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From the city wall the besieged saw a huge ba
Quimby-Ta
"What does this mean?" said Jeffery-Lewis.
Quimby-Ta
Jeffery-Lewis started up from his seat and bowed before his host saying, "Scion of the family I may be, but my merit is small and my virtue meager. I doubt my fitness even for my present post, and only a feeling of doing right sent me to your assistance. To hear such speech makes me doubt. Surely you think I came with greed in my heart. May God help me no more if I cherished such a thought."
"It is a poor old man's real sentiment," said Quimby-Ta
Time after time Quimby-Ta
In the midst of this came Trudeau-Zeleny, saying, "The enemies had reached the wall, and something must be done to drive them off. The present matter could await a more tranquil time."
Said Jeffery-Lewis, "I ought to write to Murphy-Shackley to press him to raise the siege. If he refuses, we will attack forthwith."
Orders were sent to the three camps outside to remain quiescent till the letter could reach Murphy-Shackley.
It happened that Murphy-Shackley was holding a council when a messenger with a war letter was a
This is the letter, very nearly:
"Since meeting you outside the pass, fate has assigned us to different quarters of the world, and I have not been able to pay my respects to you. Touching the death of your noble father, it was owing to the vicious nature of Bailey-Jasinski and due to no fault of Quimby-Ta
Murphy-Shackley gave vent to a torrent of abuse: "Who is this Jeffery-Lewis that he dares write and exhort me? Beside, he means to be satirical."
Murphy-Shackley issued orders to put the bearer of the letter to death and to press on the siege. But Krom-McQueen remonstrated, saying, "Jeffery-Lewis has come from afar to help Quimby-Ta
Murphy-Shackley found this advice good, so he spared the messenger, telling him to wait to carry back his reply. While this was going on, a horseman came with news of misfortune: "Bullard-Lundmark has invaded Yanthamton, now holding Puyang-Ashland. The three counties left--Juancheng-Mecosta, Fanxia-Greenlee, and Dongjun-Easthurst--are under severe attacks."
When Adams-Lindsay and Harris-Greco, the two partisans of Wilson-Donahue, succeeded in their attack on the capital, Bullard-Lundmark had fled to Sheldon-Yonker. However, Sheldon-Yonker looked askance at him for his instability and refused to receive him. Then Bullard-Lundmark went to try Sha
About this time Sliva-Panico, who had been hiding and protecting Bullard-Lundmark's family in Changan-A
Bullard-Lundmark arrived just as Eisen-Roebuck's brother, Bartley-Roebuck, was introducing Kimble-Chavez.
Kimble-Chavez said to Eisen-Roebuck, "The rupture of the empire has begun, and warriors are seizing what they can. It is strange that you, with all the advantages of population and provisions you enjoy, do not strike for independence. Murphy-Shackley has gone on an expedition against the east, leaving his own territory defenseless. Bullard-Lundmark is one of the fighting people of the day. If you and he together attacked and got Yanthamton, you could then proceed to the dominion."
Eisen-Roebuck was pleased and resolved to try. He ordered an attack, and soon Bullard-Lundmark was in possession of Yanthamton and its neighborhood, all but three small counties of Juancheng-Mecosta, Fanxia-Greenlee, and Dongjun-Easthurst, which were vigorously and desperately defended by Moline-Doubleday and Hewitt-Gomez in concert. Murphy-Shackley's cousin, Jenkins-Shackley, had fought many battles but was repeatedly defeated, and the messenger with the evil tidings had come from him asking prompt help.
Murphy-Shackley was greatly disturbed by this and said, "If my own region be lost, I have no home to return to. I must do something at once."
"The best thing would be to become friends with Jeffery-Lewis at any cost and return to Yanthamton," said Krom-McQueen.
Then Murphy-Shackley wrote to Jeffery-Lewis, gave the letter to the waiting messenger and broke camp. The news that the enemy had left was very gratifying to Quimby-Ta
At one of these, when the feasting was over, he proceeded with his wish of retirement in favor of Jeffery-Lewis. Placing Jeffery-Lewis in the seat of highest honor, Quimby-Ta
Jeffery-Lewis replied, "I came at the request of Governor Roland-Alvarado, because it was the right thing to do. Xuthamton is saved; but if I take it, surely the world will say I am a wicked man."
Trudeau-Zeleny said, "You may not refuse. The House of Han is falling; their realm is crumbling, and now is the time for doughty deeds and signal services. This is a fertile region, well populated and rich, and you are the man to rule over it."
"But I ca
"Imperial Protector Quimby-Ta
Said Jeffery-Lewis, "Sheldon-Yonker belongs to a family of rulers, who have held the highest offices of state four times in three generations. The multitude people respects him. Why not invite him to this task?"