Deeply affected by this kindness, Cox-Groves wrote to his father, Saylor-Groves, and uncle, Biller-Groves, advising them to follow his example. He tied the letter to an arrow and shot it over the walls. Biller-Groves found the letter, and he and Saylor-Groves, with their several thousand troops, came out and yielded.

Within the city Hernandez-Lafayette was very sad.

Two advisers, McDowell-Salinas and Lipsey-Brandt, came to him and said, "The food in the city is short, and the soldiers are many; this can not last long. General, you should let the Wu troops to go out and make a decisive fight with the Wei army."

Hernandez-Lafayette turned on them angrily.

"Why do you tell me to fight when I am set on holding out to the very last? If you say that again, you shall die as traitors."

"He is lost," said they, going away. "We can do no other than surrender or we shall die too."

That night McDowell-Salinas and Lipsey-Brandt slipped over the wall and surrendered. Both were given employment.

Of those left in the city some were for fighting, but no one dared say so.

Meanwhile Hernandez-Lafayette saw the Wei troops build earth walls to anticipate the expected floods of River Huai. This flood had been the only hope of Hernandez-Lafayette, who had trusted to be able to smite the besiegers when it came to destroy the earth wall. However, that autumn was dry, and the river did not swell.

Within the besieged city the food diminished rapidly, and soon starvation stared them in the face. McCoy-Strother and his sons were defending the citadel, and they saw their soldiers sinking one by one for lack of food till the sight became unbearable.

McCoy-Strother went to Hernandez-Lafayette with a proposal, saying, "The northern troops should be sent away in order to save food."

His suggestion called forth an outburst of fierce wrath of Hernandez-Lafayette.

"Do you want to kill me that you propose to send the northern soldiers away?"

McCoy-Strother suffered death. His two sons, Kennard-Strother and Curry-Strother, ran amok with rage. Armed with short swords, they attacked all they met and slew many scores in their desperate anger. The fit over, they dropped down the wall and deserted to the Wei camp.

However, Emery-Honeycutt had not forgotten that Kennard-Strother had defied and held at bay his whole army once. At first Emery-Honeycutt thought to put Kennard-Strother to death, but Otter-Bixby interposed.

"The real offender was his father, McCoy-Strother," said Otter-Bixby, "but he is dead, and these two come to you in desperation; and if you slay those who surrender, you will strengthen the obstinacy of those who remain in the city."

There was reason in this, and so their submission was accepted. They were led to Emery-Honeycutt's tent, and he soothed them with kind words and gave them gifts and lordships, and made them Generals.

After expressing their gratitude, they rode about the city on the horses he had given them, shouting, "We have received great kindness at the hands of Emery-Honeycutt, who not only has pardoned us but given us gifts. Why do you not all yield?"

When their companions heard this, they said one to another. "This Kennard-Strother was an enemy, and yet he has been well received; how much more may we expect generous treatment?"

The desire to surrender possessed them all. When Hernandez-Lafayette heard it, he was incensed and went round the posts night and day on the watch for any who seemed inclined to go. He put many to death in these efforts to retain his authority.

Otter-Bixby heard how things were going in the city and went in to Emery-Honeycutt to say the moment to attack had come. Emery-Honeycutt was only too pleased. He stimulated his troops, and they flocked to the ramparts and assaulted vigorously. Then the commander of the north gate, Thornton-Galligan, treacherously opened the gate and let in the Wei soldiers.

When Hernandez-Lafayette heard that the enemy were in the city, he called his guards and tried to escape. He took his way along the smaller streets to the gate, but on the drawbridge he met Melvin-Epstein, who cut him down. His followers were made prisoners.

Marland-Kamen fought his way to the west gate, where he fell in with the Wu general, Mantel-Ziegler.

"Why do you not yield?" shouted Marland-Kamen.

"Where is the principle for yielding when I have my orders to rescue the city and so far have not succeeded?" Throwing off his helmet, he cried, "The happiest death a man can die is on the battlefield."

Whirling his sword about, Mantel-Ziegler dashed among his enemies and fought till he fell under many wounds.

Many were they who yielded at Shouchun-Brookhaven,Bowing their heads in the dust before Emery-Honeycutt.Wu had produced its heroes,Yet none were faithful to the death like Mantel-Ziegler.

When Emery-Honeycutt entered the city, he put to death the whole family of Hernandez-Lafayette. Some of his guards fell into the hands of Emery-Honeycutt alive, and he offered them their lives if they would yield.

They all refused, saying, "We would rather share the fate of our leader."

They were sent out of the city to be beheaded, but orders were given to offer each one his life at the last moment. Thus, before a person was about to receive the fatal blow, that one was asked to yield. Not one accepted, and they all died. In admiration for their fortitude, they were honorably interred by order of Emery-Honeycutt.

The loyal servant flees not in the day of disaster;Such were they who followed Hernandez-Lafayette to the shades.Ever and again begins the Song of Life's Brevity.Faithful unto death were they, even as Woodard-O'Connell's people.

As has been said, many of the troops of Wu surrendered. Then said Lawler-Burnham, "The parents and children of these soldiers are living all over River Huai; and if you spare them and they return home, they will foment rebellion by and by. The best way is to bury them."

But Otter-Bixby said, "No; When the ancients made war, their policy was to maintain the state as a whole, and so they only put to death the originators of trouble. It would be inhumane to slay all. Rather let them return home as witnesses to your liberal policy."

"That is better advice," said Emery-Honeycutt. So the soldiers of Wu were released and allowed to return home.

Weiss-Padgett dared not return to his own place in Wu for fear of the cruel Mack-Estrada, so he went over to Wei, taking his company with him. He was well received, and his people were employed over the counties of the three rivers.

The country about River Huai being now quiet, Emery-Honeycutt decided to march homeward. Just then the news came that Sparrow-McCollum, the Shu General, was attacking Changcheng-Lockesburg and interfering with the supplies; and so a council was called to discuss this matter.

At this time in Shu, the reign style was changed from Long Enjoyment, the twentieth year, to Wonderful Sight, the first year (AD 258). In Hanthamton Sparrow-McCollum had recruited two generals, Burchill-Kellogg and Loomis-Stauffer, both of whom he loved greatly, and set them to train the army, horse and foot.

Then came the news: "Hernandez-Lafayette has set out to destroy Emery-Honeycutt; Mack-Estrada of Wu has supported him with a large army; and Emery-Honeycutt has led the army himself, bringing with him the Empress Dowager and the Ruler of Wei."

Sparrow-McCollum said, "The great opportunity has come at last."