“Then why was that shot fired at you?”
“I don’t know anything about that. If I was signaling to the Japanese, do you think they’d fire at me?”
“The shot may have come from one of our forts. Come down at once.”
Evidently the Russian corporal was afraid another shot might imperil his own safety, and he hustled Gilbert down to the lower floor of the building without ceremony. As soon as the American appeared there was a cry of astonishment from all of the soldiers.
“What is he doing here?”
“Is he the American who aided those Japanese?”
“Let us make an example of him! We want no traitors in Port Arthur!”
So the talk ran on, and for the moment it looked as if Gilbert would suffer bodily violence. But then a rather pleasant-looking Russian captain stalked up, and pushed his men back.
“Not so fast, men,” he said, quietly but firmly. “This American may mean no harm after all.”
“But it is known that he has helped the Japanese,” said one.