"Through the windows and cracks most of us saw General Hsu led] away in the dim light by the 30 guards and, perhaps a hundred yards from our quarters, saw him fall, after two shots had been fired which we all thought were revolver shots. In such matters and under uch circumstances no one can be absolutely sure.
"As they were leading General] Hsu away we heard one of the soldiers remark that quilted gown was of silk, to which his fellow replied: 'The lining's silk too,' so we feared that his execution was settled upon. After this the changing of the guards went on as usual with no news for the rest of us until, somewhere about ten in ig, we heard a train come direction. The' our compound all shouted: Here comes Lu Ta Ma-tze (the big pock-marked Lu)', which was the first that any of us had heard of Lu Cheng-wu, There was much excitement when the train; came into the station, but it was nearly an hour later before we were dragged out by our guards anil lined up at attention,—military fashion, for Colonel Lu's inspection. He came up to us, dressed la Civilian clothes, looking rather dejected we t, and at once] addressed us, saying:
The Story of Revenge 1am Lu Chien-chang's son, Lu Cheng-wu. In the year 1905 Iwas! sent to Japan as a student together with Hsu Shu-chang, and both of} us took our wives, We were entered in the Japanese cadet college to study military science and by agreement we settled in the He and his wife lived down stairs while I and my ife lived above, but we lived as jone "family and' he and I were brothers. Then, after we had come back and had each entered upon his career, he shot my father without trial, treacherously and in cold Blood. Since then I've devoted not only all the power of my pen but all my physical energy as weill the single cause of revenge. Opportunities have been few. _When he was recently in Peking I sent} men to spy on his movements but he was always surrounded by xo many friends and subordi tes. that fan attenipt to reach him seemed fati 'The reason that I have asked you to come out and listen to this' speech is that 1 wanted you to know the background and history this affair which very few persons really do know—particularly, that having to do with my former personal relations with Hsu, I'm Sorsy that you have been detained] here in diceomfort for more than 12 hours without food or drink, but hope that my explanation will suffice as an apology.'
Confined All Day 'After this speech, young Lu, he is called, went away abruptly' and we thought that our troubles: were over. We were taken back and heard his train move out; but' We were then called out and lined! up again and told that we must have our photo taken as we stood, presumably by way of humiliation No food was offered us nor tea and wwe remained in solitary confincment, still under two guards each, until' 3 o'clock that afternoon Then there came aman name Chou, chief of the Relations partment, of Chang Tutung's headquarters, who visited us all and made a for of hypocritical speech. He said that this was a most unfortunate affair, entirely a mistake, and that it could not have happened! if Chang Chih-chiang and his. stof had not chanced to have been away' during the entire performance. said that it was apparently due entirely to Lu Cheng-wu's_desite for revenge and that the Tutung would have countenanced nothin of the sort had he been within each. We therefore suggested that since it was all a mistake and since Col, Lu Cheng-wa, had. gone, there was no reason for keeping. us under "auch strict military guard} without food or drink and we asked this man Chow. to dismiss the entries. He turned to them nce and ordered them to go, Dut they refused to move, saying' that they were there under' the Tutung's orders and could. take no onders from him. He got very red in the face and went away but shortly returned with a Tieutenant who dismissed the guard. Chow then took into the village to a local restaurant and ordered tea and food! for us. While we were eating] under this Mr. Chow's care, wel were visited by a General Hung (a Ching Yi Fu Yuan' Chang) who known formerly to General Hsu and to several of us present. He protested that this was a hid ous affair and could not. have happened with the knowledge of the high authorities. He said that he had already asked and had received the Tutung's permission to buy coffin and bury General Hsu; but had found great, difficulty in, procuring a suitable coffin in such small community but was on the Yoint*of purchasing one that was} priced at $68. We thanked for his consideration and advised him to go ahead with his arrange:
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.