of their imperial master.

And then soldiers commenced coming in from the east, but not with the
gay assurance of those who came from the south and west--no, these
others came in covered wagons, blood-soaked and suffering. They came
at first in little parties of eight or ten, and then they came in
fifties, in hundreds, and one day a thousand maimed and dying men were
carted into New Gondar.

It was then that Menelek XIV became uneasy. For fifty years his armies
had conquered wherever they had marched. At first he had led them in
person, lately his presence within a hundred miles of the battle line
had been sufficient for large engagements--for minor ones only the
knowledge that they were fighting for the glory of their sovereign was
necessary to win victories.

One morning, New Gondar was awakened by the booming of cannon. It was
the first intimation that the townspeople had received that the enemy
was forcing the imperial troops back upon the city. Dust covered
couriers galloped in from the front. Fresh troops hastened from the
city, and about noon Menelek rode out surrounded by his staff.

For three days thereafter we could hear the cannonading and the
spitting of the small arms, for the battle line was scarce two leagues
from New Gondar. The city was filled with wounded. Just outside,
soldiers were engaged in throwing up earthworks. It was evident to the
least enlightened that Menelek expected further reverses.

And then the imperial troops fell back upon these new defenses, or,
rather, they were forced back by the enemy. Shells commenced to fall
within the city. Menelek returned and took up his headquarters in the
stone building that was called the palace. That night came a lull in
the hostilities--a truce had been arranged.

Colonel Belik summoned me about seven o'clock to dress him for a
function at the palace. In the midst of death and defeat the emperor
was about to give a great banquet to his officers. I was to accompany
my master and wait upon him--I, Jefferson Turck, lieutenant in the
Pan-American navy!

In the privacy of the colonel's quarters I had become accustomed to my
menial duties, lightened as they were by the natural kindliness of my
master, but the thought of appearing in public as a common slave
revolted every fine instinct within me. Yet there was nothing for it
but to obey.

I cannot, even now, bring myself to a narration of the humiliation
which I experienced that night