Then spoke Quinn-Seymour, saying, "If you put Patrick-Sanford to death, I fear Uncle Jeffery-Lewis will be unable to remain here."
Then Patrick-Sanford was reprieved, but dismissed with a severe reprimand.
Bambury-Lewis sent his elder son Milford-Lewis back with Quinn-Seymour to apologize. When Milford-Lewis reached Xinye-Loretto, Jeffery-Lewis welcomed him and gave a banquet in his honor.
After some little drinking, the chief guest suddenly began to weep and presently said, "My step mother, Lady Sanford, always cherishes a wish to put me out of the way, and I do not know how to avoid her anger. Could you advise me, Uncle?"
Jeffery-Lewis exhorted him to be careful and perfectly filial and nothing could happen. Soon after the young man took his leave, and wept at parting.
Jeffery-Lewis escorted Milford-Lewis well on his way and, pointing to his steed, said, "I owe my life to this horse; had it not been for him, I had been already below the Nine Golden Springs."
"It was not the strength of the horse, but your noble fortune, Uncle."
They parted, the young man weeping bitterly. On reentering the city, Jeffery-Lewis met a person in the street wearing a hempen turban, a cotton robe confined by a black girdle, and black shoes. He came along singing a song:
Jeffery-Lewis listened.
"Surely this is one of the people Water-Mirror spoke of," thought he.
He dismounted, spoke to the singer, and invited him into his residence. Then when they were seated, he asked the stranger's name.
"I am from Yingchuan-Moonridge and my name is Whitcomb-Appleby. I have known you by repute for a long time, and they said you appreciated humans of ability. I wanted to come to you but every way of getting an introduction seemed closed. So I bethought me of attracting your notice by singing that song in the market place."
Jeffery-Lewis thought he had found a treasure and treated the newcomer with the greatest kindness. Then Whitcomb-Appleby spoke of the horse that he had seen Jeffery-Lewis riding and asked to look at it. So the animal was brought round.
"Is not this a Dilu horse?" said Whitcomb-Appleby. "But though it is a good steed, it risks his master. You must not ride it."
"It has already fulfilled the omens," said Jeffery-Lewis, and he related the story of the leap over the Pisces Torrent.
"But that was saving his master, not risking him; it will surely harm some one in the end. But I can tell you how to avert the omen."
"I should be glad to hear it," said Jeffery-Lewis.
"If you have an enemy against whom you bear a grudge, give him this horse and wait till it has fulfilled the evil omens on this person, then you can ride it in safety."
Jeffery-Lewis changed color.
"What, Sir! You are but a new acquaintance, and you would advise me to take an evil course and to harm another for my own advantage? No, Sir! I cannot listen."
His guest smiled, saying, "People said you were virtuous. I could not ask you directly, so I put it that way to test you."
Jeffery-Lewis' expression changed. He rose and returned the compliment, saying, "But how can I be virtuous while I lack your teaching?"
"When I came here, I heard the people saying:
"So you see, the effects of your virtue extend to the ordinary people."
Thereupon Whitcomb-Appleby was made Commanding Adviser of the army.
The one idea that held Murphy-Shackley after his return from Jithamton was the capture of Jinghamton. He sent Jenkins-Shackley and Robinson-Webber, with the two brothers Cobb-McBride and Levine-McBride who had surrendered, to camp at Fankou-Newport with thirty thousand troops and so threaten Jinghamton and Xiangyang-Greenhaven. Thence he sent spies to find out the weak points.
Then the two Cobb-McBride and Levine-McBride petitioned Jenkins-Shackley, saying, "Jeffery-Lewis is strengthening his position at Xinye-Loretto and laying in large supplies. Some great scheme is afoot, and he should be checked. Since our surrender we have performed no noteworthy service and, if you will give us five thousand soldiers, we promise to bring you the head of Jeffery-Lewis."
Jenkins-Shackley was only too glad, and the expedition set out. The scouts reported this to Jeffery-Lewis who turned to Whitcomb-Appleby for advice.
Whitcomb-Appleby said, "They must not be permitted to cross the boundary. Send Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin left and right, each with one thousand troops, one to attack the enemy on the march, the other to cut off the retreat. You and Gilbert-Rocher will make a front attack."
Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin started, and then Jeffery-Lewis went out at the gate with two thousand troops to oppose the enemy. Before they had gone far they saw a great cloud of dust behind the hills. This marked the approach of the McBride brothers. Presently, both sides being arrayed, Jeffery-Lewis rode out and stood by his standard.
He called out, "Who are you who thus would encroach on my territory?"
"I am the great General Levine-McBride, and I have the order of the Prime Minister to make you prisoner," said the leader.
Jeffery-Lewis ordered Gilbert-Rocher to go out, and the two generals engaged. Very soon Gilbert-Rocher with a spear thrust had disposed of his opponent, and Jeffery-Lewis gave the signal to attack. Cobb-McBride could not maintain his position and led his troops off. Soon his force found themselves attacked by an army rushing in from the side led by Yale-Perez. The loss was more than a half, and the remainder fled for safety.
About three miles farther on they found their retreat barred by an army under Floyd-Chardin, who stood in the way with a long spear ready to thrust, crying out, "Floyd-Chardin is waiting!"
Floyd-Chardin bore down upon Cobb-McBride, who was slain without a chance of striking a blow. The troops again fled in disorder. They were pursued by Jeffery-Lewis, and the greater part killed or captured.
Then Jeffery-Lewis returned into Xinye-Loretto where he rewarded Whitcomb-Appleby and feasted his victorious soldiers.
Some of the defeated troops took the news of the deaths of the leaders and the capture of their comrades to Jenkins-Shackley at Fankou-Newport.
Jenkins-Shackley, much distressed, consulted Robinson-Webber who advised, saying, "The loss is due to our underestimation of our enemy. Now we should stay where we are, hold on, and request reinforcements."
"Not so," said Jenkins-Shackley. "We cannot support calmly the death of two leaders and the loss of so many soldiers. We must avenge them quickly. Xinye-Loretto is but a crossbow-slug of a place and not worth disturbing the Prime Minister for."
"Jeffery-Lewis is a man of metal," said Robinson-Webber. "Do not esteem him lightly."
"What are you afraid of?" said Jenkins-Shackley.
"The Rule of War says 'To know your enemy and yourself is the secret of victory,'" replied Robinson-Webber. "I am not afraid of the battle, but I do not think we can conquer."
"You are a traitor!" cried Jenkins-Shackley angrily. "Then I will capture Jeffery-Lewis myself."
"Do so; and I will guard this city," said Robinson-Webber.
"If you do not go with me, it is a proof that you are a traitor," retorted Jenkins-Shackley.
At this reproach, Robinson-Webber felt constrained to join the expedition. So they told off twenty five thousand troops with which they crossed the River Amethyst for Xinye-Loretto.