creams and curses.
Coolies and passengers alike took part in the discussion, and as we were
the only foreigners, we felt handicapped by our lack of language. The
storm of yells mounted higher and higher, when suddenly the crowd gave
way a little, and E----'s boy managed to slide through, while Kwong,
pulling me, slipped close behind.

Indignity! It seems the passage had been cleared for a young Chinese
gentleman, clad in gorgeous brocade, an official, perhaps, since he
had all the marks of wealth and position. As we ran past, into the
space opened for him, the young official leaned forward and shouted
some insult into Kwong's ear, and Kwong made some furious retort.
Instantly the young official jumped from his rickshaw, dashed up to
Kwong, and struck him between the eyes. Poor little Kwong staggered,
and dropped the shafts, and I leaped out and caught the wrists of
the young gentleman just as he was aiming another blow at my unhappy
boy. What happened? While I held firmly pinioned the hands of the
young gentleman, Kwong recovered, and proceeded to deal the
official a series of stunning blows! He would have fallen except for
my hold on his wrists.

"Kwong, stop it! Behave yourself!" I shouted, and released the official
in order to seize Kwong. Whereupon the young gentleman pounded Kwong
anew. I was unable to hold the hands of both; could seize only one at a
time, and my part soon resolved itself into pinioning one belligerent
while the other struck him! A silly role, I must say. Impartially
holding up first one, then the other, for punishment! At a modest
estimate, I should say that one half the population of Peking
swarmed out of adjacent lanes and burrows to see the excitement, and
amidst the pandemonium of yells I heard some one shouting in
English: "Police house! Police house!" The finish came when E----'s
boy came to the rescue with a hearty kick to the young man, after
which the fighters broke away, and every one took to their rickshaws
and made off with all speed.

It was too much. To go out on a peaceful shopping expedition, and
become involved in a free-for-all fight! Some one of us lost face by
that episode, whether the official, Kwong, or myself, I'm not sure.
There wasn't much prestige to the whole thing. Just one fact stands
out clearly amidst that maze of swift events. At the end of the
street, about fifty feet beyond that wild mob, stood a Chinese
policeman. One hasty look he gave to the affair, and se