The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-08

and debris high in the air. OF five men
who were standing over the spot where
the mines exploded. three were engulf-
ed and nver seen again. the other two
escaped miraculously. An entrance
was burst into the legation, and the
small garrison had to fall back to an
inner line of defence, which they were
able to hold. The Chinese fired the
abandoned buildings and occupied the
ruins, and the next morning the i'm
perial banner waved over what had
been the residence of the French minis
ter.
simultaneously with the eruption of
the mines a desperate attack was made
upon the German legation by body
of Chinese soldiers, who broke into the
club and gained the tennis ground be-
fore they were met and repulsed, at the
point of the bayonet. by Count Soden
and his handful of men.
The blow he had received on the head
did not incapacitate Alec for duty, and
those final trying days of active nos
tilities found him doing his snare with
the rest of the defenders, now at one
post, now at another.
From the 18th of July the siege TOOK
on a new aspect, and an armistlce pc
gan-if ii can be so called. Shipping con-
tinued whenever an opportunity offered,
but the OTRan1Zeu dltdCho SS".~7SN 49,
the big Krupp guns were silent. Neither
side, however, relaxed vigilance or pre-
paration.' The legations defences were
strengthened more and more.
The first cheering news was brought
by Japanese messenger, VINO hao SUE
cessfully passed through the enemy
lines and returned. From this source II
was learned that the allied forces hao
taken Tien Tsin on the fourteenth oi
July, and that they were to march I'M
mediately on Pekin. So the month
wore on.
The garden of Prince Fu's palace
known as the Su Wang Fu-was one
| of the most important positions neio
| nv the defenders, since it lay opposite 10
| the British legation. It had withstooo
MANY desperate attacks and FURIOUS
shell-fire during the siege, ana from
| time to time, as its strategic value IN
| creased. the Italians and japanese VINO
| occupied it had been reinforced from
| the various legations. Here, late IN the
| afternoon of the tenth of August ex-
posed to a drizzling rain, a NUMBER
| Of men were employed in digging
| trench a few yards inside of the outer
| line of defense. The spot chosen was
one that offered exceptional advant-
ages for the enemy to drive mlne'
| and the object of the labor was 10 dls-
| cover and battle any such possible de-
sign.
scarcely 20 yards separated the two
positions, and the Chinese dragons sol
| diers and the foreign marines, as tney
stood at the loopholes behind their re-
spcctive barricades, could almost look
into the muzzles of one another's rlnes.
Not a shot had been exchanged that
day; grim and silent was the ugly
| IxrE ydC g.
| tant. which before the armistice mao
| accurately raked the post with shell
| and shrapnel. In the trench, under the
supervision of Mr.. Caetani of the ltal-
| ian legation, the men toiled shoulder
deep, plying pick and spade, cutting
| their way along foot by foot. Alec
| Drury and his faithful shadow Kin 500
were we'll to the front of the line, and
| next to them were William Cocket and
| Nick Kilemoff. who were as chummy
as ever, and were seldom seen apart.
Among the others were Austrians, Brit
ish, and customs and student volun-
teers; when special work was to be
done men were selected without re-
gard to nationality.
"Pd rather be lootin' than dom this
ere" grumbled the London cockney.
but 1 don't see much chance of that"
Don't worry" said Alec. There's a
good time coming, by and BY"
"And when 1T does come" remarked
| the Russian, shaking fist in the direc-
ton of the imperial palace, I'VE will
make ourselves even with these yellow
dogs"
1--WE will, rather" vehemently assent
ed Cocket. What do you think? His
spade hung poised in the air for an in
slant. "'Ullo. what's the row about
now" he added.
All stopped to listen, wondering what
had happened to call forth the pro-
longed, hearty cheering that fioated
from a point beyond the British lega-
ton. 1t was something out of the COM
mon. certainly.
May / go and inquire, sir?" Alec
asked of Mr.. Caetanf.
Permission was given, and the young
American climbed out of the trench
and sped on his errand. He was back
in five minutes.
"Hurrah! Hurrah!" he cried. waving
his cap. "A messenger has just come
in through the enemy's lines bringing
letters from Gen. Gasalee and Gen. Fu-
kushima. A strong relief force is with
in a few marches of Pekin-Gen. Casa
lee says that he expects to arrive by
the 18th or 14th.'
The good news spread throughout the
Flu, from barricade to barricade. And
much noisy enthusiasm was manifest
ed.
ANY use to keep on with this 'ere?"
inquired Bill Cocket, when the wave
of cheering had spent itself.
"It is more important than ever"
replied Mr.. Caetani, ito make sure
that no mines are being excavated I'M
der our feet. The Chinese know more
about the relief force than we do, and
they will make desperate efforts to re-
duce the legations in the little time
that is left to them. The crisis of the
siege is not yet passed. Let the work
proceed"
The wisdom Of the italian attaches
words-which were to prove prophetic
was appreciated by the men, who led
to with renewed energy Alec, leaping
back to his place in the trench, sent
the loose earth flying as he drove his
pick. Relief in sight at last! How the
Joyous tidings thrilled him.
Two or three days more VIII see the
end" he told himself, land then shall
surely get some word from my father.
/ wish Dan and the others knew how
nearly their troubles were over. But
they won't have long to wait.
A moment later, without the least
warming, a terrific explosion occurred
half a dozen yards to the right of the
digging operations, toward the British
legation. A column of smoke and rub
bish scared high in the air, and at
the same instant a black chasm yawn-
- ..a-xy feet Of the xUorLare yvbn