even childish,
had a vast importance for us. It showed that something had happened
somewhere in the vague world beyond Peking--perhaps that armies were
arriving. We were reminded that we were still alive. A dignified reply
was sent, and the very next day came an astonishing Washington cipher
message, which has been puzzling us ever since. It was only three
words: "Communicate to bearer." No one can explain what these words
mean; even the American Minister has cudgelled his brains in vain, and
asked everybody's opinion. But about one thing there is no doubt--that
it comes straight from Washington untampered with, for these three
words are in a secret cipher, which only half a dozen of the highest
American officials in Washington understand, and in Peking there is no
one excepting the Minister himself who has the key.

This is absolutely the first authentic sign we have had. If the reply
message ever gets through, public opinion may force our rescue....

Finding that they could trust us, our own messenger has been followed
by Chinese Government messengers, who, tremblingly waving white flags,
march up to our barricades hand in their messages, and crouch down,
waiting to be given a safe-conduct back.

There have been several such messages delivered at one point along our
long front while the rifle duel was continuing elsewhere with the same
monotony. Now those trumpets, gaining confidence, have brought
absolute silence.

At first there was only this absolute silence. It seemed so odd and
curious after weeks of rifle-fire and booming of old-fashioned cannon,
that that alone was like a holiday. Then, as everyone seemed to
realise that it was a truce, men began standing up on their barricades
and waving white cloths to one another.

Both sides did this for some time, and as no one fired, a mutual
inquisitiveness prompted men to climb over their entrenched positions
and walk out boldly into the open. Still the same friendliness.

By midday friendliness and confidence had reached such a point, that
half our men were over the barricades, and had met the Chinese
soldiery on the neutral zone of ruins and rubbish extending between
our lines. All of us left our rifles behind, and stowed revolvers into
our shirts lest treachery suddenly surprised us and found us
defenceless. I placed an army revolver in my trousers pocket, with a
vague idea that I would attempt the prairie trick of shooting through
my clothing if there was any