Illustration: Count Guy d'Oultremont, Adjutant of the Belgian Court.
French howitzer in the background]

[Illustration: From left to right: Colonel DuCane, Captain Ferguson, and
Colonel Fairholme]

When I got back to the Legation I found the Argentine and Brazilian
Ministers and the Mexican Charge d'Affaires waiting to hear the news of
my mission. I was rather hot under the collar, and gave an unexpurgated
account of what had happened. By this time I was beginning to see some
of the humor in the situation, but they saw nothing but cause for rage,
and left in a fine temper.

Just to see what would happen, we then proceeded to put our cable in its
original form into cipher, and send it back to the General with a
written request that it be sent immediately to Washington. It will be
interesting to see what reply he makes. The Spanish Minister left some
telegrams with him last night to be sent, and is quite sure that they
were held up, as he has received no answers to any of them. To-morrow he
expects to put on his uniform and make a solemn official call on von
Jarotzky to demand that he be granted free communication with his
government.

During the afternoon a lot of correspondents came in and gave an amusing
account of what the General had done for them. He had received them
cordially and had given them a very pleasing interview, making an
extended statement about the alleged German atrocities. Could they send
their messages through to their papers? Certainly! Of course the General
would have to read the stories and approve the subject matter.
Naturally! The boys sat down in great enthusiasm and wrote out their
stories, giving full credit to the German army for the orderly way they
got in, the excellence of their appearance and behaviour, and the calm
that prevailed in the city. They took these messages back and let the
old chap read them. He plowed his way carefully through them and
expressed his great satisfaction at the friendly expressions of
approval. He put his O.K. on them and handed them back with the remark
that they might send them. The boys ventured to inquire how. "Oh," said
the General, "you can either send a courier with them to Holland or to
Germany and have them telegraphed from there." Whereupon he rose and,
bowing graciously, left the bunch so flabbergasted that they did not
wake up until he was gone. He was most amiable and smiling and got away
with it.

The General commanding the forces now coming