of commands, and a hundred and one other things. Men came in
freely, and all the day long the great roads leading to Milosis
were spotted with the banners of lords arriving from their distant
places to rally round Nyleptha.

After the first few days it became clear that we should be able
to take the field with about forty thousand infantry and twenty
thousand cavalry, a very respectable force considering how short
was the time we had to collect it, and that about half the regular
army had elected to follow Sorais.

But if our force was large, Sorais' was, according to the reports
brought in day by day by our spies, much larger. She had taken
up her headquarters at a very strong town called M'Arstuna, situated,
as I have said, to the north of Milosis, and all the countryside
was flocking to her standard. Nasta had poured down from his
highlands and was on his way to join her with no less than twenty-five
thousand of his mountaineers, the most terrible soldiers to face
in all Zu-Vendis. Another mighty lord, named Belusha, who lived
in the great horse-breeding district, had come in with twelve
thousand cavalry, and so on. Indeed, what between one thing
and another, it seemed certain that she would gather a fully
armed host of nearly one hundred thousand men.

And then came news that Sorais was proposing to break up her
camp and march on the Frowning City itself, desolating the country
as she came. Thereon arose the question whether it would be
best to meet her at Milosis or to go out and give her battle.
When our opinion was asked upon the subject, Good and I unhesitatingly
gave it in favour of an advance. If we were to shut ourselves
up in the city and wait to be attacked, it seemed to us that
our inaction would be set down to fear. It is so important,
especially on an occasion of this sort, when a very little will
suffice to turn men's opinions one way or the other, to be up
and doing something. Ardour for a cause will soon evaporate
if the cause does not move but sits down to conquer. Therefore
we cast our vote for moving out and giving battle in the open,
instead of waiting till we were drawn from our walls like a badger
from a hole.

Sir Henry's opinion coincided with ours, and so, needless to
say, did that of Nyleptha, who, like a flint, was always ready
to flash out fire. A great map of the country was brought and
spread out before her. About thirty miles this side of M'Arstuna,
where Sorais lay,