive for the fourth time; are you not ashamed? How can you have the effrontery to look anyone in the face?"