“And what is the news from Pekin?”
“All our people are shut up, and suffering a terrible bombardment. A mine was discovered under the American legation, but it was cut off before the Chinese could explode it. They say most of the dwellings of the foreigners are wrecked. Many of the missionaries outside of Pekin have been slain, and their bodies mutilated.”
Mrs. Bartlett shuddered. “War is horrible, lieutenant. I want no more of it. And I want no more of the Chinese. If my husband gets better, I am going to persuade him to sell out his interest here, and go back to the States.”
Soon after this Jennie came back; and then Gilbert was invited to tiffin on the back piazza, which had been repaired since the fall of the tree. As Mrs. Bartlett was a motherly lady and Jennie a lovely and engaging young miss, it can readily be imagined that Gilbert enjoyed the repast thoroughly. He lingered as long as he dared, and then hurried off to the office of the provost marshal of the district, to caution the guard against allowing the Bartletts to be disturbed by either Nuggy Polk or Jerry Nickerson.
When the young lieutenant arrived at headquarters, he found that some mail had just come in from the States and from the Philippines. There was one letter for him from Manila, and written by Larry Russell, that interested him very much. This ran as follows:—
“Dear Gilbert,—I suppose by the time this reaches you, you will be in the hottest of the fighting, and will be covering yourself with glory. Well, go in and win, and don’t come out of the struggle with less than a colonel’s commission.
“All still remains somewhat quiet here, and we boys expect to move very soon; but whether to China or to the United States nobody can tell. The rebels are lying low in the mountains, and Ben says he may get another go at them; but I don’t think so.
“By the way, there is an old friend of mine in China, a missionary named Martin Wells, who sailed with me on the Columbia. You’ll remember my telling you about him. He was stationed at Hong Kong at first, but later on went to Pekin; and I’ve read in a newspaper that he was trying to escape from the Boxers. If you can do anything for him, I wish you would. Have you seen or heard anything of the old Columbia? She must be somewhere around the Gulf of Pechili, unless the Chinese pirates have captured her. I hear that those rascals are taking advantage of the war. I must hurry, as the mail is closing.
“Ever your friend,
“Larry Russell.”
“Dear Larry!” murmured Gilbert. “I don’t wonder Ben and Walter love him. Yes, I remember hearing about the Rev. Mr. Wells; and I’ll do all I can for him if we chance to meet.”