ks, cursing the name of Jesus, and shouting, 'Now ask your
Jesus to deliver you.' After thus torturing him they untied him from
the block, and led him with his hands bound behind his back to the
river-side, with the intention of killing him and casting his body into
the water. Arriving there, they forced him down on his knees, and at a
signal set upon him on all sides with swords and spears; but in their
eagerness to slay him their weapons struck one against another, and
instead of being killed instantly he received several wounds, which
although severe did not disable him.
Suddenly he sprang to his feet, and rushing through the crowd jumped
into the river. The Boxers, recovering from their surprise, rushed
into the water after him, but remembering that his hands were tied
behind his back they broke into jeering laughter, and waited to see him
drown. But the brave, persecuted missionary managed to reach the other
side in safety, and running inland was soon lost in the darkness. With
his hands tied behind his back, and barefooted--his shoes were lost in
the river--he tramped some fifteen miles before resting. Then he
severed the cords which bound his hands by rubbing them against a rock
until they were cut through. In the hills he found a native Christian,
who not only supplied him with food, water and a little money, but took
him to a hiding-place for the night. On the following morning Mr.
Ogren started off again, with the intention of making his way back to
Yung-ning, but before he had gone far he caught sight of Boxers
scouring the country. Finding a cave he hid in it throughout the day,
resuming his journey at night. After many hardships he met some
natives, who informed him that his wife was in prison at Ta-ning, and
at once he set off for that city, and entered it unnoticed by the
Boxers. It was only when he had almost reached the yamen that they
heard of his presence and rushed after him. How he escaped their fury
has already been told.
Two days after Mr. Ogren had rejoined his wife the authorities sent
them with an escort out of the city on two donkeys, the men who
accompanied them being instructed to take them from city to city until
they arrived at the coast. But on the second day the officials of a
city through which they would have to pass warned them that they would
not be allowed to enter it, and therefore the much-tried missionaries
were taken back to Ta-ning, and placed once more in the l
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