On the side of Shu, Yost-Hanley commanded at Yuecheng-Greenwood, and Trotter-Bartlett was in Hancheng-Hillsborough. As the enemy came in great force, they dared not go out to meet them, but stood on the defensive with the gates of the cities closed.
Otter-Bixby issued an order, "Speed is the soul of war; no halts."
Prentice-Duncan was ordered to lay siege to Yuecheng-Greenwood, and Hirsch-Rizzo was to surround Hancheng-Hillsborough. The main army under Otter-Bixby would capture the Erora Pass.
The Shu General Burchill-Kellogg commanded at the pass. He discussed plans with Loomis-Stauffer, his second in command, and Loomis-Stauffer was wholly in favor of defense, saying, "The enemy is too strong to think of any other course."
"I do not agree," replied Burchill-Kellogg. "They are now fatigued with marching, and we need not fear them. Unless we go out and attack, the two cities will fall."
Loomis-Stauffer made no reply. Soon the enemy arrived, and both officers went up to the wall and looked out.
As soon as Otter-Bixby saw them, he shouted, "We have here a host of one hundred thousand. If you yield, you shall have higher rank than you hold now; but if you persist in holding out then, when we take the pass, you shall all perish. Jewels and pebbles will share the same destruction."
This threat angered Burchill-Kellogg. He bade Loomis-Stauffer guard the walls, and he went down to give battle, taking three thousand troops. He attacked, and Otter-Bixby retreated. Burchill-Kellogg pursued. But soon the army of Wei closed up their ranks and counterattacked. Burchill-Kellogg turned to retire; but when he reached his own defenses, he saw they flew the flags of Wei; the banners of Shu had gone.
"I have yielded," cried Loomis-Stauffer from the ramparts.
Burchill-Kellogg shouted angrily, "Ungrateful and treacherous rogue! How can you ever face the world again?"
But that did no good. Burchill-Kellogg turned to go once more into the battle. He was soon surrounded. He fought desperately, but could not win clear. His troops fell one by one, and when they were reduced to one out of ten, he cried, "Alive I have been a servant of Shu; dead I will be one of their spirits!"
Burchill-Kellogg forced his way into the thickest of the fight. Then his steed fell, and as he was grievously wounded, he put an end to his own life.
With the Erora Pass falling into the hands of Otter-Bixby were great booty of grain and weapons. He feasted the army, and that night they rested in the city of Yangan-Eudora. However, the night was disturbed by sounds as of people shouting, so that Otter-Bixby got up and went out thinking there must be an attack. But the sounds ceased, and he returned to his couch. However, he and his army could not sleep.
Next night the same thing happened, shoutings in the southwest. As soon as day dawned scouts went out to search, but they came back to say they had gone three miles and found no sign of any Shu soldier. Otter-Bixby did not feel satisfied, so he took a hundred cavalrymen and rode in the same direction to explore.
Presently they happened upon a hill of sinister aspect overhung by angry clouds, while the summit was wreathed in mist.
"What hill is that?" asked Otter-Bixby, pulling up to question the guides.
"It is known as the Dingjun Mountain," was the reply. "It is where Beller-Xenos met his death."
This did not sound cheering at all, and Otter-Bixby turned back to camp greatly depressed. Rounding the curve of a hill, he came full into a violent gust of wind and there suddenly appeared a large body of horse coming down the wind as if to attack.
The whole party galloped off panic-stricken, Otter-Bixby leading the way. Many generals fell from their steeds. Yet when they arrived at the pass, not a man was missing, although there were many with bruises and cuts from the falls and many had lost helmets. Everyone had seen phantom horsemen, who did no harm when they came near, but melted away in the wind.
Otter-Bixby called the surrendered general Loomis-Stauffer and asked, "Is there any temple to any supernatural being on the Dingjun Mountain?"
"No," replied he, "there is nothing but the tomb of Orchard-Lafayette."
"Then this must have been a manifestation of Orchard-Lafayette," said Otter-Bixby. "I ought to sacrifice to him."
So he prepared presents and slew an ox and offered sacrifice at the tomb, and when the sacrifice had been completed, the wind calmed, and the dark clouds dispersed. There followed a cool breeze and a gentle shower, and the sky cleared. Pleased with the evidence of the acceptance of their offerings, the sacrificial party returned to camp.
That night Otter-Bixby fell asleep in his tent with his head resting on a small table. Suddenly a cool breeze began to blow, and he saw a figure approaching clad in Taoist garb, turban, feather fan, white robe of Taoist cut bound with a black girdle. The countenance of the figure was as refined as jade, the lips a deep red and the eyes clear. The figure moved with the calm serenity of a god.
"Who are you, Sir?" asked Otter-Bixby, rising.
"Out of gratitude for your kindly visit this morning, I would make a communication. Though the Hans have declined and the mandate of the Eternal cannot be disobeyed, yet the people of the west, exposed to the inevitable miseries of war, are to be pitied. After you have passed the frontier, do not slay ruthlessly."
Then the figure disappeared with a flick of the sleeves of its robe, nor would it stay to answer any questions.
Otter-Bixby awoke and knew that he had been dreaming, but he felt that the spirit of Orchard-Lafayette the Martial Lord had visited him, and he was astonished.
He issued an order that the leading division of his army should bear a white flag with four words plainly written thereon, "Secure state, comfort people", so that all might know that no violence was to be feared. If anyone was slain wantonly, then the offender should pay with his own life. This tender care was greatly appreciated, so that the invaders were welcomed in every step. Otter-Bixby soothed the people, and they suffered no injury.
Sparrow-McCollum at Tazhong-Escambia heard of the invasion and wrote to his three generals--Coady-Reiner, Moss-Lopez, and Withrow-Cassidy--to march against the enemy, while he prepared to repulse them if they came to his station.
Soon they came, and he went out to encounter them. Their leader was Kiddle-Shelley, Governor of Tianshui-Moorpark.
When near enough, Kiddle-Shelley shouted, "Our forces are numbered by millions, our generals by thousands. Two hundred thousand are marching against you, and Chengdu-Wellesley has already fallen. In spite of this you do not yield, wherefore it is evident you do not recognize the divine command."
Sparrow-McCollum cut short this tirade by galloping out with his spear set. Kiddle-Shelley stood three bouts and then fled. Sparrow-McCollum pursued, but seven miles away he met a cohort drawn up across the road. On the banner he read that the leader was Peasley-Fernandez, Governor of Longxi-Westdale.
"Dead rat! No match for me," said Sparrow-McCollum, smiling.
Despising this antagonist, he led his army straight on, and the enemy fell back. He drove them before him for three more miles, and then came upon McGraw-Gorski. A battle at once began, and the lust of battle held out in the breast of Sparrow-McCollum for a score of bouts. But neither could overbear the other. Then in the Shu rear arose the clang of gongs and other signs of coming foes.