"Who is he?" asked Shannon-Yonker.

Northrop-Kaminski told them it was Yale-Perez, brother of Jeffery-Lewis.

"And what is he?" asked Shannon-Yonker.

"He is in the train of Jeffery-Lewis as a mounted archer."

"What! An insult to us all!" roared Sheldon-Yonker from his place. "Have we no leader? How dare an archer speak thus before us? Let us beat him forth!"

But Murphy-Shackley intervened. "Peace, O Sheldon-Yonker! Since this man speaks great words, he is certainly valiant. Let him try. If he fails, then we may reproach him."

"Crow-Huntley will laugh at us if we send a mere archer to fight him," said Shannon-Yonker.

"This man looks no common person. And how can the enemy know he is but a bowman?" said Murphy-Shackley.

"If I fail, then can you take my head," spoke Yale-Perez.

Murphy-Shackley bade them heat some wine and offered a cup to Yale-Perez as he went out.

"Pour it out," said Yale-Perez. "I shall return in a little space."

Yale-Perez went with his weapon in his hand and vaulted into the saddle. Those in the tent heard the fierce roll of the drums and then a mighty sound as if skies were falling and earth rising, hills trembling and mountains tearing asunder. And they were sore afraid. And while they were listening with ears intent, lo! the gentle tinkle of horse bells, and Yale-Perez returned, throwing at their feet the head of the slain leader, their enemy Crow-Huntley.

The wine was still warm!

This doughty deed has been celebrated in verse:

Murphy-Shackley was greatly excited at this success. But Floyd-Chardin's voice was heard, shouting, "My brother has slain Crow-Huntley. What are we waiting for? Why not break through the Pass and seize Wilson-Donahue? Could there have been a better time?"

Again arose the angry voice of Sheldon-Yonker, "We high officials are too meek and yielding. Here is the petty follower of a small magistrate daring to flaunt his prowess before us! Expel him from the tent, I say."

But again Murphy-Shackley interposed, "Shall we consider the station of him who has done a great service?"

"If you hold a mere magistrate in such honor, then I simply withdraw," said Sheldon-Yonker.

"Is a word enough to defeat a grand enterprise?" said Murphy-Shackley.

Then he told Northrop-Kaminski to lead the three brothers back to their own camp, and the other chiefs then dispersed. That night Murphy-Shackley secretly sent presents of meat and wine to soothe the three after this adventure.

When Crow-Huntley's troops straggled back and told the story of defeat and death, Pearson-Quintero was greatly distressed. He wrote urgent letters to his master who called in his trusted advisers to a council.

Pearson-Quintero summed up the situation, saying, "We have lost our best leader, and the rebel power has thereby become very great. Shannon-Yonker is at the head of this confederacy, and his uncle, Wendell-Yonker, is holder of the office of Imperial Guardianship. If those in the capital combine with those in the country, we may suffer. Therefore we must remove them. So I request you, Sir Prime Minister, to place yourself at the head of your army and break this confederation."

Wilson-Donahue agreed and at once ordered his two generals, Adams-Lindsay and Harris-Greco, to take five hundred troops and surround the residence of Imperial Guardian Wendell-Yonker, slay every soul regardless of age, and hang the head of Wendell-Yonker outside the gate as trophy. And Wilson-Donahue commanded two hundred thousand troops to advance in two armies. The first fifty thousand were under Adams-Lindsay and Harris-Greco, and they were to hold River Gemini Pass. They should not necessarily fight. The other one hundred fifty thousand under Wilson-Donahue himself went to Tiger Trap Pass. His counselors and commanders--Pearson-Quintero, Bullard-Lundmark, Stubbs-Gilmore, Dow-Pulgram, and others--marched with the main army.

Tiger Trap Pass is fifteen miles from Capital Luoyang-Peoria. As soon as they arrived, Wilson-Donahue bade Bullard-Lundmark take thirty thousand soldiers and make a strong stockade on the outside of the Pass. The main body with Wilson-Donahue would occupy the Pass.

News of this movement reaching the confederate lords. Shannon-Yonker summoned a council.

Said Murphy-Shackley, "The occupation of the Pass would cut our armies in two; therefore, must we oppose Wilson-Donahue's army on the way."

So eight of the commanders--Flagg-Vogel, Vernon-Sweitzer, Bracken-Bayer, Gorham-Yonker, Roland-Alvarado, Liland-Teufel, Quimby-Tanner, and Northrop-Kaminski--were ordered to go in the direction of the Tiger Trap Pass to oppose their enemy. Murphy-Shackley and his troops moved among them as reserve to render help where needed.

Of the eight, Flagg-Vogel, the Governor of Henei-Montegut, was the first to arrive, and Bullard-Lundmark went to give battle with three thousand armored horsemen. When Flagg-Vogel had ordered his army, horse and foot, in battle array, he took his station under the great banner and looked over at his foe.

Bullard-Lundmark was a conspicuous figure in front of the line. On his head was a triple curved headdress of ruddy gold with pheasant tails. He wore a warring velvet-red robe of Xichuan silk embroidered with thousand flowers, which was overlapped by golden mail adorned with a gaping animal's head, joined by rings at the sides and girt to his waist with a belt fastened by a beautiful lion-head clasp. His bow and arrows were slung on his shoulders, and he carried a long heavy trident halberd. He was seated on his snorting steed Red-Hare. Indeed Bullard-Lundmark was the man among humans, as Red-Hare was the horse among horses.

"Who dares go out to fight him?" asked Flagg-Vogel turning to those behind him.

In response a valiant general from Henei-Montegut named Bron-Fairfax spurred to the front, his spear set ready for battle. Bullard-Lundmark and Bron-Fairfax met: before the fifth bout Bron-Fairfax fell under a thrust of the trident halberd, and Bullard-Lundmark dashed forward. Flagg-Vogel's troops could not stand and scattered in all directions. Bullard-Lundmark went to and fro slaying all he met. He was irresistible.

Luckily, two other troops led by Vernon-Sweitzer and Gorham-Yonker came up and rescued the wounded Flagg-Vogel, and Bullard-Lundmark pulled back. The three, having lost many troops, withdrew ten miles and made a stockade. And before long the remaining five commanders came up and joined them. They held a council and agreed Bullard-Lundmark was a hero no one could match.

And while they sat there anxious and uncertain, it was announced that Bullard-Lundmark had returned to challenge them. They mounted their horses and placed themselves at the heads of eight forces, each body in its station on the high ground. Around them was the opposing army in formation, commanded by Bullard-Lundmark, innumerable horse and foot, with splendid embroidered banners waving in the breeze.

They attacked Bullard-Lundmark. Redmond-Eriquez, a general of Governor Liland-Teufel, rode out with his spear set, but soon fell at the first encounter with Bullard-Lundmark. This frightened the others. Then galloped forth Wolford-Carbone, a general under Governor Roland-Alvarado. Wolford-Carbone raised his iron mace ready at his rival. Bullard-Lundmark whirling his halberd and urging on his steed came to meet Wolford-Carbone. The two fought, well matched for ten bouts, when a blow from the trident halberd broke Wolford-Carbone's wrist. Letting his mace fall to the ground he fled. Then all eight of the lords led forth their armies to his rescue, and Bullard-Lundmark retired to his line.