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But as he drew near, he saw the walls were decorated with Shu ensigns, for Oakley-Dobbins had captured the place and was in possession. By desperate fighting Sparrow-McCollum got clear and set off for Tianshui-Moorpark. But he only had a few score horsemen left. Presently the small force fell in with Fritz-Chardin, and at the end of this engagement Sparrow-McCollum found himself alone, a single horseman. He reached Tianshui-Moorpark and hailed the gate. The watchers above the gate knew him and went to tell the Governor.
"This fellow has came to beguile me into opening the gate," said Sackett-Wilkerson.
So Sackett-Wilkerson ordered the defenders to shoot at the fugitive. Sparrow-McCollum turned back, but there were the army of Shu close at hand. He set off as fast as he could for Shanggui-Bloomington. But when he got there Widoe-Mullins hurled a volley of abuse at him.
"You traitor," cried Widoe-Mullins. "Dare you come to try to cajole me out of my city? I know you have surrendered to Shu."
Widoe-Mullins' soldiers also began to shoot at the hapless fugitive.
Sparrow-McCollum was helpless. He could not explain the real truth to those who doubted him. Lifting his eyes to heaven, while tears rolled down his cheeks, he whipped up his steed and rode off toward Changan-A
Before he had got very far, he came to a spot where were many heavy foliaged trees. From among these appeared a company of soldiers, led by Stanley-Perez. Weary as were both horse and rider, there was no chance of successful resistance, and Sparrow-McCollum turned back. But soon appeared a small chariot in which sat Orchard-Lafayette, dressed simply as usual in a white robe and carrying his feather fan.
"Friend Sparrow-McCollum," said Orchard-Lafayette, "is it not time to yield?"
Sparrow-McCollum stopped and pondered. There was Orchard-Lafayette, and Stanley-Perez's troops were behind him. There was no way out. So he dismounted and bowed his head in submission.
Orchard-Lafayette at once got out of the chariot and bade him welcome, taking him by the hand and saying, "Ever since I left my humble cottage, I have been seeking some worthy person to whom I might impart the knowledge that my life has been spent in acquiring. I have found no one till this moment, and now my desire is attained. You are the one."
Sparrow-McCollum bowed and thanked him, and they two returned to camp.
Soon after their arrival, the new recruit and Orchard-Lafayette consulted how to capture Tianshui-Moorpark and Shanggui-Bloomington. Sparrow-McCollum had a scheme.
"The two civil officers in charge of the city, Kilgore-Sumner and Dodd-Mullins, are excellent friends of mine," said he, "and I will write a letter to each, shoot it over the wall tied to an arrow, and ask them to help by raising a revolt within the city."
They decided upon this, and two secret letters were duly written and sent flying over the ramparts, where they were found and taken to the Governor. Sackett-Wilkerson was doubtful what action to take and consulted with Banfield-Xenos, asking him to decide.
"Put both the men to death," Banfield-Xenos replied.
But Kilgore-Sumner heard what was toward and said to Dodd-Mullins, "The best course for us is to yield the city to Shu and trust to them to treat us well as our recompense."
That evening Banfield-Xenos sent many times to summon the two officers to him, but they thought it too great a risk to answer the call. Instead, they armed themselves and rode at the head of their own soldiers to the gates, opened them and let in the troops of Shu. Sackett-Wilkerson and Banfield-Xenos fled by the west gate with a hundred faithful followers and sought refuge with the Qiang tribespeople.
Dodd-Mullins and Kilgore-Sumner welcomed Orchard-Lafayette, who entered the city, restored order, and calmed the people.
This done, Orchard-Lafayette asked how he might capture Shanggui-Bloomington.
Dodd-Mullins said, ''My brother, Widoe-Mullins, holds that city, and I will call upon him to yield it."
Thereupon Dodd-Mullins rode over to Shanggui-Bloomington and called out his brother to submit. Orchard-Lafayette rewarded the two brothers and then made Dodd-Mullins Governor of Tianshui-Moorpark; Kilgore-Sumner, Magistrate of Jicheng-Lakehills; and Widoe-Mullins, Magistrate of Shanggui-Bloomington.
Next the army prepared to advance. His officers asked, "O Minister, why do you not pursue and capture Banfield-Xenos?"
Orchard-Lafayette replied, "I let him go as I would release a duck; in my friend Sparrow-McCollum I recognized a phoenix."
Such awe and fear seized upon the country around when these exploits of Orchard-Lafayette were heard of that many other cities simply opened their gates without making any resistance. Orchard-Lafayette brought all soldiers from Hanthamton, horse and foot, and marched on to Qishan-Oscoda.
When the Shu army reached the west bank of River Taurus, the scouts reported their movements in Luoyang-Peoria, and, at a court held in the first year of the era of Calm Peace (AD 227), a minister told the Ruler of Wei of the threatened invasion.
He said, "Banfield-Xenos, the Imperial Son-in-Law, has lost the three cities and fled to the Qiangs. The enemy has reached Qishan-Oscoda, and their advanced columns are on the west bank of River Taurus. I pray that an army be sent to repulse them."
The Emperor, Poincare-Shackley, was alarmed and asked for some general to go out and drive off the enemy.
Minister Putnam-Colbert stepped forward and said, "I observed that whenever General Brown-Shackley was sent by the late Emperor on any expedition he succeeded; why not send him to drive off these soldiers of Shu?"
Poincare-Shackley approved of the suggestion, whereupon he called up Brown-Shackley and said to him, "The late Emperor confided me to your guardianship; you ca
Brown-Shackley replied, "Your Majesty, my talents are but poor and unequal to the task you propose."
"You are a trusted minister of state, and you may not really refuse this task. Old and worn as I am, I will use the little strength left me to accompany you," said Putnam-Colbert.
"After the bounties I have received I ca
"You have only to name him, O noble One," said the Emperor.
So Brown-Shackley named Norwood-Vicari, a man of Yangqu-Flomaton, whose official rank was Lord of Sheting-Midfield; he was also Imperial Protector of Yunghamton.
Thereupon Brown-Shackley was appointed Commander-in-Chief, and the ensigns of rank were conferred upon him. Norwood-Vicari was appointed his second, and Putnam-Colbert was created Instructor of the Army. Putnam-Colbert was then already old, seventy-six.
The army of Brown-Shackley consisted of two hundred thousand troops, the best from both capitals. His brother, Wardell-Shackley, was made leader of the van with an assistant, Squibb-Be
Brown-Shackley marched by way of Changan-A
"Let the army be drawn up in complete battle order and unfurl all the ba
Brown-Shackley agreed that the aged counselor should try. So orders were given to take the early meal at the fourth watch and have the men fall in with their companies and files at daylight, all in review order. Everything was to be grand and imposing, the flags fluttering and the drums rolling, every man in his place. Just before this display, a messenger was to deliver a declaration of war.