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diff --git a/41951.txt b/41951.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 98c53c9..0000000 --- a/41951.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2952 +0,0 @@ - A TALE OF RED PEKIN - - - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost -no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license. - - - -Title: A Tale of Red Pekin -Author: Constancia Serjeant -Release Date: June 08, 2013 [EBook #41951] -Language: English -Character set encoding: US-ASCII - - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A TALE OF RED PEKIN *** - - - - -Produced by Al Haines. - - - - -[Illustration: Cover] - - - - -[Illustration: "I have counted the cost."] - - - - - A TALE OF - RED PEKIN - - - BY - CONSTANCIA SERJEANT - - - AUTHOR OF - "A THREEFOLD MYSTERY," "THE YOUNG ACROBATS," ETC., ETC. - - - - LONDON - MARSHALL BROTHERS - KESWICK HOUSE PATERNOSTER ROW E C - 1902 - - - - - CONTENTS. - -CHAPTER. - - I. Cecilia's Story - II. The Letter from Pekin - III. The Rising in the Village - IV. Cecilia continues her Story - V. A Terrible Walk - VI. Nina's Story - VII. A Painful Discovery - VIII. Taken Prisoner - IX. A Discovery - X. A Daring Attempt - XI. Mr. Li's Wonderful House - XII. They Wandered in Dens and Caves of the Earth - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - CECILIA'S STORY. - - -I can remember quite well when we all came to China. It is four years -ago, and I was eight years old, and you can remember when you are three, -so father says. I am twelve now, and I feel quite grown up, that is -because I am older than any of the others. Most people call me prim and -old-fashioned, but mother says I am her right hand. Rachel is the next -to me, but she is in a different generation almost, only nine years old, -and quite a child. Then there is Jack, he is eight, and Jill, she is -seven. Jill is not her name really--they all have Bible names--but we -call her that because she and Jack are such friends, and always do -everything together. Then there is Tim, he is only five years old, and -little baby Anna. Baby Anna is so lovely, and the Chinese women are -very fond of her. She has dark eyes, and rings of dark hair all over -her head; but somehow she does not look like other children. She -smiles, and yet she has a solemn look: that rapt look that the cherubs -have, like pictures of the Blessed Lord Himself when He was a little -child. Father says so sometimes, but mother does not like it. I never -can think why, but she looks so sad, and once I saw her brushing some -tears away. I think really, though I have never told anyone else, that -mother is afraid baby Anna will not live. I heard the servants talking -one day, and nurse said she was sure the baby would never live to grow -up. - -The Chinese women love her so much, they would like to bind her feet; -they think it spoils us all, having such large feet--at least, those who -are not Christians do, and even the others--well, it is just the very -hardest thing in the world for them to have the bandages taken off their -feet, but for the love of Christ they take them off at last, and then -they are baptized--father never will baptize them until the bandages are -taken off. - -The Chinese are dreadfully, dreadfully cruel, and very cunning and -deceitful, but father says they make splendid Christians. You see it's -not a bit the same as it is in England--they have to go through such -dreadful persecution if they become Christians; they have to give up -everything for the sake of Christ's love, and you love a person far, far -more if you feel you can give up everything, even life itself, for their -sake. - -When we first came to Cheng-si there was not a single Christian here, -and the people did not like us much, but father and mother were so kind, -and did so much for them when they were sick, that they got accustomed -to us, and now they come from all parts, for miles around, to be healed. - -You see, father is not like an ordinary Missionary, he is a doctor, too; -he reminds me more of the Lord Jesus than anyone I have ever seen: he -goes about doing good and healing the sick--he has such a beautiful -expression. I have not seen many men, and I do not know exactly whether -he is what people call a handsome man, I rather think not, but it is -when he is healing the sick and speaking to them that there is that -light on his face which makes me think of what is said about St. Stephen -in the Acts: "They saw his face as it had been the face of an angel." - -Uncle Lawrence is quite different: he is a soldier, every inch of him, a -good soldier of Jesus Christ too. I have heard mother say so many times, -and it is that which makes him such a good soldier of the Queen. She -says the best soldier is the Christian soldier, and that very few people -would contradict that now, because of Lord Roberts; and then there is -General Havelock, and Sir Henry Lawrence, and a host of others. But -Uncle does not look like father, and he does not speak much; you know -what he is by his life more than by what he says. He has only one -child, her name is Nina--Nina is three years older than I--she is my -bosom friend. I never in my life saw anyone so wonderful as Nina, or -anyone half so pretty; Nina is tall and dark, she has beautiful eyes, -not at all like baby's, but more like wells of water, where the sunbeams -lie; one can never be sad with Nina, she is so bright and sunshiny, like -her laughing eyes; she loves me, too, dearly, and calls me St. Cecilia -because I am so grave and old beyond my years. - -Nina and Uncle Lawrence are always together, and she is the pet of the -regiment--yet she is not spoilt. I have not known her long, only since -the troubles began in China, and since they have been in Wei-hai-wei, -which is about one hundred miles from this place; but our love for each -other grew up mushroom-like in a few hours. She says she cares for me -more than for any other girl. We write such long letters to each other, -and when we meet she tells me stories about the officers, especially -one, Uncle Lawrence's greatest friend. - -We do not get the news here very fast, as we are quite in the country, -but Nina wrote me a long letter yesterday from Pekin, where they are -now, and told me what dreadfully cruel things the Chinese had done. She -overheard a conversation between Uncle Lawrence and Colonel Taylor. -Uncle Lawrence was talking of the risk of being captured, and of the -awful peril which so many unprotected Europeans were in--it is far worse -than death, for they torture people for days before they kill them. - -"They should never capture anyone who belonged to me," said the Colonel, -sternly, and he just touched his pistol with a meaning look. - -Nina said her father went as white as death; she guessed what was -passing through his mind. How could he kill Nina? Would it be right if -it came to the worst, and to save her from a lingering death of agony? -I told father, and asked him what he thought; for all the Europeans, so -it seems, have resolved to kill their dearest and die, rather than fall -into the hands of the Chinese. But father--well, father has such a -strong, beautiful faith, he does not blame those who would do this, but -for himself and for us--I know how he loves us--there were tears in his -eyes as he spoke; still, he said he would not feel justified in doing -this--he must leave it all with God, and He will take care of His own. -I know what it cost father to say this, because I know what we are to -him; but I also know that nothing, nothing would ever make him do what -he would not think quite right: he does not blame others, but for -himself it is different. - -He and mother walked up and down for hours last evening, and part of the -time I was with them, for they often take me into their confidence, and -that is why I am so old for my years, I expect--the eldest in a large -family generally is, they say; all father's thoughts were for mother. - -"Oh, my dearest," he said--I think they had forgotten me--"I never loved -you so well, and yet I am full of regret when I think of that quiet -Rectory where you might have been now if it had not been for me. Do you -remember it, the first time I saw you? I can see it all again: the -Rectory garden, the old-fashioned grey stone house, shadows slanting -over the lawn, and underneath the trees you were standing, the only -young thing there, shading your eyes with your pretty hands; you were -very much like our St. Cecilia, and I saw in a moment, beyond the mere -beauty of your face, the Divine touch there, and I knew you were one of -the Lord's dear children, and my heart went out to you, and I claimed -you in my spirit then and there as my helpmeet, the woman whom God, in -His love, had chosen for me. But if I had known what a future I was -preparing for you, my beloved, I would never have spoken." - -"A dear future," mother answered, gently clasping his arm with both her -hands. "Would I have had it any different?" - -"Yes, but, my darling--well, this news has unnerved me--Boxers are like -devils possessed, and, if they should get hold of you and the -children----" - -And I saw father shudder; I had never seen him like this before: his -faith had always been so strong, and now he seemed quite unnerved. - -"They will not," said mother, calmly, and her eyes were soft with unshed -tears, and yet had that patient, steadfast look the martyrs have. "But -if there is trouble in store for us, oh! my dear husband, I would not -have had it any different. God has been so good to us: we have been so -happy, so happy together, there is nothing to regret; it was all ordered -by a Divine love which never makes any mistakes; and it will be all -ordered now," and she laughed a little to make him laugh, I think. "Oh! -Paul, fancy my turning comforter!" - -"Yes, darling," he replied, hurriedly, "I am ashamed of myself, and, -more than all, ashamed of my lack of faith. What is our faith worth if -it cannot stand this test? His strength is small indeed who faints in -the day of adversity. God remains; He is over all, arranging every step -of the way, and I can leave even _you_ in peace now with this thought." -And then I heard father say, and his face, which had been so wan and -drawn before, was now radiant and bright: "'Thou wilt keep him in -perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee; because he trusteth in -Thee.'" - -But I crept up to bed and thought what dreadful news that must be to -make father look and speak as he had done that evening. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - THE LETTER FROM PEKIN. - - -Mr. St. John might well look grave. "Upon the earth distress of -nations, men's hearts failing them for fear." Yes, this text was being -fulfilled. It was all very well for people in England to read of the -awful things that were taking place in China, but to be on the -spot--alone. Ah, there it was, therein lay the anguish--for he was not -alone, if he had been he would not have cared. But his wife and -children! it was the thought of them that caused him such unutterable -pain. - -Abraham knew something of this agony when he got up early that morning -and saddled his ass. What a pathetic story! How difficult to read it -without tears. It was just because Abraham felt it down to the very -depth of his being, and yet never doubted God's love and God's power, -that he was called faithful Abraham--God's friend. - -It is easy to talk of faith to others--and to have it ourselves when -everything goes well--but the faith which God approves is that which -casts its burden on the Lord, that cries, "Though He slay me, yet will I -trust in Him." - -Mr. St. John was a man full of faith. He was also full of love, or his -faith could not have been so tried; and he was a man of prayer: that -disquieting letter from Pekin had been spread before the Lord, and he -got up very early so as to spend the morning hours in communion with -Him. He had made great drafts on God's Bank, and his face had regained -its usual serenity of expression. His heart, so torn and trembling -overnight, was now calm with "the peace of God which passeth all -understanding"--the peace which the Lord has promised to those who are -stayed on him. - -There was a slight sound. He looked up quickly; it was Cecilia--St. -Cecilia the children called her--coming over the grass to meet him. - -"Father, darling," she said, as she twined her arms about his neck, "I -do wish I could do something for you." - -"But you do, dear child," he answered, tenderly. "Mother's right hand: -what more can we ask?" - -"Yes, but father, _you_--you seemed so troubled last night." - -"If I did, my darling, it was very wrong," he replied, gravely, "and -showed a great want of trust in our Heavenly Father." - -"I could not sleep for thinking of you, and wishing I were older, that I -might really be able to help you." - -"Poor little Cicely," he said, tenderly taking the sweet, earnest face -between his hands. "Poor little right hand--old before her time. You -must not take up our cares, darling. Indeed, if we older people had -more faith we should never fret or worry either, but, instead, cast all -our cares upon the Lord who cares for us." - -"What are you and father talking about? You are both so grave," said -Rachel, as she came running up to them. "Cicely looks just like that -picture we have up in our room--St. somebody or other--I can't remember -the name. Not anybody in the Bible, you know," said Rachel, -garrulously, "but it's just like Cicely, when she is in white and grave, -isn't it, father? Only she's got no halo round her head." - -"You little chatterbox!" said her father, laughing, "it's a pity someone -else has not a little more gravity herself." - -"Oh, I can look very grave if I like, father. I practise sometimes in -front of the glass, and I make such a long face--really, yards long." - -"Did you measure it with your yard measure, Rachel?" - -"Oh, no. But you know what I mean--as long as yours, and mother's, and -Cicely's." - -"Well, I am sure we all feel very flattered," said her father, smiling. -"What a little pickle you are." - -"A pickle! what is that? I thought it was something to eat. Is it -nice?" - -"Well, that is a matter of opinion," smiling. "Some people are very fond -of pickles; others find them just a little bit too hot and strong." - -Rachel was silent for a moment, then she dismissed the subject with a -toss of her dark curls. "Father," she said, "do you know I am so glad no -one is coming to be healed to-day, so we shall have you all to -ourselves, and we can have some round games like Cicely says you had in -England." - -Mr. St. John's face changed. "Rachel," he inquired, gravely, "how do -you know that no one is coming to be healed this morning?" - -"Because Seng Mi said so, father. The people are angry about something, -I don't know what, but I am so glad. Cicely, why don't you say you're -glad, too, instead of looking like St. Cecilia at the piano?" - -Cecilia flushed, and the tears came into her eyes. Her father took hold -of her hand and pressed it between his own. - -"Father, darling," she whispered, "has it come already?" - -"God only knows," he replied, sadly, "but we shall be ready, at any -rate, darling." - -"Yes, father," she said, earnestly, lifting her sweet, grave eyes to -his. "Do you know--I have often wished to tell you--Jesus is so -precious to me that sometimes I long to suffer for His sake." - -"My dearest child, God grant that He may be more exceedingly precious to -each one of us every day. God be with you all in the time that is -coming, and the dear native Christians. Ah, Cicely, my heart bleeds for -them." - -"Why, father?" asked Rachel, who had caught the last words. - -"Because, Rachel, I am afraid there is a time of great trouble in store -for them--terrible persecution. Indeed," he added, "it has begun -already; in the letter which I received last night from Pekin, your -uncle speaks of the dreadful suffering, not only of Europeans, but also -of the native Christians--there have been hundreds of martyrs for Jesus -already." - -"Have there, father?" Rachel's gentian-blue eyes were very wide open -indeed--"I haven't seen anybody being persecuted here yet." - -"No; but my dear little Rachel, it has not reached us yet, God be -praised for that; but it may come any day--it might even come to-day." - -Rachel was silent for a moment, and then suddenly reverted to what had -been uppermost in her mind--of paramount interest to her: "About the -games, father," she said, coaxingly, "if mother will give us a holiday, -will you come and have some games with us? I should like blind man's -buff and hide and seek; Cicely and I will hide, and you shall find us." - -"Rachel," said her father, gently, "I should like to do what you wish, -but first I must tell you a story, and then you shall decide yourself -about the games afterwards." - -"Oh, a story, father, I shall like that; let's sit down here under this -banyan tree, and then we can listen nicely," and Rachel flung off her -big, shady hat, and settled herself down by her father's side, prepared -to drink in every word. With the dark curls tossed back from her -little, eager, upturned face, and her sparkling blue eyes, she made a -pretty picture, and formed a pleasing contrast to her equally lovely -sister--indeed, Cicely's was the lovelier face of the two, for God -Himself had taken up the brush and been the Painter there. - -[Illustration: "Rachel flung off her big shady hat, and settled herself -down by her father's side."] - -"Once upon a time--that is the correct way to begin, Rachel, is it -not?--there lived a very wicked and cruel Emperor, so cruel that his -name has become a proverb." - -"Nero," exclaimed the children in one breath. - -"Yes, that is right," said Mr. St. John, continuing his story; "there -were a great many Christians then; they were people who loved the Lord -very dearly, for in confessing Him they ran the risk of the most awfully -cruel death--Nero had his spies everywhere." - -"What is a spy, father?" - -"You will see, dear; they were people who pretended to be what they were -not; they professed to be friendly with the Christians--even to be -Christians themselves sometimes--and they would go to their secret -meetings held in the catacombs." - -"The what?" said Rachel, "what long words, father." - -"The catacombs were vast dark passages underneath the city where the -Christians used to meet and worship God; but you ask so many questions, -Rachel," said her father, smiling, "that I lose the thread of my story." - -"You were explaining about the spies, father," put in, Cicely, gently. - -"Oh yes, to be sure; well, these spies got to know all about the -meetings, and they came too, pretending that they were Christians -themselves, and then denounced everyone who was there to the Emperor." - -"How dreadfully mean," said Rachel, her eyes flashing. - -"Yes, dear; well on one occasion when a great many of these followers of -Christ were taken prisoners, Nero gave a large entertainment, and -actually lighted his gardens with their bodies. Now, Rachel, part of my -story is true and part is imagination--that part, I grieve to say, is -true. Now I want you to think of a man, a Christian man, who lived with -his wife and family some miles from Rome in comparative safety; this man -knew--his children knew what their fellow Christians were suffering, and -yet that very evening they made merry and had games, and a feast in the -garden." - -Rachel's eyes were full of indignant tears. "How could they, father?" -she said, "how could they? I should have cried all the evening! I -couldn't have helped it." - -"Just so, dear," said Mr. St. John, gently, and he laid his hand -tenderly on the child's hair. "Last night I got a letter from your -uncle from Pekin--it's a sad letter, Rachel; Christians are being -tortured and killed to-day in China, just as they were 2,000 years ago -in Rome. And I know my little girl would be the last to wish to make -the day that is bringing so much sadness and pain to our brothers and -sisters in Christ a gala day with us." - -"No," said Rachel, with a great sigh, "of course I shouldn't like that, -but oh, how I wish the Christians were not being killed, because it -would have been so nice to have had you to ourselves for a whole day, -father." - -"Now, my dear little girls," said Mr. St. John, rising, "I am going in -to get some breakfast, if mother will give me some; you had yours long -ago, I know, but I have been out here and not thought much about the -time; then I should like to have a big prayer meeting; we must try and -get the dear native Christians together--they will need all our love -to-day." - -"Yes, father," said Rachel, "may we go and ask them to come, I should -like that," she added, dancing and skipping about. - -"Ask your mother, darling, she must decide. Christine," he said, as his -wife came up, "do you think it would be wise for the children to take -round the invitations for the prayer meeting?" - -"I hardly think so," replied Mrs. St. John. "The village is in the most -unsettled state, and there seems to be danger of a general rising." - -"I must go and find out what it all means," said Mr. St. John, quietly. - -"Oh, my dear husband, do be careful. Do not run into any danger." - -"I shall not, my dearest; never fear." - -He kissed her and the children tenderly. But even as he spoke, he heard -in the distance a murmur like the roar of the sea, and there was Seng Mi -standing in the doorway with a white, scared face. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - THE RISING IN THE VILLAGE. - - -"Teacher, they are coming--burning, looting, killing!" - -"Not our people, surely?" said Mr. St. John. - -"No; but they will join, never fear, when their blood is up; they will -forget all your kindness. The lady and the children should retire." - -"Yes, yes, Christine," said Mr. St. John, hurriedly; "go into the blue -room and remain there with the children until I join you; but if I am -not able to do so you know what we arranged--put on the Chinese dress, -escape through the house, which will bring you out on the road to -Wei-hai-wei, and may God bless and be with my dear wife and children." - -"Paul, a wife's place is by her husband's side." - -"Yes, yes, my dearest, but the children!" - -"Oh, Paul, I am torn in two. I do not know what to choose. - -"Darling, you have not to choose, God has chosen for you; only one way -lies open." - -"Yes, but oh, my dear husband--you must let me weep for one moment--to -know that we may never meet again, that you may be going to death--even -torture!" She lifted her lovely, agonized eyes to his. - -"It is very, very hard to bear, my dearest; the only thing that makes it -possible is the love of Christ; but, Christine," he said, hopefully, "I -believe we shall meet again in this world; if not, my darling wife, you -will know that I shall be with Christ, and be the first to welcome you -to the City of the King. All the paths lead there in the end, do they -not?" - -"Yes, yes, my beloved husband, we shall meet again in glory, even if we -may not here. Good-bye, good-bye! Cicely and Rachel, come with me, -darlings." - -Rachel had been wondering what it was all about; why her mother was -crying, and why they were saying good-bye; but she prepared to follow -Mrs. St. John, to whom she was very devoted. Cicely still clung to her -father. - -"Let me stay with you, father, father darling." The little white face -raised to his, the gray eyes, so like his wife's, all touched him -infinitely; but he loosened her arms gently from about his neck. - -"My sweet child, it could not be: you must let me judge, darling. I -should love to have you, but it is quite impossible." - -"Oh father, do--do let me stay." - -"Cicely," said her father, tenderly, "I know you do not wish to unnerve -me. I am sure you do not wish to make it harder for me, and, my dear -little girl, it would increase my pain and anxiety in a ten-fold degree -if I knew you were not in safety. Be my own sweet, brave child. Kiss -me and then run up to your mother. I know you will do all you can for -her." - -"Yes, yes; good-bye, good-bye, father darling." - -"Good-bye, my own dear child, my precious Cicely. Please God, we shall -meet very soon again." - -He watched her as she turned slowly away, weeping quietly. - -"The bitterness of death is passed," he said to himself. "Now may the -Lord enable me to do His will whatever it may be, and face with courage -whatever lies before me." - -The room into which Mrs. St. John had retired with the nurse and -children opened on to the side of the house, and it was possible to get -from the verandah to the Mission-house, and from the Mission-house again -to that of one of the native Christians hard by, and so on and so -on--from one house to another, if only the people were willing--without -ever being seen in the public street for about a mile, till the road to -Wei-hai-wei was reached. It had been decided between the husband and -wife that if things looked serious they should escape in this way from -the house and village to Wei-hai-wei. They were to put on Chinese -dresses, so as to court observation as little as possible, and take -money and food for the journey. - -Mr. St. John moved quickly forward to the front of the house. He was -beloved in the village and widely known, and hoped that his influence -might prevent further bloodshed; and then he could not leave the native -Christians. If only he could persuade the rioters to return, something -might still be saved, and he would gain time for his wife and children. -He lifted up his heart to God, and walked forward into the courtyard, -his head erect, his face lighted up with the courage which God gives to -those who put their trust in Him. He needed it all to-day. The sight -which met his view, when he turned the corner, was disquieting in the -extreme. The din was terrific; the courtyard a mass of howling, frantic -rioters. Glancing hastily back to the house to see that all was right -there, he suddenly turned pale. On the verandah overlooking the -courtyard stood a small, slight figure he knew only too well--the -little, white face of the child whom he loved. - -"Oh, father, father darling, don't go; oh, come back to us; they will -kill you." - -"Cicely, for God's sake, my darling, go back to your mother. I must do -my duty. You are only increasing my anxiety tenfold; go back at once." -The little figure suddenly disappeared, and, with a sigh of relief, Mr. -St. John went out and faced the angry crowd. What he saw gave him the -keenest pain and apprehension. Their hands were literally red with -blood. They had killed several of the native Christians, dragging their -bodies along with them in fiendish triumph. One poor fellow lay at Mr. -St. John's feet; he was suffering from frightful wounds, but he was -still alive, and as for the moment the attention of the crowd was -distracted by a fresh disturbance from without, the clergyman managed to -draw him into the house, and place him for a moment in a position of -safety. He did what he could for the poor fellow; gave him a long -draught of water, and staunched the flowing blood, but it was evident to -the practised eye of the physician that his life was ebbing fast away. -Yet the cross of Christ still triumphed--tortured, wounded, bleeding to -death, on his face there lay the light which was not of this world. - -"Teacher," he murmured, with a bright smile of recognition, "it is all -over, and I am glad. Only a few minutes more and I shall be with Jesus. -Do not look sad, I have no pain, and I am going to the land where there -is no more weariness, or persecution, or suffering." Suddenly his whole -countenance was eradiated with joy. "I see the gates of heaven opened," -he cried, with ecstasy, "and Jesus on the right hand of God waiting to -receive me. Oh, what a blessed thing to belong to Christ!" - -"Dear, dear fellow," said Mr. St. John, tenderly, holding the poor man's -hand in a kind, gentle clasp. "How thankful I am that the Lord sent me -here. It has made it hard for you in this world, but this 'light -affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more -exceeding and eternal weight of glory.'" - -"Yes, the glory; the glory, that is it," the dying man murmured almost -inaudibly, and even as he spoke he seemed to pass away. Mr. St. John -laid him gently, reverently down. His heart was sad and yet throbbed -with joy. The pain was over for ever, and he was at rest with Jesus. -He had no time for much thought; the noise seemed to be increasing -without, and once more he turned to the court-yard. What he saw there -sent the hot blood surging through his veins--tied to a post in the -court-yard was a poor woman he knew, one of the converts who had but -lately been baptized. - -Poor Daig Ong stood there in agony of fear, her hands were tied behind -her back, and fastened to one of the posts in the court-yard; she would -be beaten to death unless someone interposed--this being a very -favourite manner of execution amongst the Chinese. The man nearest to -her raised his heavy stick; there was a dull, sickening thud, a groan of -pain. The man lifted his stick a second time, but, in a moment, before -it could descend, Paul St. John was upon him. He had not been the best -athlete at Cambridge for nothing. With one blow he dispossessed the man -with the stick, the next instant the poor woman was free, and he was -standing before her, his head thrown back, his nostrils dilated, eyes -ablaze with righteous indignation. Stern and beautiful he looked as he -stood there, yet as he gazed over that sea of cruel yellow faces, more -like demons than men, his anger died away, and a vast wave of pity -surged in his breast; it was akin to that pity the Christ felt when He -gazed at Jerusalem and wept over it. All this hatred and cruelty and -hideous passion were the result of devil thraldom--"and such were some -of you." Yes, indeed, without Christ, wherein should any of us differ? - -[Illustration: "The poor woman was free, and he was standing before -her."] - -How little we in England, who speak of the reproach of Christ, know what -it really means in a heathen country. Perhaps we are coldly treated, -and we think it hard if we have to put up with a sneer or a few unkind -words, and flatter ourselves with the conviction that we are bearing His -reproach that we are suffering persecution; but when we look on the -other picture our paltry woes dwindle into insignificance. Indeed, when -we read, as we did last year, of the awful hardships and privations, the -torturing deaths, which our missionaries and the native Christians -underwent, then we would sink into the ground for shame. We feel that -we can never thank God enough for His mercies to us, the while we look -on our fellow Christians over the sea with an admiration a little, -maybe, tinged with envy, in that they were accounted worthy to suffer -for that beloved Name, dearer and sweeter by far to every Christian than -any other on earth. - -For a brief moment there was a respite; a mob ever recognizes power, and -this was something they could not understand. What if the white man who -stood there so fearlessly towering above them were an incarnation of one -of the gods? But no, the pictures of their gods were far different from -this: they had cruel, wicked faces, like their own. Still they -hesitated. They had heard of this man, this great doctor, of his -wonderful cures. Suppose, now, he used his magic upon them, inflicting -some sore disaster, some awful punishment. Paul St. John noticed their -indecision and took advantage of it to whisper to the poor woman behind -him to slip back by degrees, and so make good her escape. They were -standing together at the entrance of the courtyard; the crowd, for the -most part--the mad, surging, bloodthirsty crowd--stood between them and -the house. The eyes of the people seemed to be drawn to him as the one -central figure; they watched him as a man on guard would watch every -movement of his opponent in a deadly duel. - -Daig Ong was permitted to pass out unperceived, and found refuge in a -house belonging to one of the native Christians. When she was gone Paul -St. John breathed more freely. He knew that unless God wrought a -special miracle in his favour this could not last long; yet he felt no -fear, Jesus had never been so near. It seemed to him that the Lord was -actually standing there beside him, and something of the rapturous -exaltation of his soul was visible in his countenance. He raised his -hand to speak. The spell was broken. With one hideous cry, more -dreadful, more cruel in its lust for blood than that of any wild beast, -they sprang at him and threw him down and trod him underfoot. It was -like a storm picture--you look out and see the gallant little vessel -battling with the waves, borne up upon their crested billows, and the -next moment they roll over it, and only a ripple, a few bubbles, show -the place where it had been. A few minutes since, and Paul St. John had -stood before them like a beautiful avenging angel; now he lay there -silent and still, with his white face upturned to the pitiless sky. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - CECILIA CONTINUES HER STORY. - - -So many dreadful things have happened since last I told my story, that -if I had not promised Nina, I do not think I could have written any -more; but since the troubles began in China, Nina and I agreed to write -a little history of what is happening every day, and afterwards we shall -compare notes, and then, as Mother says, it will interest our friends at -home, and perhaps some of the Missionary papers may like the account for -their magazines. - -It seems years since last I put down anything, and yet it is only a few -weeks ago since that day when we were all together at Cheng-si. How -true it is we know not what an hour may bring forth. I remember the day -of which I am speaking so well; it began so brightly, such a lovely -morning. Rachel and I got up early and went into the garden with -father. That hour seemed to me afterwards one of the most precious in -my life; it made one understand a little of what the disciples must have -felt when the dear Lord Jesus had been laid in the tomb, and they -thought of the last time they were with Him. How tenderly they would -recall His sweet, gracious words, and His loving looks. - -I felt like this about father when he was parted from us. We had been -sitting in the garden with him, Rachel and I, and he had been telling us -stories, when all of a sudden we heard a noise, almost like the distant -roar of the sea, and Seng Mi told us the rioters were coming, and then -we had to say good-bye to father. I wished, oh, so much, to stay with -him, but I could not disobey him, especially when I knew it would only -have increased his pain and anxiety, but I crept out of the room where -mother and the others were, and went on to the verandah which overlooks -the court-yard. Oh, it was a dreadful sight! I had never seen such -fiendish, cruel looking people before. They had got hold of poor Daig -Ong and were going to beat her to death. Father did not know anything of -what was going on when he first came out, the crowd being so dense -between him and Daig Ong, but I was above them, and saw it all. They -dragged her along, shrieking for mercy; it was dreadful! I can hear her -screams now sometimes! and they tied her to one of the posts at the -entrance of the court-yard. I pitied poor Daig Ong with all my heart; I -would have done almost anything to save her, but when I saw father I -seemed to forget everything else but him. Just then he looked round and -saw me, and I cried out to him to come up to us. I could not help it, -though all the time I knew it was useless. When I saw that my being -there only made him miserable, I slipped back and ran to the room where -mother was and begged her to leave the others and come with me, and all -the time I cried to the dear Lord Jesus to help us, and protect poor -Daig Ong, and to save father from the cruel people outside. Mother -turned very white when I spoke to her. She did not know how to leave -little baby Anna. It was one of baby's bad days. She did not seem in -any pain, but she lay back in Nurse's arms very quiet and still, and -looked up at her with intently solemn eyes. - -Mother had put on the Chinese dress, and all the others were dressed in -the same way; and appeared ready to start at a moment's notice. -Mother's face was very pale, but she had that patient, enduring -expression with which the martyr saints are always drawn; it was only -her eyes that were full of pain. I do not know why I wished her to come, -save that I had always been accustomed to think she could do anything, -and to save father. - -When we got down to the portico he was nowhere to be seen. We stood on -the steps and looked out over a vast sea of cruel, wicked faces. At -first I felt no fear, partly because I was with mother, and then it was -such a relief to me to see that they had left off beating Daig Ong, and -that father was not there. I kept on wondering where he was, and felt -sure he had escaped with Daig Ong. - -Now the great danger seemed to lie in the possibility of their rushing -the house. Mother had whispered to Nurse to take the others on the way -that had been arranged: through the Mission-house and huts, out of the -village, and we were to follow afterwards. - -As we stood there a grave Chinese gentleman came up and took his place -at our side. I had seen him sometimes when he came to study with -father, but had never spoken to him. He came quietly up and stood -beside us, but he never once turned to look at us, though mother looked -up at him. - -"Are you Mr. Li?" I heard her say. - -"Yes," he replied, simply. I saw a great wave of relief sweep over her -face. - -"Do stay with us, do not leave us," she said. - -"I intend to remain here," he replied, quietly, but he did not even then -turn and look at us. - -"And you will do what you can?--My husband?" - -He did not reply to the last, but only said very simply-- - -"Madam, I came here on purpose to help you." - -[Illustration: "I came here on purpose to help you."] - -"God bless you," said mother, fervently, and I saw her lips move, and -knew that she was praying. - -Mr. Li was not a Christian, but he was so struck by mother's wonderful -calmness, the peace in which she was kept when so many dreadful things -were happening all round her, that he felt he could hold out no longer, -and that very day he yielded his heart to Christ. - -By-and-by, Mr. Li said he thought it would be best for us to get away as -soon as possible. He promised to do what he could to protect the house -and the native Christians, and when we again spoke of father, he said he -had seen him helping Daig Ong out at the back of the court-yard as he -entered. - -"I will find him," he added, "and will let him know that I have seen -you, and he will soon overtake you." - -And so we went away. The others had started, and we hurried after them; -but first mother made me put on the Chinese dress, and then, leaving the -deafening sounds behind us, we crept on into the Mission-house. We were -only just in time. As we left the room, which mother locked behind her, -we heard someone trying the other door, and knew that it would not be -long before they forced the lock, and then-- - -Mother hurried me on through the Mission-house, carefully locking the -doors behind us, on into the first house, where we saw poor Daig Ong. -Mother stopped to say a few words to her, and then we passed on again; -we dared not stay, for the rioters might guess at our escape and bring -us back again. House after house we passed through safely, for the -people in the village knew us and loved us, until at last we reached the -road for Wei-hai-wei, and caught a glimpse of Nurse and the others on -a-head. They were going very slowly, and we soon overtook them. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - A TERRIBLE WALK. - - -Mother took baby Anna in her arms, and baby smiled and touched mother's -face with her little hands, then looked up at the sky again with that -solemn, wondering look of hers; and the next day, when the sun was -setting, and its glory fell on her little upturned face, Jesus called -her to Himself, and the angels carried her away from us to Heaven. It -reminded me of a piece of poetry out of a book of mother's, called -"Voices of Comfort." I learnt it by heart to repeat to father, and if I -can remember it, I will write it down, because it is such a lovely -piece:-- - - They are going--only going-- - Jesus called them long ago! - All the wintry time they're passing, - Softly as the falling snow. - - When the violets in the spring-time - Catch the azure of the sky, - They are carried out to slumber - Sweetly where the violets lie. - - They are going--only going-- - When with summer earth is drest, - In their cold hand holding roses, - Folded to each silent breast. - - When the autumn hangs red banners - Out above the harvest sheaves, - They are going--ever going-- - Thick and fast, like falling leaves. - - All along the mighty ages - All adown the solemn time, - They have taken up their homeward - March to that serener clime, - - Where the watching, waiting angels - Lead them from the shadow dim, - To the brightness of His presence, - Who hath called them unto Him. - - They are going--only going-- - Out of pain and into bliss, - Out of sad and sinful weakness, - Into perfect holiness. - - Snowy brows--no care shall shade them; - Bright eyes--tears shall never dim; - Rosy lips--no time shall fade them; - Jesus called them unto Him. - - Little hearts for ever stainless, - Little hands as pure as they, - Little feet--by angels guided - Never a forbidden way. - - They are going--ever going-- - Leaving many a lonely spot; - But 'tis Jesus who has called them; - Suffer, and forbid them not! - - -Rachel said baby Anna died because she thought it would be much nicer to -go to Heaven than to Wei-hai-wei--but the little ones did not understand -it at all, they seemed to imagine she was away on a visit. Tiny Tim -said he hoped they would be kind to her where she had gone, and give her -a lot of presents; and we all kissed her little white face--it looked -like a flower somehow--and folded her sweet hands on her breast, and -then the rest went on, all but mother and me, and we laid her gently -down, strewing the earth lightly over her, and covering her little grave -with flowers. Then we knelt beside her and prayed, and after a little -time we walked on and overtook the others. Nurse said it was a good -thing baby Anna died, because the poor little thing would have suffered -so much, and I knew mother thought so too, but still she could not help -quietly crying, because her arms were so very empty. I shall never -forget that walk to Wei-hai-wei. Rachel thought it was great fun at -first, and so did Jack and Jill. They liked wearing the Chinese dresses -and doing no lessons, but they soon got tired of walking, especially -Tiny Tim, who kept on calling out for father to come and carry him. - -The sun was very hot, but we were obliged to press on, we were so much -afraid of being pursued and taken back again. Sometimes we would see a -band of rioters coming, and have to leave the road and hide; and once we -were overtaken, and the people looked at us very fiercely and called us -"foreign devils." Tiny Tim was very frightened, and hid his face in -mother's dress, and I thought we should be killed. Somehow I did not -feel much fear. I remembered the talk I had with father, and Jesus was -very near, and it seemed much better to go to Him and be at rest for -ever than to be hungry and faint and tired, and to go through the pain -of so many partings as we had gone through lately. But the Chinese did -not kill us as they did so many of the missionaries. I think they were -afraid to do so, as we were getting nearer every hour to places where -English soldiers were; but they took away a great many of our clothes, -and stole our money. Nurse had her money in her hand, and they beat her -knuckles with a stick till she dropped it, and then they ran away -laughing. - -When we got to the first village we asked to see the Mandarin, and told -him how we had been treated; our clothes and money taken, and how were -we to get on, and what should we do for food? But instead of helping -us, he was very cruel indeed. He hated the Christians, and said he -wished we had come yesterday, as then he would have killed us all, but -now he had had orders, owing to the Empress being so merciful, not to do -so, but just to send the "foreign devils" away. So he sent us on to the -next village, and though we were tired and hungry yet we were glad to -go, as he seemed so fierce and cruel. In the next village the Mandarin -was kinder, and gave us a little rice to eat, but he said he could not -keep us. This happened in all the villages through which we passed. - -Sometimes they would give us a little food, but they would not allow us -to rest or give us any carts to ride in. They always took us outside -the village, and then went away. Mother said afterwards it was because -they were afraid of killing us, and yet they did not wish to have us -with them. It was a weary, weary time, especially for the little ones, -but through it all God never forsook us; indeed we seemed to be kept in -constant communion with Him, and as we drew near to Wei-hai-wei a most -wonderful thing happened. - -We were very weary, and sat down by the roadside to rest. The children -said they could not walk a step farther, and though it was not, of -course, quite safe to do so, yet we were so near a place of safety that -mother made up her mind to rest there for the night. We went a little -off the high road, to a place as much screened from observation as -possible. Mother and Nurse sat down and made the little ones as -comfortable as they could, and then, as we always did, we asked God to -take care of us and be very present with us during the night. We had -hardly gone off to sleep when we heard steps approaching Tramp, tramp, -came the footsteps, nearer and nearer. I was wide awake in a moment, and -my heart stood still, for, in the gathering darkness, I saw plainly a -tall Chinaman approaching. He seemed to be alone, but this might not be -the case. What if he were the leader of a band of Boxers! I did not -mind so much for myself, but I could not bear to think of the others -being tortured and killed. He looked terrible in the darkness as he -came towards us. I did not know what to do. I only thought, in a wild -kind of way, that I would go to him and ask him to take my life and not -to waken the others. I could talk Chinese a little, and hoped to be -able to make him understand. I got up quickly, without even disturbing -mother--she was sleeping heavily, for sorrow, as the disciples of -old--and as he strode over the ground which divided us I rushed up to -him and put out my hands, and then I remembered nothing more till I -heard a voice--a loved voice that I never thought to hear again in this -world. I dreamed I was in Heaven with father, and he wore a Chinese -dress, but when I came rather painfully back to earth again, the first -thing I was conscious of was that I was in the arms of the tall Chinaman -I had seen. - -[Illustration: As he strode over the ground which divided us, I rushed -up to him and put out my hands.] - -"Don't hurt them," I cried out in an agony, "kill me instead, but do not -hurt them: they have suffered so much already." - -"Cicely, my darling, don't you know me?" - -The voice again. I was so weak and unnerved, or I should have -recognized before my own precious father. I went off once more then, -this time for joy and thankfulness, and woke to feel his strong arms -round me, and knew that God was good, and that my pain was over. My -care and anxiety was gone, for was not father with us again? Were not -his arms round me? - -"Humanly speaking," said father, in answer to our breathless questions, -"my escape is all owing to Mr. Li. He stood between me and what would -probably have been a torturing death. I was struck down, and when they -saw I was not dead, their rage knew no bounds--and that noble fellow -defended me, and did what he could to protect our property till the -Mandarin came. The Mandarin put me in prison, but Mr. Li rescued me, -provided me with this dress, gave me food and money for the journey, -brought me on my way, and here I am. I often thought of Onesiphorus. -'He oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain.' Thank God! Our -loss has been his unspeakable gain. He told me last Tuesday night that -he could hold out no longer. He was full of wonder at the peace in -which we were kept whilst death was so near and our property was being -destroyed, and especially at your calmness, my darling. Under God it -was just the touch that was required. He yielded then and there, and -gave himself to Christ. He is anxious to make a public profession of -his faith by being baptized as soon as ever the opportunity occurs. He -will make a splendid Christian, for he has counted the cost and found -Christ worthy." - -"Thank God," said mother, fervently, "this one soul saved is worth all -the pain." - -"I knew you would feel like this, Christine. The Lord has been very good -to him and to us. He has brought us all together again. We are all -here, are we not, dear wife?" - -Mother did not answer, but I saw her bosom heave. Father looked round -anxiously, and the tears slowly welled into his eyes. He put his arm -round mother. - -"It is all right, Christine," I heard him whisper. "He knows best. She -has been saved so much pain. When was it, my dearest?" - -"Last Wednesday, Paul." - -"And to-day is Friday. Three days in heaven beholding the face of the -Father. Let us thank Him, dear wife, for this also." - -We all knelt down upon the grass, and after that I heard father and -mother talking far on into the night, and, looking up, I saw God's stars -in His sky, and felt how very near He was, and then I went to sleep, and -the next day, towards evening, we met some English soldiers and arrived -at Wei-hai-wei. - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - NINA'S STORY. - - -I promised my cousin Cicely St. John that I would write a little history -of what took place after we were separated from one another. She is -going to do the same; and then some day when we go back to England we -shall get it all put together and have it published in one big book. It -has always been my ambition to write a book, and I am quite sure that I -can write. People all have their particular gifts--writing is one of -mine. I was not very good when I was at school, but I never found the -essays any trouble at all. And when I was fourteen I got a -five-shilling prize in a magazine, and my story was published in the -Christmas number. It was illustrated, and the picture in the place of -honour on the cover. I was so delighted about it and so was father, but -then he always does love everything I do. People say he spoils me, and -perhaps he does; all I can say is, it is very nice being spoilt! I am -always happier when I am with father and his friends than with girls of -my own age. - -I never cared much for girls; the little ones talk about their dolls and -the big ones about their clothes. I like hearing father and his brother -officers talk and tell tales of sport and adventure. Of course I know -father would have liked me to have been a boy. He must have been -disappointed, though he never said so, because then I should have been a -soldier like he is, and gone to the war in South Africa, or perhaps have -been here in Pekin, just as we are now. - -It is a month since we came to the Celestial City, and such a long time -since I stayed with Uncle Paul and Aunt Christine. We went to them when -we first came out to China. I had never seen them in my life before. - -[Illustration: The Pagoda at Pekin.] - -Cicely is different from other girls, and I love her dearly. She is -much younger than I am, two years younger, but she seems almost as old. -She is so grave and a little old-fashioned; somehow I feel better when I -am with her and Uncle Paul--they make me want to be good. I often -wonder where they are, and hope things are not as bad for them as they -are with us, for here in the Celestial City things look very black -indeed. Father wishes he had left me behind in Wei-hai-wei, but I would -much rather be with him, even though the worst comes and he has to kill -me himself. Uncle Paul thinks one ought not to do this, but then Uncle -Paul is an angel. When I am with him I feel all the time a longing -after something better. I told Mrs. Ross about him. Mrs. Ross is my -great friend here. She is young and very pretty, and she met Uncle Paul -once. When I told her what he made me feel like, she said, "Yes, I -know, dear, he makes you feel as if you didn't care how your frock -fitted, but when you get away you think to yourself you may as well look -as nice as you can." Mrs. Ross has only been married a few months. She -came here just after her honeymoon. She has the most wonderful eyes I -have ever seen, like the stars in the soft, dark sky. She and I and -nearly always together, though she is years older than I am. Still she -says she is very glad to have me for her friend, as there are so few -girls out here. Captain Ross looks stern and troubled, and very -careworn, but all the men have that expression now, and if only you saw -the faces of the Chinese you would not wonder much; they are so -dreadfully cruel and revengeful, and they look at us as if they hate us -and would like to murder us all. If they killed people outright it would -not be so dreadful; but they torture a person for days first; they do -this to their own people, how much more then to us, if they had us in -their power? - -It is the cruel Empress who hates the foreigners, and it is her -emissaries who have stirred up the people against us. The Boxers are -her tools really, and the ignorant people are told all kinds of things -which they believe, that the Europeans take their little children and -kill them, and that it is our presence here which causes the lack of -rain, and then they pretend to see most wonderful apparitions, those who -appear always bearing the same message, "Kill! kill!" The other day -they declared that a marvellous vision appeared in the sky; it was a -spirit girl, they said, with a lamp in her hand. Father and I went out -to see it, but of course we did not see the girl, but only a brilliant -light in the sky, and the Chinese, who are very superstitious, imagined -the rest. But what caused more stir and alarm than anything else was -the mysterious Red Hand which suddenly appeared in Pekin. Mrs. Ross and -I saw it on a house one day, and then again on another, and as the -people caught sight of these dreadful Red Hands they gesticulated -wildly, and seemed terribly excited. Mrs. Ross was very frightened, as -she thought it meant that the Boxers were going to kill all the inmates -of the houses on which the Red Hand appeared, but Captain Ross said he -had been told by someone who knew that we, the foreign devils, were -accused of marking the houses, and wherever this dreadful mark appeared -a curse was sure to follow; in seven days one of the inmates would go -mad, or in fourteen days they would die. This was just before a most -dreadful event occurred. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - A PAINFUL DISCOVERY. - - -Several days passed by. One gets accustomed to everything, and we were -getting used to the big fires at night and all the mysterious warnings -we had had, and I was getting very tired of not being able to run about -as in the old days before we came to Pekin. It was a lovely morning, -and I made up my mind to go round and see my friend, Mrs. Ross. I was -allowed to go and see Mrs. Ross, but when there I was never supposed to -be out of her sight. Father was busy when I left, so I did not see him, -but Phoebe, our old servant, followed me with a great many injunctions -and warnings--at which, I am sorry to say, I only laughed. The sunshine -seemed to intoxicate me--I revelled in it--I could no longer feel any -fear; afterwards I thought I must have been mad that morning. I turned -round in the middle of my flight down the path which led to the house in -which Captain and Mrs. Ross lived. - -"Phoebe," I cried, shaking back my curls, which, somehow, always would -come tumbling about my face, "Phoebe, you may depend upon it the Chinese -are not nearly so black as they're painted; anyway, black or yellow, or -whatever they are, it's a lovely day, and I'm going to enjoy myself." - -"And what am I to tell your pa, Miss Nina?" - -"Oh, tell him anything you like--why, tell him the truth to be -sure--that I've gone to spend the morning with Mrs. Ross." - -"Miss Nina, I don't like the looks of you this morning. When your eyes -are as if there was little imps a-dancing in 'em, then I looks out for -squalls." - -"Thank you, Phoebe," I said, laughing and making her a mocking curtsey. -"My eyes feel very flattered, I can assure you." - -"Oh, they're well enough, and bright enough," she replied, grudgingly, -"but I should like to see a bit more soberness about them; why, when I -was your age, miss, I was married. Mr. Larkins-- - -"Poor man," I ejaculated under my breath. - -Phoebe did not hear; she was lost in reminiscences of the past. - -"Poor, dear Mr. Larkins, he were took quite sudden like; his mother died -of heart complaint, and yet I never thought to say to Larkins, 'Who -knows, my dear, but you might be took the same yourself, one day.'" - -"I should think not, Phoebe; it would have made poor Mr. Larkins very -uncomfortable if you had. I daresay," I added, under my breath, "he was -none too happy as it was," but, like all deaf people, the very thing I -did not mean her to hear she heard at once, and turned upon me angrily. - -"Not happy, miss! As happy as the day was long was Mr. Larkins, and a -deal happier if the days be these here days in China." - -"Oh, Phoebe, the day is bright enough; there is nothing wrong with -that." - -"The day is all right for them as wasn't kept awake all night by those -bloodthirsty villains." - -"I heard nothing, Phoebe; I was asleep." - -"It's all very well for them as can sleep; but, there, you're only a -child, after all." - -"Why, Phoebe, you said a minute ago that I was old enough to be -married," and with this parting shot I ran away. - -Poor old Phoebe; our troubles pressed sore upon her. I had never seen -her so put out before. She had been in our family for forty years, and -was, therefore, privileged to be very disagreeable sometimes. As I ran -down the path I met Mr. Crawford; he saluted, hesitated, and finally -stopped short. - -"Whither away, Miss Nina?" - -He had such a kind, honest face, one of those you feel instinctively you -can trust. - -"I am going to see Mrs. Ross." - -"All by yourself? Pardon me, does the Colonel know of your intention?" - -"Oh, yes--that is, I don't know; father was out when I left, but Phoebe -saw me go, and I had to listen to lectures yards long. I hope," I -added, saucily, "that I shall not have to listen to any more." - -His boyish face had grown quite grave, his honest eyes had a look of -apprehension in them, but he spoke lightly. - -"I see you are a very determined young lady, but perhaps you will allow -me to accompany you so far; then, when I have seen you safe in Mrs. -Ross's hands, I can make my report to the Colonel and set his mind at -rest." - -"Oh, you can come if you like," I replied, grandly. I was accustomed to -have a great deal of attention; indeed, I could not have received much -more had I been a little princess. "One would think I was the most -precious thing in the world." - -"Well, are you not?" he asked, gravely. - -"It depends what precious means," I replied, sapiently. "If it means -very good, I am afraid I am not that--at least, not half so good as -Cicely." - -"Who is Cicely?" - -"Cicely St. John; she is my cousin; she is altogether lovely," I cried, -with enthusiasm, "and so is Uncle Paul; he is a missionary out here at -Chen-si." - -"A missionary--and at Chen-si--then God help him!" - -He said the last under his breath, but I heard him. - -"Oh, Mr. Crawford," I cried, earnestly, for I love Uncle Paul dearly, -"you do not think he is in danger?" - -"I should think he probably left, Miss Nina, before the troubles began, -and you know," reassuringly, "'Ill news flies apace,' so that, as you -have heard nothing to the contrary, you may take it for granted he is -all right." - -We had got to the end of our walk now, but he opened the gate for me, -and still lingered. - -"I want to know that you are quite safe," he said, smiling. "You see -what a gaoler I am. Ah, there is Mrs. Ross." - -I ran to her and kissed her joyfully. - -"Nina, darling, how delightful; come to spend a long day with me, I -hope?" - -"I should like to," I replied, "if Mr. Crawford will let father know." - -"Your obedient slave, Miss Nina; I will be sure to acquaint the Colonel, -and now I must be going." - -"Won't you come in, Mr. Crawford?" said Mrs. Ross. - -"I fear I cannot," he replied. "I have to report myself at -headquarters. I was on guard last night." - -"Any fresh news?" asked Mrs. Ross. - -"Nothing but the usual story of the last few days. They have been firing -a lot more houses, and the visions and apparitions are as numerous as -ever." - -"And the Red Hand?" asked Mrs. Ross, shuddering. - -"Oh, we have got quite accustomed to it by this time," he replied. - -He spoke lightly to reassure us, but it was easy to detect a vein of -apprehensiveness behind his light tone. - -Mrs. Ross looked pensive, and this pensive look added to her beauty and -made her entrancing. - -"Well, Nina," she said, when we were alone, "what would you like to do -this morning?" - -"Anything you like, darling," I replied, eagerly. "I am so tired of -doing nothing and sitting in all day. I know what I should like," I -cried, excitedly; "I should like to go into the park." - -"The park?" said Mrs. Ross, turning her liquid gaze to the window. -"Yes, it looks inviting this morning. I wonder if we could. I fear -George would not like it--he can't bear me to leave the house; but, -really, everything seems very quiet this morning, I don't see why we -shouldn't go a little way. One does get so tired, as you say, of -sitting in the house. It seems strange," she added, smiling, "the park -being such an excitement to us. It was positively none when we could go -any day, but 'Circumstances alter cases,' to quote a very trite proverb, -and I fear you and I, Nina, are very human, and share the universal -longing for what is out of reach." - -"Yes. Do you know," I replied, laughing, "father never will forbid me -anything, because he says he knows I should want to do it immediately?" - -"What a character you are giving yourself," smiling. "At any rate you -are true; and, if you loved, you would be easily guided." - -"Yes, that is it," I cried. "I would do anything for love's sake; I -love father, and so I would not hurt him for the world; his wishes are -my law." - -"Do you know," said Mrs. Ross, turning her lovely eyes on me with a new -expression in their depths, "without meaning it, you have exactly -described the relationship which exists between the renewed soul and the -Father? I shall never forget that sermon your uncle preached on that -subject. 'And because ye are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His -Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.' I don't know what makes me -tell you this, but I have never felt the same since that day." - -"No one ever does feel the same after meeting Uncle Paul; but the worst -of it is I get so naughty again when I am away from him." - -"So very, very naughty," she said, playfully, "and this is one of your -wicked deeds I fear, and I am aiding and abetting you." - -"You darling," I said, fondly, locking my arms in hers, "I don't know -what I should have done in this place without you; and what a nice -morning this is, and how pleasant it is here under the trees." - -"Yes, but we had better keep the house in view; you see I have the -caution which comes with age!" - -And so we strolled on under the trees, and forgot our troubles for one -short morning. The air seemed deliciously sweet and fresh, though, a -few days later, it grew unbearably hot. We were just thinking of -returning to the house when in the distance I saw a curious object on -the ground; it lay under the trees about 200 yards away, and nothing -would content me but that I must go and find out what it was. In vain -Mrs. Ross expostulated, and pointed out the danger of going so far and -getting out of touch with the houses; the spirit of mischief prompted -me, and I ran away laughing. Lilian followed, entreating me to stop, -but, I am sorry to say, the more excited she grew the more I laughed and -the faster I ran--on and on, until I got quite close to the object which -had excited my curiosity. Judge of my horror when, on looking down, I -found it was one of our own soldiers lying there, dead; he had evidently -been murdered by the Boxers. - -I felt sobered in a moment. The beauty of the day had gone, and the sun -seemed cruel now, as it blazed pitilessly down on the man's white, -upturned face. I recognized him at once, for he had been for years in -my father's regiment, and was a great favourite with us all. - -And now he lay there in the bright sunshine, dead. I knelt by his side, -quite forgetting the danger we were in, until Lilian Ross came up and -almost dragged me away. - -"Nina," she said, "you must be mad; come back with me this instant. We -are out of sight of home, and any moment we may be stopped." - -I rose sobbing, and quite subdued now, prepared to follow her quietly, -feeling indifferent to everything. It was too late. As we retraced our -steps, we heard wild shouting and cries, that awful cry that woke the -stillness of the night--"Kill, kill." - -Lilian turned as white as snow. I realized that it was through my -rashness; we were probably doomed to a cruel death. I felt it keenly, -because I saw that I had sacrificed Lilian as well as myself, but she -never reproached me. - -"Nina," she whispered, hurriedly, "have you got your satchet with you?" - -The fear in her lovely eyes was reflected, I know, in mine. - -"Yes," I said, fumbling with my hand in the bosom of my dress, "it is -here." - -"That is right, we may need it. I do not fear death, not since I met -Mr. St. John; but torture--" and she shuddered. - -"Oh, Lilian, and I have brought you to this. I shall never forgive -myself--never." - -"You did not mean it, darling." - -"No, but it comes to the same thing." - -"It may be possible for us to escape, even now; let us take this turn, -Nina, it will lead us round by the other entrance." - -The horrid sounds were coming nearer--we turned to flee, but it was too -late. They caught a glimpse of us as we disappeared, and with wild, -horrible cries they came rushing after us. A sensation of cruel -fear--the knowledge that certain death stared us in the face--a quick -review, as in a mirror, of all my past life--an agonized prayer for -help, a sickening sensation of pain--and then a blank. And then---- - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - TAKEN PRISONER. - - -I was in a vast hall, and Lilian Ross stood by my side. How we got -there I did not know, I only knew that we were there and still alive, -that death was yet to come. At the other end of the hall, upon a kind -of red dais, stood a man. I suppose he was a man, but he appeared to me -to be more like a personation of the evil one, he had such a cruel, -wicked face; and, as he sat glowering there, he looked as if he would -like to devour us, so great was his hatred and wrath. One or two men -were near him, but, for the most part, they stood in a vast circle, -leaving a clear space in the centre for us, and, as they glared at us, -they brandished their spears and shrieked for our blood. They seemed -more like wild beasts than men. Then one who stood near the throne -began to gesticulate, and brandish his horrid, blood-stained spear, but -the man on the raised dais smiled. His smile was worse than the other's -fury, and then he said a few words. I could not understand it all, but I -knew enough of Chinese to guess that we were to die a lingering death of -agony. The implements of torture were all round us, and these men -thirsted for our blood; indeed, they seemed to be mad with the lust for -blood; but there were preliminaries to be gone through; they would not -touch us until they had performed their horrid ceremonies. Waving their -hands and brandishing their spears, they seemed to be mingling in some -kind of weird dance. - -In the centre was a blood-stained stone, and, as they sang, they bowed -down until their spears touched this stone. They seemed by these -terrible orgies to be working themselves up to a still greater pitch of -fury. Every moment I expected to be our last, for it seemed as if they -would not be able much longer to restrain themselves, but would tear us -to pieces in their fury. - -I closed my eyes and shuddered. We clung to each other and tried to -pray. Then I found out that they were speaking to us. I could not -understand all that they said, but I understood enough to know that they -wished us to abjure our religion. We were to deny Christ, and fall down -and worship their horrible idols. If we did this, they promised us our -lives. It was a deadly temptation. Lilian thought of her husband, and -I thought of father; and we were young, and life was sweet, and it was -so horrible to die without saying good-bye to anyone. Perhaps people in -England will wonder and blame us that it was a temptation to us at all, -but I heard Uncle Paul say once that temptation was not sin: that it -only becomes sin when we yield. They say that times of great -persecution are times of decision, too. I had not cared much for Christ -in the old days; I had not been like Uncle Paul or Cicely--I had been -careless and thoughtless; but now, with a cruel death staring me in the -face, now, I chose Him. I turned to Lilian. "Christ for me," I said, -in reply to her questioning look, and all my heart seemed on fire and my -soul to be full of love. Lilian had made the choice also--I read the -answer on her face before she spoke. Terribly frightened as I was, I -gazed at her in the keenest admiration; her beautiful hair had become -loosened, and now fell over her shoulders in a mass of gold; her lovely -starlight eyes, pure and steadfast as those of any pictured saint, were -fixed on our persecutors. - -"Nina," she said to me in a whisper, "I do not know whether they would -allow us to take that poison, but even if it were possible I think it -would be better not to do so. We are in God's hands, and they cannot -touch a hair of our heads until He gives them permission." - -"Yes," I replied, "I agree with you--it's difficult, of course, to know -if a thing is right or wrong now, but Uncle Paul would not have done it. -I will follow him." - -They seemed to be making some horrid preparations at the other end of -the room--our time had come; we felt that and prepared to die. It's all -very well to read about these things in a story, but unless you have -passed through it yourself, you can have no idea of the horror and fear -and deadly anticipation of coming woe which we felt. I was positively -sick with terror, but I also felt full of an overwhelming love--I knew -that Christ was worth all and more than all. - -I whispered to Lilian that it would soon be over, and a text came -running into my mind, "Our light affliction which is but for a moment, -worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." - -They seemed to have completed their preparations now, and came toward us -with horrid cries. - -"Oh, Lilian, do pray that we may be kept." - -"Yes, yes, darling, it will soon be over, and then the glory." - -I just remember that--I know they seized us; they tore us away from each -other. And then I can recall nothing but some awful place of pain--a -place of confusion and horrible noise and terrible suffering and then a -blank, which seemed to last for years and years--then Lilian's voice, -very faint, very far away--then a little nearer, a little louder. - -"Are you better, darling?" - -"Yes" (my voice was so weak, I could hardly hear it myself), "have I -been ill?" - -"Very, very ill, but you are better now, thank God, thank God." - -"Where are we, Lilian?" - -"In a kind of a cave at the back of a house." - -"But how did we get here, I want to know all about it." - -"I wonder if you are strong enough to hear more now?" - -"Yes, yes," I cried, feverishly; "it will make me much worse not to -know." - -"Well," she replied, soothingly, "I think it would, and you must not -agitate yourself. Now I will give you a cooling draught, and then you -must lie quite still, and I will tell you everything." - -"You won't hide anything, will you? I want to know what happened after -that dreadful torture," and I shuddered. - -"You were not tortured, darling; what their intentions were I do not -know. I think they did mean to put us to a cruel death, but God is over -all and prevented it." - -"But why have I been ill then, Lilian? I am sure I could not have -fancied it all." - -"My poor darling, you had a dreadful blow--they pushed us so violently -apart that you fell with your head against that platform; it was a -horrid cut, but it is healing up nicely now." - -"Then what happened?" - -"Well, the sight of your blood, instead of calling forth their -compassion, only seemed to infuriate them, and as I knelt beside you and -tried to staunch the blood, I thought all was lost; but just at that -moment a wonderful thing happened: I heard a great noise at the far end -of the hall--two men had entered, and one of them was violently -gesticulating. It appears that enormous rewards have been promised for -our discovery, and this man had undertaken to find us. I could not make -out what they said, but, no doubt, you would have been able to do so. -The other man, who was scholarly and refined-looking, and altogether of -a different type, seemed for some reason or other to have great -influence with them. He did not say much, but when he did speak they -listened, and gradually they ceased to brandish their spears, and after -what seemed an eternity to me, I saw that they had given up the idea of -murdering us, at any rate for the present. What arguments these men -used, of course, I do not know, but anything like the expression of -concentrated disappointment and rage on the faces of those who would -have killed us, I have never seen. It makes me shudder to think of it -now. An order was then given, and we, or rather, I was marched off, for -you, poor darling, were past marching or doing anything. The two -strange men picked you up, not un-gently, and we moved off; it seemed to -me along, long way. Then there was another altercation, but at last it -was decided that we should be taken to this house, and here we have been -ever since. These two men guard us; if you look through the room -opening out of this into the courtyard, you will see one of them -standing there now. I do not know what their intentions are, but I -conclude they are friendly--at any rate, we have not been molested by -the Boxers since that terrible morning; and they have been kind and -attentive in bringing us food; and once, when you were very ill, they -brought a Chinese doctor to see you. I think we must either be outside -or else very near the walls of the city; at any rate, it's a long, long -way from the Legation. Now that you are better and can speak you will -be able to talk to them; my great difficulty has been that understanding -the language so little I have not been able to converse with them at -all." - -[Illustration: "You will see one of them standing there now."] - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - A DISCOVERY. - - -"See," I said, "he is looking our way. I should like to speak to him." - -"But, dear child, are you strong enough?" - -"Yes, yes," I cried, feverishly. "Do ask him, Lilian, to come here." - -Lilian beckoned to him, and he came and stood in the doorway--a tall, -imposing-looking figure, with an air of dignity about his dark, -intellectual face. - -I had talked to him only a few moments when I uttered an exclamation of -delight. - -Lilian looked at me a little apprehensively, and, catching sight of my -face in the mirror opposite, I saw that it was flushed, and that my eyes -burnt like diamonds. - -"Darling," Mrs. Ross whispered, soothingly, "I fear this will be too -much for you." - -"Oh, no," I cried, excitedly. "It is joy, Lilian, joy. This man comes -straight from Chen-si, from Uncle Paul; he is a convert, and will be -baptized soon." - -Lilian looked radiant. - -"How wonderful it all is!" she said, softly. "How the Lord has -overshadowed us! I cannot the least grasp it yet, but no doubt you will -find out all about it." - -"Yes, just fancy, Lilian; it's Mr. Li. Cicely has so often mentioned -him in her letters, he is such a clever man, and used to come to read -with Uncle Paul; but I did not know that he had become a Christian." - -"I arrived in Pekin," Mr. Li was saying to me, "the very day you were -captured. I had some knowledge of the man Wang--indeed, I was able to -benefit him once--and he is attached to me in his way, but we must not -depend upon him. I fear he is wholly influenced by mercenary motives; -it will not be wise to address me when he is here, and I need hardly -tell you that he has not the smallest suspicion that I have any -knowledge of you. He wants the reward which has been offered; he met me -as I was making my way into the city, and, knowing that I had some -influence with the soldiers, he asked me to go with him to see if it -were possible to save you. Thank God, we arrived at the Hall just in -time." - -"Thank God," we both said, or, rather, we almost breathed it from the -depths of our being. - -A moment's silence followed. - -"Does my father know that we are safe?" I asked, anxiously. - -"Yes," said Mr. Li, soothingly, "and your husband also," and for the -first time he turned his grave gaze on Lilian. "And there was another, -too, a young man, very young; when he heard that you were prisoners, he -begged the Colonel to let him go at once; he said he had the strength of -ten men, and that he would fight his way to you or die." - -I did not say a word. I turned my head and remained silent, but I saw a -young, bronzed face, and a pair of steadfast, blue eyes, that had never -been shadowed by fear or indecision. - -"Of course, it would have been madness," Mr. Li went on, calmly, "if -would simply have meant death to everyone concerned. The Colonel saw -that at a glance, as the Legations are fast closed now, and every man is -wanted to defend them. Your only hope of deliverance lies in stratagem. -This man carried news to the Colonel to-day, and will probably bring you -a message, but I have plans," said Mr. Li. "I do not see the least use -in returning to Pekin, there is only danger there; on the contrary, I -should advise escape." - -"Yes," we both said, "if only that were possible, but how?" - -"I will tell you," he replied, and, as he spoke, the ghost of a smile -lighted up his dark face, "there is a gentleman without the gates whom -you both know; he has been making his way from Wei-hai-wei, whither he -has conducted his wife and children in safety." - -"Uncle Paul?" I cried. "Is he here? Why did he come?" - -"He came because he knew you were at Pekin, and guessed you might want -him." - -"It is just like him; oh, I do hope he is not in danger." - -"Rest assured," he replied, gently, "he is in God's hands, and he is -doing what is right. He runs less risk than an ordinary foreigner, as -he is a doctor as well as a missionary. I think the rioters at Chen-si -could hardly have been aware of this fact when they attacked him." - -"God keep him safe," we both murmured fervently. - -"Amen," said Mr. Li. "How wonderfully God has worked hitherto. I -arrived at Pekin the very day I could be of service to you. I knew that -Mr. St. John was coming on here, and I have held communication with him -already." - -"How can he help us?" asked Mrs. Ross. - -"In this way," he replied. "You cannot get into the Legation, it is -fast closed, and help cannot come from there, for even if it were -possible for a man to escape, he would be murdered when he set his foot -outside the walls."--Mr. Li little knew of the strength, and courage, -and determination of which Englishmen are capable.--"Hope lies in -another direction altogether; from this house there are secret passages -which lead out of Pekin; the Boxers know nothing of them, for," he -added, with a touch of pardonable pride, "they were devised with great -care, and were the work of many years." - -"Does this house belong to you?" I asked. - -"Yes," he replied, "the construction of these underground passages was a -source of great interest to me in the past. I do not think that anyone -in Pekin knows of their existence, for, when they were constructed, I -employed Chen-si people. I knew nothing of God then, and yet all the -time He was directing me to build them for your deliverance." - -"It is marvellous," said Mrs. Ross, softly. "I suppose our gravest -danger lies in remaining here?" - -"That is so," he replied, gravely. "When Miss Nina" (he had caught my -name at once, though he pronounced it in a curious kind of way) "is well -enough, we must start at once." - -"I am well now," I cried, and tried to rise, but I sank back trembling. - -"No," he replied, "I fear we have been talking too long; the excitement -has been too much for you." - -"Yes, Nina darling, do try and rest, or you will be ill again." - -I felt that what they said was true; my head swam, my blood seemed to be -on fire; as I became delirious, I thought I heard Lilian say:-- - -"I wish Mr. St. John could see her," and afar off, it seemed to me, -another voice replied:-- - -"It might be possible to-night." - -After that I heard nothing more. I had, instead, a terrible dream. I -thought there was a fire. It was an awful sight; the flames seemed to -scorch me as they leaped up, ruddy and bright, into the heavens, and -those cruel men who had tried to kill us, armed with pitchforks, forced -me nearer and ever nearer to the flames. I shrieked for mercy, but they -only laughed as they pushed me in. And then I was on fire, I was -burning. Oh, the unutterable agony of that burning! I tried to escape, -but I could not, for they formed a ring round me, and shouted and danced -in horrid glee; and then, all of a sudden I looked up, and beyond the -fire I saw a face that I seemed to know quite well, it had mingled with -my dreams, with my prayers so often lately--the face of the Christ--He -whom I loved, whom I had chosen. I saw His face as I had loved to -picture it, all worn as it were with the sorrows, and pain, and woes of -humanity, and, withal, crowned with ineffable patience and sweetness. I -was falling back into the flames, but He held out His hand, and the -demons gave way and melted into thin air. Oh, that strong right hand of -His! He caught me, and the burning all seemed to go, and the flames -were extinguished. I was floating in some lake of ambrosial coolness, a -delicious kind of languor stole over me, and the face of the Christ bent -over me and smiled. And then, somehow, as in a dream He vanished, and -Uncle Paul was there in His stead. I still lay on the couch, the only -difference being that Uncle Paul was there, his left arm under my head, -and in his right he held a cordial, part of which I had swallowed. - -"She will do now," I heard him say, "and if she is left absolutely quiet -we can get away to-morrow." I heard it all as in a dream, nothing -seemed to surprise or trouble me, but as I sank into a delicious sleep I -heard someone say, without taking in the meaning of the words, or being -in the least alarmed by them:-- - -"It might be fatal to remain here another night." - - - - - CHAPTER X. - - A DARING ATTEMPT. - - -It was a hot, sultry night, but in the Legations people had other things -to think of besides the weather. Another day of suspense and agitation -had passed. An Envoy had appeared, and a letter couched in the usual -terms of studied Chinese politeness, purporting to be from Prince Ching, -had been discovered posted on the gates. They were grieved indeed that -the foreigners had broken the peace by firing on their troops, thus -stirring up unfriendly relations! Their only wish was to establish -peace, and they concluded by suggesting that all the foreign ministers -should leave the Legations in detachments, to be protected by -trustworthy officers whom the Chinese would themselves select; so great -was their affection for the foreigners, and so intense their anxiety to -protect them! But _not a single armed foreign soldier_ could be -permitted to pass out, as this would only have caused doubt and -suspicion in the breasts of the peaceable Chinese! An answer must be -sent at once, or consequences might follow which it would be impossible -to prevent, notwithstanding the depth and extent of their affection for -all the foreigners residing in the Legations at Pekin! This manifesto -was read and re-read, and received the contempt and derision it -deserved. Did they really think, men asked themselves, that they would -abandon the Chinese Christians who had stood by them so loyally, to be -deserted and massacred; had they forgotten Cawnpore, with its nameless -horrors; and were they going to leave their wives and children at the -mercy of these polite demons, without striking a blow in their defence? -No, a thousand times no; in whatever else they might differ they were -all at one here; they might temporize to gain time, but at their post in -the Legation they would remain until death or relief came--and from -Christian hearts prayer went up to One who was able and willing to help. - -Colonel Leicester paced restlessly to and fro in front of the pavilion. -It was late, but he could take no rest--his stern face was furrowed with -care, and there were lines about his eyes and mouth which had not been -there a short time previously. Wang had been with him that day--Wang had -often been with him lately. It was difficult to get into the Legation, -but for astuteness Wang had not his equal, and he expected a large -reward. The Colonel knew that his child and her friend were safe, still -he felt wretchedly anxious and unhappy, especially on account of Nina's -illness; and the worst of it was, his hands were tied; there was nothing -for it but to wait--he could not leave the Legation, even if he had been -able to do so; it would not be right to desert his post, his honour -forbade that; besides, it would have been certain death, and he had no -wish to risk the certainty of leaving his child unprotected. For Captain -Ross it was the same. Half distraught when he first discovered that his -wife was missing, he had begged the Colonel to let him go and see what -he could do to recover her and Nina, or avenge their death; indeed, it -was with the greatest difficulty that the Colonel prevented him from -precipitating himself over the wall into the seething cauldron outside. - -After a time he grew calmer. News was brought that his beloved one was -in comparative safety, that there was no immediate danger. Still he -could not rest--it was torture to imagine what might be taking place, -and yet he could do nothing. He tore his hair and wrung his hands in -agony. A common sorrow is a wonderful cementer of friendship, and the -two men were drawn very close to each other during that awful time. But -to-night Captain Ross was absent on duty, and his place by the Colonel's -side was occupied by a younger man. It was a young, eager, boyish face -that looked up at the Colonel, a young voice trembling with emotion that -spoke with eager entreaty. "I shall not be missed, I don't count for -anything; do let me go, sir. I can't bear to think of Mrs. Ross and -Miss--Miss Leicester being in danger with no one to do anything for them -but these Chinese devils." - -The Colonel's face took on, if possible, an added shade of sternness, -but he did not speak. - -"You know, sir, what a relief it would be to you and Captain Ross; you -cannot go--of course that goes without saying--but I can, and this very -night, if only you will give the necessary permission." - -"Crawford," said the Colonel, kindly, laying his hand on the young man's -shoulder, "do you know what you are doing? As surely as you leave here -you go to certain death, and how can I, even for the sake of my own and -only child, send you to that death? It would be murder, you have not -counted the cost." - -The young man lifted his face, pale with the fixity of a noble resolve, -and his brilliant blue eyes shone like stars in the dusk. - -"I _have_ counted the cost," he said, fervently, "I _must_ go. If you -withhold your permission out of consideration for my life, then, though -I have never been insubordinate before, I shall be now. I go to-night." - -The Colonel seized his hand and wrung it. - -"Then go," he said, "go, and God bless you, and be merciful to me," he -added, brokenly. - -"Amen," Mr. Crawford reverently murmured, adding in his full, rich -voice, "The Lord knoweth them that trust in Him." - -"You are a good fellow, Crawford," said the Colonel, "you know I have -never been a great talker. Perhaps I ought to have said more to you -young fellows, but I must say one thing, and it is this: I cannot -understand what men can do at times like these without a saving faith in -Christ." - -"I know that I should be lost without Him," replied the subaltern, -simply. - -The two men then began to speak in hurried whispers; it seemed a relief -after the tension and indecision of the last few moments to have decided -upon some course of action. After conversing together earnestly for a -few minutes they retraced their steps to the Colonel's quarters, and for -a long time after that silence reigned so far as they were concerned. -The night was comparatively still--every now and then flames leapt up -into the sky, telling the story that another house had been wrecked by -the Boxers, or the stillness was broken by their shrill cries; like -beasts of prey they awoke, in the darkness, to prowl about seeking whom -they might devour and destroy. - - * * * * * - -Two hours later, when the clocks pointed their hands to midnight, two -Chinamen might have been seen stealing from the Colonel's quarters. The -Colonel's dog must have been a bad house dog, for he seemed rather -pleased than otherwise, and wagged his tail appreciatively when the -younger of the two men put out his hand to stroke him; the guard, too, -allowed them to pass; indeed, until they passed the outmost sentry, no -one impeded their progress. - -"Halt! Who goes there?" - -"A friend." - -The voice was the voice of Jacob! He must indeed have been a clever -Chinaman to speak English with that intonation: and yet the sentry -hesitated; here were two Chinese stealing out of the camp, and to all -appearance hailing from the Colonel's quarters. The sentry's challenge, -clear, and incisive, rang out on the night air; but they knew the -password, that was enough for him; he had no business to detain them. - -The two figures stole silently on until they reached the wall--now if -their progress was not arrested here, all might still be well, but, if -the British saw them, and an alarm was given, they might be shot as they -dropped over the wall. - -"I had not reckoned on this," said the younger man of the two, "We run -more risk here than outside the Legation." - -"That is true, sir," replied the other, deferentially, "but everything -seems pretty quiet now, this is our best time." They looked cautiously -round--not a soul was in view. In the distance they heard the tramp of -the guard--every now and then a shrill cry from the besiegers rent the -air, and flames shot up into the sky from the burning houses, but no -immediate danger appeared to threaten them. - -"Now, sir," said the elder of the two, who seemed to possess the agility -of a cat. In a moment he had scaled the wall and prepared to lower -himself on the other side. - -"Leave the talking to me, sir; it will be best for you to be silent." - -"Yes, yes," agreed the other, hastily, "you may be quite sure I shall -risk nothing; too much depends upon it," he added under his breath. - -They had reached the top of the wall in safety and were about to lower -themselves on the other side, when all of a sudden the silence of the -night was broken; they were discovered and the alarm was given--the -sharp whiz of a bullet passed within an inch of their faces. - -"Down, sir! Down quick for your life!" - -In less time than it takes to write it, the two men had dropped silently -over the wall, and were now running as fast as they could from the -Legation. - -"Keep as much under cover as possible, sir, or they will mark us down." - -"I never thought of this," said Mr. Crawford, laughing. "My friends are -more to be feared than yours." - -"Oh, we shall come upon mine soon enough, sir," Wang replied, "and then -it will be best for you to be silent." - -He had hardly finished speaking when they almost ran into a company of -Boxers, but with great adroitness, Wang contrived to mingle and join -with them, raising the cry as he did so, "Sha, sha, sha." They kept -with them until the Chinese began to loot and burn some buildings, then -they slipped off. - -"Now, sir, we are safe, unless we meet any of the men who were here the -day the ladies were taken." They were passing, as he spoke, the rude -hall where Lilian and Nina so nearly lost their lives. - -As they left it behind they heaved a sigh of relief. - -"We are very near now, sir; the secret entrance, known only to Mr. Li -and myself, is just ahead; I will wait here in case anyone comes up, and -distract their attention whilst you make the entrance. About twenty -yards ahead you will see a curious stone in the ground, close by the -plane tree; measure again six feet from that, and you will come to -another tree; hit the tree three times smartly and they will let you -in." - -Mr. Crawford walked on quickly. Time was passing; there was already a -glimmering of dawn in the East. It was necessary that he should effect -an entrance, and also necessary that the entrance should not be betrayed -to the enemy. His heart beat high, the goal was almost reached, and -half, at least, of his mission had been accomplished. He approached the -tree indicated, hit it three times smartly with his sword, and then -waited anxiously. After a few seconds, which seemed to him of -interminable length, he thought he distinguished a faint sound beneath -him, but, to his horror, he saw a party of men approaching from the road -down which he had just come. He had only just time to slip behind the -plane tree, and from this post of observation he noticed that Wang was -talking to them, and had adroitly contrived to distract their attention; -he was pointing to the hall in the distance, and they were all eagerly -looking the other way. - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - - MR. LI's WONDERFUL HOUSE. - - -But this state of things could not go on for ever. Mr. Crawford waited -in an agony of impatience; for every moment he expected one of the party -to turn round, and then he knew he would be discovered. Would the man -never be able to undo the door? It seemed an eternity to him, whilst -the bolts and bars were being withdrawn; and what a terrible noise they -made! He felt sure they would be heard, and--yes, one of the men talking -to Wang suddenly turned, started, and pointed in the direction in which -he was standing. He gave himself up for lost; but at that very moment -the ground under his feet seemed to slide away--so suddenly, that he -would have fallen into the dark cavern had he not sprung quickly to one -side. - -A dark head, adorned with a pigtail, appeared for a moment above ground. - -"Quick! quick!" the man said, in Chinese, "I fear we are followed." - -Mr. Crawford had hardly time to think, though, like lightning, the -thought did cross his mind that Wang might have betrayed him; but even a -moment's hesitation might have been fatal, and he sprang down into the -darkness. Not a minute too soon--as the trap door closed above him, he -distinctly heard voices and footsteps overhead. His fears of an ambush, -however, and treachery in one direction were soon dispelled, for his -hand was seized in an honest British clasp, and an English voice -exclaimed:-- - -"Mr. Crawford, I believe?" - -"Yes; and you are--?" - -"Paul St. John. You may have heard of me." - -"Often," replied the younger man. "I am so glad to meet you." - -"And I to meet you." And the two men grasped each other's hands. - -"How is Miss Leicester?" asked Mr. Crawford, eagerly. - -"Better," replied Mr. St. John, "but she is still very weak. Her -nervous system has undergone a great shock, and it will be some time -before she is quite herself again. In addition to the blow which she -received, and the fright, there was a good deal of fever, and in this -climate fever seems to have a tremendous grip on the constitution, and -it is a long time before one recovers, even when one is young and -strong. She needs rest, but that, unfortunately, she cannot have, poor -child, as I gather that it would not be safe to remain here another -night. I am thankful to say the fever has now gone; I must give her a -strong cordial, and we must make the journey as easy as we can for her." - -"I will carry her all the way," cried Mr. Crawford eagerly. - -"I know you will do all you can," replied Mr. St. John, kindly. "You -will be of the greatest possible assistance to us, and you will bring -Nina news of the Colonel; she has felt very much being the cause of so -much anxiety to him, and of course you know that worry always retards -recovery. We will join the others now, and make our plans for instant -removal, if necessary." - -"I fear it is necessary," said Mr. Crawford, gravely. "I'm very much -afraid those yellow fellows saw me. They were talking to Wang, and he -tried to distract their attention, and succeeded to a certain extent -admirably; but I rather fancy they saw me and smelt a rat. Ah, here is -Wang; now we shall hear what he has to say." - -The man appeared to be in the greatest state of excitement. - -"They are coming, sir! All is lost; they will be upon us in less than -an hour. They saw you, sir," he said, turning to Mr. Crawford. "I was -certain of it, because I saw them exchange glances, and they said -nothing to me. They will not go into the secret entrance, because they -might think we should expect them there, but they will go to the gates." - -"Are you quite sure that they saw Mr. Crawford?" asked Mr. St. John. - -"Perfectly," replied Wang. "There is no time to lose. I know these -fellows so well; they were extra polite and friendly with me, when we -parted, but I had my suspicions, and, to make it a certainty, I hid and -watched their movements after they left me. First they examined the -place where you disappeared, Mr. Crawford, and I heard them say it would -be impossible to force that, and we might expect them to do so, and -prepare accordingly. I heard them say this, and saw them make their way -to the Hall, whither they were going to acquaint the others." - -Paul St. John and Mr. Crawford looked grave and anxious; they were not -acquainted with the secret passages, as were Lilian and Nina. They -instinctively turned to Mr. Li, who had not yet spoken. His dark, -colourless face was as imperturbable as ever. - -"There is no reason for so much terror," he said, quietly, turning to -Wang. "Have you seen that the gates are closed and barred?" - -"Yes; but they will be over them like monkeys, and we shall all be -killed. I did not bargain for this; it has been very stupidly managed. -I do not care to stay for the reward, as it is no use to me when I am -dead. With your permission, gentlemen, I will make my way back to Pekin -and acquaint the Colonel of the fate of his daughter." - -"You will do nothing of the kind," said Mr. Li, sternly, looking at -Wang, whose white face and shaking hands betrayed his abject terror. -"You will remain with us, and make yourself as useful as you can. I may -tell you, though you do not deserve it, that there is no need for such -excessive alarm. Do you really think it likely that I would allow -myself to be caught like a rat in a hole, especially when I have two -ladies under my charge?" - -The man muttered a sulky rejoinder, but he seemed partially reassured; -and there was that in Mr. Li which commanded respect and instant -obedience. - -"I do not mean to minimize the danger, of course," said Mr. Li, gravely, -when the Chinaman had gone out to see that the entrance was made as -secure as possible; "or to say that we run no risk, because that would -not be true, and I think the longer we remain here the greater risk we -run. If we are ready, let us start at once." - -"Stop," said Paul St. John. "There is one thing we have forgotten: my -brothers, let us pray." - -When he rose, the light was on his face, as on the day when he had faced -the rioters at Chen-si. - -"Now, my friend," he said, turning to Mr. Li, "I am quite ready, and I -think I am expressing our universal wish when I say that it will be best -for you to take command of our little expedition." - -"I think it _will_ be best," said Mr. Li, "because I am so well -acquainted with the ground--and with the men also," he added, smiling. -"I have some influence over Wang. Mr. St. John, you and Mr. Crawford -will go forward with the ladies. I will bring up the rear with Wang." - -Very white, very fragile, looked Nina, very different from the laughing -girl who had left her father's house only a few days since. Mr. St. -John had administered a cordial to her, and under its influence the -faintest tinge of colour was beginning to creep up into her pale cheeks. - -She clung to him for support; Lilian Ross and Mr. Crawford supporting -her on the other side. Mr. Li and Wang brought up the rear. Alert, -calm, decisive, Mr. Li was evidently one of those born to command. - -"They are coming," said Wang, beginning to tremble again, "swarming the -gates like rats." - -It was true; hideous yellow faces, with heavy pigtails and coarse black -hair, were already crowding the entrance, and in the course of a few -minutes they would be in the courtyard. There was nothing then to -prevent their getting into the outer room in which Mr. Li and Wang were -standing. The others were in the inner room prepared to await his -orders. - -At that moment the Chinese caught sight of Mr. Li and Wang, and a -fiendish smile of triumph lighted up their faces. Mr. Li also smiled. - -"Not so fast, my friends," he said, quietly; and as the first man landed -on the ground he gently pushed Wang in front of him through the door -leading into the inner apartment, and slid the bolt. - -"That bolt will be no good, sir," said Wang; "they will force the door -in a few minutes, and we shall all be tortured and killed." - -"I must beg of you to be silent," said Mr. Li, sternly. "If you would -like to join the party outside, there is still time to do so, but I -think that you would probably prefer to remain with us." - -Poor Wang protested most humbly that he had never meant anything by his -words, and so great was his attachment to their persons that nothing in -the world would induce him to leave them. - -"That being the case," said Mr. Li, drily, "and your attachment to us -being so great, you will do all in your power to help instead of -hindering us. I cannot have these ladies alarmed. Now see," he said, -turning to Lilian and Nina, who had turned a shade whiter, for though -they placed unbounded confidence in Mr. Li, it was not pleasant to hear -the sounds in the outer room. - -"Now see: I touch this button, and look at the result!" As he spoke he -pressed a spring in the wall, and a huge sliding door shot right across, -protecting the door through which they had passed, and which the Chinese -were forcing from the outer side. - -[Illustration: As he spoke he pressed a spring in the wall.] - -"I think," said Mr. Li, with a smile of triumph in his dark eyes, "they -will find it a little difficult to break through that door. Now let us -collect what we require for the journey." - -"The packages are here," said Mr. St. John. "We have had them all placed -in the corner of the room." - -"That is well," replied Mr. Li. "Now we will continue our journey. It -will take our friends some little time," he added, pleasantly, "to force -an entrance into this room, and I think they will be more than ever -puzzled when they get here. You see these four doors," he said, -pointing to one side of the apartment which seemed to be composed -entirely of doors, "Which do you think is the one to be used? They are -all dummies," he continued, after a pause, in which the doors had been -tried and various opinions expressed: "but I fancy they will puzzle our -friends. The real one is here." - -He touched a spring which was wholly invisible to any but the most -practised eye, and they found themselves in a kind of hall, the walls of -which were very lofty, the light entering by mere apologies for windows, -let in close to the ceiling. There were low divans all round this hall, -and Mr. Li begged them to be seated. - -"We may as well rest here a few moments," he said, noticing Nina's white -face. "We are safe for the present, at least." - -At this moment Mr. Crawford crossed over to where Mr. Li was standing, -and spoke in a low tone. - -"I suppose," he said, "there is no danger from outside? I wonder they -do not try and effect an entrance from without." - -"They would find it a little difficult," replied Mr. Li. "No cat could -climb these walls, and only a cat could get in at the windows. No, the -danger does not lie here, but further on. From this room there is a -subterranean passage about a quarter of a mile long, but unfortunately -it has no communication with the rest of the house opposite; the exit -being at the other end of the grove of plantains, under which it runs. -I always intended to complete the work, but it has not been done, and -the consequence is, we must risk getting across twenty yards of open -country. For men it would not be so difficult, but the care of two -ladies complicates matters. We must hope and pray that the men will be -so occupied with getting into the house that they will not think of -anything beyond. Still, we must prepare for emergencies. I shall lead -the way, for I must open the door of the other house. The lock is a -complicated one, and only I can turn the key. You and Mr. St. John will -follow with the ladies. It will be as well to acquaint Mr. St. John -also of the possible danger, without alarming the ladies. Ah, here he -is." - -"Brother," said Paul St. John, laying his hand on the other's arm, "what -fills me with wonder is your great ingenuity. Surely you must have -travelled a great deal, for I have never seen a house like this in -China." - -"No," replied Mr. Li, smiling; "_I have_ travelled a great deal, and am -very cosmopolitan in my tastes. When I was a boy I used to pore over -Eastern tales of adventure, and I determined to build one of those -wonderful fairy palaces one reads of: a place of concealed doors, -sliding panels, and underground passages." - -"It is the dream of most children," said Mr. St. John, smiling, "but -very seldom realized. You have succeeded admirably." - -"Not quite as well as I could wish, though." added Mr. Li; and he then -told Mr. St. John wherein the danger lay. - -Paul St. John grasped his hand. His smile was as bright and radiant as -before. - -"Well, brother," he said, gently, "it shall all be well. You can say -with us now; 'For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.'" - - - - - CHAPTER XII - - "THEY WANDERED IN DENS AND CAVES OF THE EARTH" - - -It was quite a relief to be underground. The long, dark, narrow passage -infused a sense of safety and protection which they could not feel so -long as there were doors, save the one by which they had entered, which -it was almost impossible for anyone but the most experienced expert to -discover, and there were no windows at all; no fear of seeing the cruel -yellow faces pressed against the window panes, of hearing the savage, -beast-like cries. Mr. Li walked on ahead, cool, calm, erect; a dignified -figure, moving along in the darkness, inspiring confidence and trust. -Wang was slouching away but, without appearing to do so, Mr. Li kept him -close by his side, and he now carried the torch which lighted them -through the darkness. Mrs. Ross followed with Mr. St. John; Nina and -Mr. Crawford bringing up the rear. Although the danger had been hidden -from the former, yet there are some things which it is quite impossible -to disguise. Without being told we guess at them, and in her weakness -she turned intuitively to the strong man who had braved so much for her -sake. She had clung at first to Uncle Paul, but Uncle Paul--she had -always felt it--she felt it at the present moment, to her regret and -shame--was a being too far above her ever to claim her entire sympathy. -She loved him with all her heart and soul, she adored him, but she was -sadly conscious of inferiority. She knew that she had given herself to -Christ, that the whole bent and aim of her life would be different from -what it had been in the old, careless past, and yet she did not think -she could stand on the same plateau as Uncle Paul and Cicely, who seemed -to be almost in heaven already, She had heard Mr. St. John's words; she -knew that death would be nothing to him, the gate to glory, to Christ; -his face shone now with ineffable loveliness as he walked by Lilian -Ross's side, helped her over the broken places, and discoursed to her of -the things of God. - -But Nina wanted to live--the colour had crept back into her pale cheeks, -her witching eyes were bright with suppressed excitement. She did not -wish for death, but life. - -"I cannot say yet," she said to herself, "to die is gain, but I can -say," she added softly, "for me to live is Christ." - -Young Crawford did not talk to her much, he saw that her thoughts were -occupied, and he had much to occupy his own; he had replied to that one -look of her dark eyes, a look which supplicated help and protection, and -implied perfect trust, by a few whispered words of reassurance, and his -expression was so ardent, so brave, so fixed in its high and steadfast -resolve, that it was impossible to feel fear when walking by his side. -His blue eyes blazed in the darkness. If an army had been lead against -him, he felt that he could face it, and yet be victorious. - -"Nina," he said fervently--forgetting in the excitement of the moment -that he was using her Christian name--"Nina, do you recollect in the -history of Elisha how he prayed that the young man's eyes might be -opened, and how when they were he saw that the whole mountain was full -of chariots and horses. Do you know I feel like that young man, as if -the Lord had opened my eyes; I believe that He will appear for us, that -in this place, grim and dark though it be, we are surrounded by myriads -of His angels for our protection." - -"And yet," replied Nina, a little doubtfully, "God _does_ permit -dreadful things sometimes to happen to His children." - -"That is true," said young Crawford, "and that is one of the things -which will be explained one day, but I do not believe it will be so -to-day. I cannot think that the Lord would have allowed me to have this -feeling, which almost amounts to a revelation, for nothing. Be of good -cheer," he added, tenderly. "If a thousand men came against me, I -should not fear; the Lord is on our side, and you shall never fall into -their hands. Come, take my arm, you are not strong yet." He kept his -sword arm free, but with the other he gathered her hand in his, and -placed it within his arm, and the support which this afforded her seemed -to impart to him additional strength. - -They had reached the egress now and held their breath. This was the -critical moment. When they opened the door what would they see? Would -the way be clear or would they be caught like rats in a trap? In that -case, unless deliverance came from some entirely unexpected source, they -would have to remain where they were until their provisions failed them, -or they were discovered and overwhelmed by numbers; or they would have -to fight their way across the open space Three men, good and true, for -they could not reckon on Wang, to protect themselves and two helpless -women! It was a terrible look out, and a deep, fervent prayer rose from -every manly heart to God for His protection; Paul St. John, casting his -eyes on Lilian and Nina, and thinking of his absent wife and children, -lifted up his great heart in supplication also--"Lord, if it be -possible, for the sake of these, and those absent who are dear to us, -deliver us now; nevertheless not my will, but Thine be done." - -"It's all right," said Mr. Li, looking cautiously out, "but there is not -a moment to lose, I will go on at once; prepare to follow when you see -me reach the other side; close the door behind you and come quickly; -Wang, you will keep close to me." - -Without another word, he strode silently and rapidly across the open -space, all the time keeping one eye on Wang, and one on the distant -trees. Putting his hand in the inner pocket of his robe where he had -placed the key for safety, he turned very white, for--the key was gone. -Meanwhile the others had followed, he heard the door close gently behind -them, and now here they all were beside him, close to a place of safety -which it was impossible to enter. It was indeed a terrible situation! -They could not retreat, and they could not go on, and every moment -increased the danger. Mr. Li knew it was only a question of time. The -Chinese might give up the search inside, come out into the grove, catch -sight of them as they stood there, and do them to a cruel death. For a -space even Mr. Li's firmness seemed to be shaken. - -"I know I put the key in this pocket," he exclaimed in a distracted -tone; but on a sudden his face changed like lightning, and he sprang on -Wang, who stood there shivering like an aspen leaf. "You traitor, you -have robbed us," he cried. Mr. Li was transformed, his voice was -terrible, his expression relentless and stern as that of an avenging -archangel. Mrs. Ross turned white and Nina fainted right away and would -have fallen had not Mr. Crawford caught her with his left arm; in his -right hand he grasped his sword. With set teeth and blazing eyes he -stood there ready to sell his life dearly. He beckoned to Paul St. -John, who was endeavouring to encourage Mrs. Ross, and preparing to -defend her. - -[Illustration: In his right band he grasped his sword.] - -"There is a chance of escape still, sir," he said. "You are a -missionary, your life is of so much value, and then there are your wife -and children to think of: it would be possible to slip back, amongst the -trees, and take the ladies with you." - -"And leave you to die, my brother," said Mr. St. John gently; "that -cannot be God's will, surely." - -"I may not die," replied the young subaltern brightly. "I do not feel -at all like death yet, I shall give them a lot of trouble, but it would -hamper me to have Mrs. Ross and Miss Leicester here; how will they stand -the sight of blood? They might even be wounded in the scuffle, and if -the worst comes it would increase the bitterness of Death to know they -were in danger, to know I had died in vain." - -"True," said Mr. St. John, tenderly; "then farewell until we meet again -on earth or in the glory. Come, Nina darling," he whispered, gently -raising the fainting girl and folding her in his arms. - -"It is needless," put in Mr. Li. He spoke sharply and decisively; all -this time he had been occupied with Wang, and Wang had been protesting -and blaspheming and swearing by all his gods. - -"Now," said Mr. Li, and his voice sounded terrible in its sternness and -solemnity. "You know me, and I know that you have that key; I am not -going to risk the lives of five innocent people; if you do not give up -the key you die. As surely as there is a God above us, so surely do I -send you to appear before Him." He drew a revolver from his pocket and -held it close to the man's eyes. "I give you exactly three minutes to -make up your mind; if at the end of that time you have not confessed, I -shall blow your brains out." - -It is impossible to say whether Mr. Li would have carried out this -threat. If he had attempted to do so, no doubt Mr. St. John would have -thought it right to intervene, but Mr. Li knew his man, and before two -minutes were up Wang was blubbering out that Mr. Li had dropped the key, -and that he (Wang) had picked it up not knowing what key it was, and -here it was if Mr. Li wanted it so much, where he had placed it for -safety in his pig tail! - -"You scoundrel," said Mr. Li, contemptuously. "I only wish I had the -time to give you the thrashing you deserve; even now," he said, as he -tore the key out of the man's hair, "it may be too late the delay may -cost us our lives." As he spoke he heard a noise behind him, and, -looking round, they saw that their fears of discovery were realized. -The enemy had come to the conclusion at last that the house was empty, -and as they emerged from the wood, they caught sight of the little band, -and uttered a scream of triumph. Young Crawford stood like a lion at -bay, his noble head thrown back, his unsheathed sword grasped firmly in -his hand, his eyes shining as if they were on fire. Mr. St. John stood -beside him, endeavouring to shield the two shrinking girls. Would the -lock never turn? There was something peculiar about it, and it was -rusty--it seemed a century before it turned with an angry, rasping -sound, but that sound was sweetest music in their ears. - -"Quick, quick," cried out young Crawford in an agony of impatience, for -he saw that it was only a question of moments. The Chinese had quailed -before his terrible expression; they had not cared to face him or his -gleaming sword. But what could one man do against so many? They -prepared to spring. Meanwhile the half-fainting girls had been dragged -into the place of safety, and young Crawford stood on guard alone. - -"Come, brother, come," shouted Mr. St. John. It was too late. -Infuriated at the escape of their prey, the foremost men sprang across -the open space to where young Crawford stood. He was just in front of -the open door, yet he could not enter--if he turned they would be upon -him and force an entrance also, if he fell back it would be the same -thing. "Close the door," he shouted out to Mr. Li. "Put your back -against it," called out Mr. St. John. Mechanically he obeyed. Inch by -inch, still with the point of his sword pointing at his foes, he -retreated, until he stood with his back up against the door, prepared to -sell his life as dearly as might be. - -They did not hesitate long. With wild shrieks like those of a famished -wolf, they rushed upon him: but he was an expert in the art of fencing. -He knew how to parry and thrust, he had the swordsman's quick eye and -mobile hand and arm. The end would be the same of course, but theirs -would not be an easy victory. The minutes passed and still he held them -at bay; they rushed at him, but he shook them off as some noble animal -shakes off the dogs that are worrying him to death. Not many that came -within the sweep of that terrible sword returned again to the attack. -Three times he thrust them back, and still he stood there unharmed, save -for a slight flesh wound in his forehead from which the blood trickled -down his face. But he felt that the end was near, his breath came in -great throbbing gasps, his sword cleaved to his hand, his heart laboured -painfully; he fell backwards, down, down, down into the darkness, and -thought that he was dead and that an angel bent over him, but the -angel's eyes were suffused with tears and bore a curious resemblance to -Nina's. "He will do now," someone said; and then he fell asleep, the -most delicious sleep he had ever experienced in his life. When he awoke -Nina and Mr. St. John sat by his side. - -"Wherever am I?" he cried, rubbing his eyes. "I thought they had done -for me; how good God has been," he said, looking at Nina, "but I cannot -think now how I got here. You see," he went on, turning again to Nina, -with a bright, sweet smile, "I was right after all, God _did_ deliver, -only _He_ could have done so, for I was in a terrible plight, and -thought it was all over. I never expected to see any of you again," he -continued a little sadly, for he was weakened by exertion and the great -strain of mind and body he had undergone. - -"Dear Lord, we thank Thee for Thy great goodness to us," said Mr. St. -John, reverently kneeling beside the rude couch on which young Crawford -lay. A fervent Amen burst from the lips of all present. Nina was -crying quietly, she was very weak still, and this last strain had proved -almost too much for her overwrought nerves. Mrs. Ross sat beside her, -and held her hand fast locked in hers. Mr. Li stood there, calm and -dignified as ever, but there was a very kind, pleased look about his -dark eyes. - -In answer to young Crawford's query, he smiled, "You will be greatly -surprised when I tell you," he said, "and think it more of an Arabian -Night than ever. I told Mr. St. John to tell you to stand with your -back against the door because there was a false panel there. When I had -got the ladies well into the house, I returned to watch the situation -through a spy-hole, which I also have near the door. I was obliged to be -careful, for I did not wish to run the risk of getting any of our -friends in also. I saw you beat them back three times, and I also -marked that your strength was failing, and that they paused for an -instant for the final onslaught; it was the decisive moment, and a -minute's hesitation would have been fatal. As you swooned I slid the -panel and dragged you in--not a moment too soon. In fact I had barely -time to replace the bolt before they were upon it. Indeed I did secure -a trophy," and he held up a portion of a Chinese robe. - -Young Crawford looked at Mr. Li admiringly. "You have a wonderful mind," -he said, "a marvellous power of organization. What a splendid leader -you would make!" - -"To God be all the praise," replied Mr. Li, humbly, "it is He who -created and directed." - -"Where is our friend, Wang," asked Mr. Crawford, smiling. - -"He managed to get away in the rush," replied Mr. Li, "but I do not -think he will be able to do much harm, indeed I think we are well quit -of him." - -"Are we quite safe now?" asked Mrs. Ross of Mr. Li. - -"Yes, I think so," he replied, smiling. "This is a very wonderful -house, if you will not think me vainglorious for saying so, and the -egress is well out of Pekin. I shall be able to secure provisions, and -get messages, I hope, into Pekin, and by easy stages to conduct you to -Wei-hai-wei. At any rate you may rest in safety here for a time." - -"Rest and peace," said Mr. St. John, gently, "what a gracious God ours -is, giving His children just what they require. 'He that dwelleth in -the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the -Almighty.'" - -"Uncle," said Nina, "I wish you would sing a verse of that lovely hymn -you and Aunt Christine sang to us in the garden at Chen-si; it was -hearing you sing that hymn that made me long to lead the new life. I -thought it would be so nice to rest under the shadow of His wings." - -"And have you not found it so, dear child?" - -"Yes," she replied, softly, "I have; there _is_ rest and peace under the -shadow of His wings. Sing for us now, dear uncle, that we may rest." - -"I will, if you will all join with me in the refrain." - - In the shadow of His wings, - There is peace, sweet peace; - Peace that passeth understanding, - Peace, sweet peace that knows no ending, - There is rest, sweet rest; - There is peace, sweet peace, - There is joy, glad joy, - In the shadow of His wings! - - - * * * * * - -One more scene, a few months later, at the old Rectory belonging to Mrs. -St. John's father. It was Christmas time--that sweet season when, -because of the love of Christ, the coldest heart warms, the most -unforgiving relents and forgives. - -The rambling old Rectory was bright with sweet faces and glad young -voices. Mr. and Mrs. St. John, Cicely, Rachel, and the boys were there, -only one little flower was missing, especially cherished in her mother's -heart, the little one that had been with God so many months now. Cicely -had grown much in the last few months, her eyes were deeper still--she -was very near the stream which can never be recrossed, where the child -and the woman meet. Colonel Leicester and Nina were also there, Captain -and Mrs. Ross, and Mr. Li. The latter had been baptized, and had made -giant strides in the spiritual life. "What splendid Christians these -Chinese make!" exclaimed Paul St. John more than once. - -There was one visitor still to come. Mr. Crawford had begged to be -allowed to join the party, at any rate for a few hours, and they could -not do less than offer him hospitality. It was Christmas Eve, and the -chiming of the bells floated sweetly to them through the frosty air. -Cicely and Nina, arm in arm, were on the terrace, listening to the -bells. There was also a sound of carriage wheels which Nina did not -appear to hear. - -"Are they not sweet?" said Nina to Mrs. Ross, who had joined them. - -"Yes, but do you know, Nina," Lilian Ross replied archly, and almost in -a whisper, "I think I hear something else besides, a long way off, -perhaps--but still I think I hear besides--the sound of wedding bells." - - - - - R. W. SIMPSON & CO., LTD. - Printers, Richmond Press, Richmond and London. - - - - - - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A TALE OF RED PEKIN *** - - - - -A Word from Project Gutenberg - - -We will update this book if we find any errors. - -This book can be found under: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/41951 - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one -owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and -you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission -and without paying copyright royalties. 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