case of insurrection. The Japanese court-martial arrived in the city on
June ninth with a regiment from Seattle. The Tacoma board of aldermen
were invited to send two of their number to be present at the trial, but
the offer being promptly refused, the Japanese pronounced judgment on
the prisoners alone. As had been expected, they were all condemned to
death by hanging, but at the earnest pleading of the mayor of Tacoma,
the sentence was afterwards mitigated to death by shooting.

Old Martin Engelmann tried in vain to secure permission to see his sons
once more; his request was brusquely refused.

In the light of early dawn on June eleventh the condemned men were led
out to the waterworks to be executed, the wounded being conveyed in
wagons. Thousands of the inhabitants took part in this funeral
procession--in dead silence.

Old Engelmann was standing, drawn up to his full height, at the window
of his home, and mutely he caught the farewell glances of his two sons
as they passed by, the one marching in the midst of his comrades, the
other lying in the first wagon among the wounded. Frau Martha had
summoned sufficient courage to stand beside her husband, but the moment
the procession had passed, she burst into bitter tears. Her life was
bereft of all hope and the future stretched out dark and melancholy
before her.

Suddenly a gentle hand was laid on her white head. "Mother," said one of
her daughters, "do you hear it? I heard it yesterday. They're singing
the song of Fighting Dick and of our dear boys. No one knows who
composed it, it seems to have sprung up of itself. They were singing it
on the street last night, the song of Arthur Engelmann, who sacrificed
his life for his brother."

"Yes," said the father, "it's true, mother, they are singing of our
lads; be brave, mother, and remember that those who are taken from us
to-day will live forever in the hearts of the American people."

And louder and louder rang out the notes of that proud song of the
citizens of Tacoma--the first paean of victory in those sad days.

_Chapter XVII_

WHAT HAPPENED AT CORPUS CHRISTI

The attitude of the European press left no room for doubt as to the
honest indignation of the Old World at the treacherous attack on our
country. But what good could this scathing denunciation of the Japanese
policy do us? A newspaper article wouldn't hurt a single Japanese
soldier, and what good could all the resolutions passed at enthusia