hed ourselves quickly, and then galloped in through a
breach. There were miles upon miles of beautiful grass stretches, and
we and our mounts were fairly pumped before we saw or heard anything.
But towards midday we came on some tiny hills and a few low buildings,
which seemed suspicious, and no sooner had we approached than a whole
nest of men rushed out on us, firing and shouting as they ran. Some
had only huge lances made of bamboo, fifteen feet and more long, and
tipped with iron and with little red pennons fluttering; yet these
were the most effective of all. Waving these lances violently, and
holding them in such a manner that it was impossible to get near,
these men scattered our charge before it got home and unhorsed a
number of troopers. Then it became a general _melee_, which ended in
the killing or capture of a few of the enemy and the rapid escape of
the remainder.

Very late in the evening we rode into Peking with our helmets and our
coats of mail and our long lances as trophies. The capital seemed
terribly listless and oppressed after the country beyond, and I was
bitterly sorry that expedition had not lasted for weeks and months.

XII

SUSPENSE

October, 1900.

* * * * *

Another month has come and there has been practically no change. They
say now Prince Ching has no power to treat, and that he is a mere
Japanese prisoner. Li Hung Chang is in Tientsin, too, it appears. He
is to be the other plenipotentiary when negotiations really commence,
but for the time being he is the Russian captive. The Russians have
him surrounded with their troops, and no one but a favoured few may
even see him. Already there has been trouble with the British on this
score at Tientsin, and some people say that some pretext will be
seized to bring about an international crisis among the expeditionary
corps. They are fighting about the destroyed railway up to Peking
already. Various people are claiming the right to rebuild the line,
and refuse to give up the sections they have garrisoned. Everywhere
there are pretty complications in the air.

Meanwhile, in Peking itself things have become more and more quiet,
and as the policing is slowly improving, confidence is a little
restored. But still new troops are being marched in all the
time--notably German troops--and as soon as night closes down all
these men fall to looting and outraging in any way they can. They say
that the Kaiser, i