net result is that we have been unendingly busy. There
have been expeditions, raids, and native Christians pouring in and
demanding sanctuary within our lines. One story is worth telling, as
showing how we are being forced to act.

Word came to us suddenly that the Boxers had caught a lot of native
Christians, and had taken them to a temple where they were engaged in
torturing them with a refinement of cruelty. One of our leaders
collected a few marines and some volunteers, marched out and
surrounded the temple and captured everybody red-handed. The Boxers
were given short shrift--those that had their insignia on; but in the
sorting-out process it was impossible to tell everybody right at first
sight. Christians and Boxers were all of them gory with the blood
which had flown from the torturing and brutalities that had been going
on; so the Christians were told to line up against the wall of the
temple to facilitate the summary execution in progress. Then a big
fellow rushed out of a corner, yelling, "I have received the faith."
Our leader looked at the man with a critical eye, and then said to him
in his quietest tones, "Stand up against the wall." The Boxer stood up
and a revolver belched the top of his head off. With that quickness of
eye for which he is distinguished, our leader had seen a few red
threads hanging below the fellow's tunic. The man, as he fell with a
cry, disclosed his sash underneath. He was a Boxer chief. At least
thirty men were killed here.

But it was at the Western Roman Catholic Cathedral that the most
exciting times up till now have been had, for there, as at the other
cathedral, the Boxers have been at work. The first relief expedition
went out during the night--that is, last night. Headed by some one
from the French Legation, the expedition managed to bring in all the
priests and nuns attached to the cathedral mission. Old Father
d'A----, a charming Italian priest, was the most important man
rescued. After having been forty years here, he surveys the present
scenes of devastation and pillage with the remark, "_En Chine il n'y a
ni Chretiens ni civilisation. Ce ne sont la que des phrases_." That is
what he said.

This morning a second relief corps, containing the most miscellaneous
elements, tramped away stolidly in the direction of the still smoking
cathedral ruins in the hopes of saving some more unfortunates, and our
expectations were soon realised. After a walk of a mile and a half, we