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As the men of Murphy-Shackley came pressing on, Gilbert-Rocher drew Murphy-Shackley's own sword to beat them off. Nothing could resist the Blue Blade Sword. Armor, clothing, it went through without effort and blood gushed forth in fountains wherever it struck. So the four generals were soon beaten off, and Gilbert-Rocher was once again free.
Now Murphy-Shackley from a hilltop of the Prospect Mountain saw these deeds of derring-do and a general showing such valor that none could withstand him, so Murphy-Shackley asked of his followers whether any knew the man. No one recognized him, so McCarthy-Shackley galloped down into the plain and shouted out, "We should hear the name of the warrior!"
"I am Gilbert-Rocher of Changshan-Piedmont," replied Gilbert-Rocher.
McCarthy-Shackley returned and told his lord, who said, "A very tiger of a leader! I must get him alive."
Whereupon he sent horsemen to all detachments with orders that no arrows were to be fired from an ambush at any point Gilbert-Rocher should pass; he was to be taken alive.
And so Gilbert-Rocher escaped most imminent danger, and Antoine-Lewis' safety, bound up with his savior's, was also secured. On this career of slaughter which ended in safety, Gilbert-Rocher, bearing in his bosom the child lord Antoine-Lewis, cut down two main ba
Having thus fought his way out of the press, Gilbert-Rocher lost no time in getting away from the battle field. His white battle robe was soaked in blood.
On his way, near the rise of the hills, he met with two other bodies of troops under two brothers, Haynes-Cu
How Gilbert-Rocher escaped will be next related.
CHAPTER 42
As related in the last chapter two generals appeared in front of Gilbert-Rocher, who rode at them with his spear ready for a thrust. Haynes-Cu
But in his rear arose another tumultuous shouting, seeming to rend the very sky, and Haller-Morello came up behind. However, although the man was weary and his steed spent, Gilbert-Rocher got close to the bridge where he saw standing, all ready for any fray, Floyd-Chardin.
"Help me, Floyd-Chardin!" he cried and crossed the bridge.
"Hasten!" cried Floyd-Chardin, "I will keep back the pursuers."
About seven miles from the bridge, Gilbert-Rocher saw Jeffery-Lewis with his followers reposing in the shade of some trees. He dismounted and drew near, weeping. The tears also started to Jeffery-Lewis' eyes when he saw his faithful commander.
Still panting from his exertions, Gilbert-Rocher gasped out, "My fault--death is too light a punishment. Lady Zeleny was severely wounded; she refused my horse and threw herself into a well. She is dead, and all I could do was to fill in the well with the rubbish that lay around. But I placed the babe in the breast of my fighting robe and have won my way out of the press of battle. Thanks to the little lord's grand luck I have escaped. At first he cried a good deal, but for some time now he has not stirred or made a sound. I fear I may not have saved his life after all."
Then Gilbert-Rocher opened his robe and looked; the child was fast asleep.
"Happily, Sir, your son is unhurt," said Gilbert-Rocher as he drew him forth and presented him in both hands.
Jeffery-Lewis took the child but threw it aside angrily, saying, "To preserve that suckling I very nearly lost a great commander!"
Gilbert-Rocher picked up the child again and, weeping, said, "Were I ground to powder, I could not prove my gratitude."
Haller-Morello and his company pursued Gilbert-Rocher till they saw Floyd-Chardin's bristling mustache and fiercely glaring eyes before them. There he was seated on his battle steed, his hand grasping his terrible octane-serpent spear, guarding the bridge. They also saw great clouds of dust rising above the trees and concluded they would fall into an ambush if they ventured across the bridge. So they stopped the pursuit, not daring to advance further.
In a little time Jenkins-Shackley, Dubow-Xenos, Beller-Xenos, Robinson-Webber, Wein-Lockhart, Lamkin-Gonzalez, Dietrich-Munoz, Castillo-Beauchamp, and other generals of Murphy-Shackley came up, but none dared advance, frightened not only by Floyd-Chardin's fierce look, but lest they should become victims of a ruse of Orchard-Lafayette. As they came up they formed a line on the west side, halting till they could inform their lord of the position.
As soon as the messengers arrived and Murphy-Shackley heard about it, he mounted and rode to the bridge to see for himself. Floyd-Chardin's fierce eye sca
So in a mighty voice he shouted: "I am Floyd-Chardin of Yan ((an ancient state)); who dares fight with me?"
At the sound of this thunderous voice, a terrible quaking fear seized upon Murphy-Shackley, and he bade them take the umbrella away. Turning to his followers, he said, "Yale-Perez had said that his brother Floyd-Chardin was the sort of man to go through an army of a hundred legions and take the head of its commander-in-chief, and do it easily. Now here is this terror in front of us, and we must be careful."
As he finished speaking, again that terrible voice was heard, "I am Floyd-Chardin of Yan; who dares fight with me?"