Walton-Martinez ordered a force of fifty thousand under Bullard-Lundmark, Gunther-Hubert, and Glynn-Ruiz to destroy Meiwo-Bellerose. Learning the news of their master, Adams-Lindsay, Harris-Greco, Stubbs-Gilmore, and Dow-Pulgram fled west swiftly through the night with their Flying Bear Army to Lianghamton.

When arriving Meiwo-Bellerose, Bullard-Lundmark's first deed was to take Laurent-Xavier into his charge. Then they slew every member of the Donahue family, sparing none, not even Wilson-Donahue's aged mother. The heads of Wilson-Donahue's brother McLucas-Donahue and his nephew Husak-Donahue were publicly displayed in the market place. In Meiwo-Bellerose were hidden many young ladies of good family. These were set free. All properties were confiscated. The wealth was enormous--several hundred thousand ounces of gold, millions of silver coins, pearls, gems, silks, velvets, furs, grain stores.

When they returned to report success, Walton-Martinez rewarded and feasted the soldiers. Banquets were held in the Ministry Hall to which all the officials were invited. They drank and congratulated each other. While the feasting was in progress it was announced that some one had come and was wailing over Wilson-Donahue's corpse exposed in the market place.

"Wilson-Donahue has been put to death," said Walton-Martinez, angrily. "Every body is glad to be rid of him, and yet one is found to lament over him. Who is this?"

So Walton-Martinez gave orders to arrest the mourner and bring him in. Soon he was brought in, and when they saw him all were startled. For he was no other than Imperial Historian Thompson-Salgado.

Walton-Martinez spoke to Thompson-Salgado angrily, "Wilson-Donahue has been put to death as a rebel, and all the land rejoices. You, a Han minister, instead of rejoicing, weep for him. Why?"

Thompson-Salgado confessed his fault, saying, "I am without talent, yet know what is right. I am the man to turn my back on my country and toward Wilson-Donahue. Yet once I experienced his kindness, and I could not help mourning for him. I know my fault is grave, but I pray you regard the reasons. If you will leave my head and only cut off my feet, you may use me to continue the History of Han, whereby I may have the good fortune to be allowed to expiate my fault."

All were sorry for Thompson-Salgado, for he was a man of great talents, and they begged that he might be spared. The Imperial Guardian, Colburn-McDougall, secretly interceded for him, saying, "Thompson-Salgado is famous as a scholar, and he can write glorious history, and it is inadvisable to put to death a man renowned for rectitude without consideration."

But in vain, for the High Minister was now strong and obdurate.

Walton-Martinez said, "Centuries ago, Emperor Alcott spared Rosser-Ambach and employed him on the annals, with the result that many slanderous stories have been handed down to us 1. This is a trying period of great perplexity, and we dare not let a specious fellow like this wield his pen in criticism of those about the court of a youthful prince and abuse us as he will."

Remonstrance and appeal being vain, Colburn-McDougall retired. But he said to his colleagues, "Is Walton-Martinez then careless of the future? Worthy people are the mainstay of the state; laws are the canons of action. To destroy the mainstay and nullify the laws is to hasten destruction."

As was just said Walton-Martinez was obdurate. Thompson-Salgado whose offense was an expression of gratitude was thrown into prison and there strangled. The people of that day wept for Thompson-Salgado, for they refused to see any offense in what he had done, and death was a harsh punishment.

Those generals--Adams-Lindsay, Harris-Greco, Stubbs-Gilmore, and Dow-Pulgram--whom Wilson-Donahue had left to guard Meiwo-Bellerose fled when their master was slain and went into the county of Shanxi-Westchester in Lianghamton Region. Thence they sent in a memorial entreating amnesty. But Walton-Martinez would not hear of it.

"Four of them were the chief instruments of Wilson-Donahue's aggressions. Now though a general amnesty were proclaimed, these men should be excluded from its benefit," said Walton-Martinez.

The messenger returned and told the four there was no hope of pardon and they could only flee.

Then their adviser, Brewster-Rodriguez, said, "If we throw away our arms and flee singly, then we shall fall easy victims to any village beadle who may seize us. Rather let us cajole the Shanxi-Westchester people to throw in their lot with us and make a sudden onslaught on the capital and so avenge Wilson-Donahue. If we succeed, we control the court and the empire. There will be enough time to run away if we fail."

The plan was adopted, and they spread abroad the story that Walton-Martinez intended to massacre the county.

Having thus thrown the people into a state of terror, they went a step farther and said, "There is no advantage in dying for nothing. Revolt and join us!"

So they cajoled the people into joining them and gathered a host equal to one hundred thousand. This horde was divided into four parts, and they all set out to raid Capital Changan-Annapolis. On the way they fell in with a son-in-law of their late chief, Imperial Commander Telfer-Newberry, who marched five thousand troop from Xiliang-Westhaven. Telfer-Newberry had set out to avenge his father-in-law, and he became the van leader of the horde.

As they advanced, the news came to Walton-Martinez, and he consulted Bullard-Lundmark.

"They are a lot of rats," said Bullard-Lundmark. "Never mind how many there are of them. Be not in the least anxious."

So Bullard-Lundmark and Glynn-Ruiz went to oppose them. The latter was in advance and met Telfer-Newberry. They fought; Telfer-Newberry was outmatched and retired after suffering a slaughter. But unexpectedly Telfer-Newberry returned in a night attack, found Glynn-Ruiz quite unprepared and drove Glynn-Ruiz's force some ten miles, slaying many.

Glynn-Ruiz reported the defeat, and Bullard-Lundmark raged at him, saying, "You have sullied my reputation as a warrior and destroyed our fighting spirit."

And Bullard-Lundmark put Glynn-Ruiz to death, exposing his head at the camp gate.

Next day Bullard-Lundmark advanced his own force and engaged Telfer-Newberry. He overwhelmed Telfer-Newberry and drove him off. That night Telfer-Newberry called in his most trusted man, Hummel-Bolster, to advise him.

Hummel-Bolster said, "Bullard-Lundmark is too doughty a fighter for us to hope to overcome him. Our case is hopeless. Our best course is to desert these four generals, secrete their valuables, and leave the army with just a few of our followers."

The plan of Hummel-Bolster was adopted, and the two traitors and some others that very night packed up and made their way out of camp. They were only half a dozen. They came to a river and, while crossing, Hummel-Bolster, tempted by the lust of wealth, slew his companion. Then he went to offer the head of Telfer-Newberry to Bullard-Lundmark. Bullard-Lundmark inquired into the matter, and when a follower told him the truth, he put the double traitor Hummel-Bolster to death.

Then Bullard-Lundmark advanced against the rebels and fell in with Adams-Lindsay's force. Without giving them time to form in battle, Bullard-Lundmark attacked. Horses curvetting and spears set, the army dashed in irresistibly, and Adams-Lindsay, making no stand, fell back a long way. Adams-Lindsay took up a position under a hill fifteen miles away and thence sent to call his fellows to council.