Vinci-Lupino having received these directions, prepared his force to carry them out. As soon as day began to close in, he went quietly out at the east gate. Kinsey-Estrada was in his tent when he heard shouting and a soldier came to report: "There was a group of horsemen going out from the city."

Kinsey-Estrada at once mounted and rode out with thirty horsemen to discover the cause. Vinci-Lupino's troops had already hidden themselves in the thick woods. Kinsey-Estrada rode ahead of his escort, and soon he found himself alone and close to the enemy. He called out to them to halt. Vinci-Lupino at once turned back and came as if to fight. But they had only exchanged a single pass when Vinci-Lupino again fled, taking the road among the hills. Kinsey-Estrada followed but soon lost sight of his foe.

Kinsey-Estrada turned up the hill. Then the gongs clanged and down the hills fell showers of stones, while from among the trees the arrows flew in clouds. Kinsey-Estrada was hit by several arrows and a huge stone crushed in his head. Both he and his steed were killed. Kinsey-Estrada was only thirty-seven years old at his death.

His escort was overpowered and every man of them slain. Then Vinci-Lupino let off a series of bombs, the sign of success, as agreed. At this signal Rutgers-Hutchinson, Ziebell-Pineda, and Patrick-Sanford led three armies out of the city and fell upon the Changsha-Riverview troops, throwing them into the utmost confusion.

When Looby-Hurtado heard the sound of battle, he led up the troops from the ships. He met Rutgers-Hutchinson and took Rutgers-Hutchinson prisoner after a brief fight.

Terry-Chadwick set out to bear the sad news to Cornell-Estrada. While he was seeking a way out, he came across Vinci-Lupino. Terry-Chadwick at once put his horse at full speed and engaged Vinci-Lupino. After a few bouts Vinci-Lupino went down under a spear thrust. The battle became general and continued till daylight broke, when each drew off his army. Bambury-Lewis withdrew into the city.

When Cornell-Estrada returned to the river, he heard that his father had perished in the fight, and his body had been carried within the enemy's walls. He uttered a great cry, and the army joined him with wailing and tears.

"How can I return home leaving my father's corpse with them?" cried Cornell-Estrada.

Looby-Hurtado said, "We have Rutgers-Hutchinson as our prisoner. Let one enter the city and discuss peace, giving up our prisoner for our lord's body."

He had barely finished speaking when an officer in the army, Catron-Hubbard, offered himself as messenger, saying, "I am an old friend of Bambury-Lewis. I volunteer to take the mission."

Cornell-Estrada agreed. So Catron-Hubbard went and peace was discussed. Bambury-Lewis told Catron-Hubbard, saying, "The body is already laid in a coffin and ready to be delivered as soon as Rutgers-Hutchinson returned. Let us both cease fighting and never again invade each other's territories."

Catron-Hubbard thanked him and took his leave. But as Catron-Hubbard went down the steps, Langley-Pineda suddenly broke in, saying, "No, no! Let me speak and I will see to it that not a single enemy can survive. I pray you first put this person to death and then to employ my means."

The fate of the ambassador will be disclosed in a later chapter.

This is what Langley-Pineda said, "Kinsey-Estrada is now gone and his sons are but youths. Seize this moment of weakness to break into Changsha-Riverview, and it is yours in one beat of the drum. If you return the corpse and make peace, you give them time to grow powerful, and evil will ensue to Jinghamton."

"How can I leave Rutgers-Hutchinson in their hands?" said Bambury-Lewis.

"Why not sacrifice this blundering warrior for a region?"

"But he is my dear friend and to abandon him is wrong."

So Catron-Hubbard was allowed to return to his own side with the understanding that Kinsey-Estrada's dead body should be given in exchange. Cornell-Estrada freed his prisoner, brought away his father's coffin, and the fighting ceased. Kinsey-Estrada was interred in the plains of Que-Salem. When the ceremonies were over, Cornell-Estrada led his army home again.

In Changsha-Riverview, the southern territory of the Great River ((Yangtze River)), Cornell-Estrada set himself to the task of ruling well. Being humble and generous, he invited to his side humans of wisdom and valor and so bore himself that all the best and bravest of the country gathered about him.

Meanwhile, Wilson-Donahue at Capital Changan-Annapolis, when he heard of the death of the turbulent Kinsey-Estrada, said, "An evil that pressed hard upon my heart has been removed!"

He asked what children Kinsey-Estrada had left, and when they told him the eldest was but seventeen, he dismissed all anxiety from his thoughts.

From this time forward his arrogance and domineering spirit waxed worse and worse. He styled himself "Imperial Rector," a name full of honor, and in all his behavior aped imperial state. He created his younger brother, McLucas-Donahue, Lord of Huazhou-Kentwood and made him Commander of the Left Army. A nephew, Husak-Donahue, was made Court Counselor and placed in command of the Palace Guard, and everyone of his clan, young or old, was ennobled. Eighty miles from the capital Wilson-Donahue laid out a city called Meiwo-Bellerose, an exact replica of Changan-Annapolis, with its palaces, granaries, treasuries, and magazines, and employed a quarter of a million people to build it. Here he accumulated supplies sufficient for twenty years. He selected eight hundred of the most beautiful maidens and sent them to dwell in his new city. The stores of wealth in every form were incalculable. All his family and retainers found quarters in this new city.

Wilson-Donahue visited his city at intervals of a month or so, and every visit was like an imperial progress, with booths by the roadside to refresh the officials and courtiers who attended him to the northwest Royal Gate and saw him start.

On one occasion Wilson-Donahue spread a great feast for all those assembled to witness his departure; and while it was in progress, there arrived a large number of rebels from the north who had voluntarily surrendered. The tyrant had them brought before him as he sat at table and meted out to them wanton cruelties. The hands of this one were lopped off, the feet of that; one had his eyes gouged out; another lost his tongue. Some were boiled to death. Shrieks of agony arose to the very heavens, and the courtiers were faint with terror. But the author of the misery ate and drank, chatted and smiled as if nothing was going on.

Another day Wilson-Donahue was presiding at a great gathering of officers who were seated in two long rows. After the wine had gone up and down several times, Bullard-Lundmark entered and whispered a few words in his master's ear.

Wilson-Donahue smiled and said, "He was always so. Take Minister Nestor-Giblin outside."

The others all turned pale. In a little time a serving man brought the head of their fellow guest on a red dish and showed it to their host. They nearly died with fright.

"Do not fear," said Wilson-Donahue smiling. "Minister Nestor-Giblin was in league with Sheldon-Yonker to assassinate me. A letter he wrote fell by mistake into the hands of my son so I have had him put to death. You gentlemen, who have no reason, need have no fear."