“He was put out of his hotel for so doing,” added another.

“I have heard he is a spy,” came from a third.

“I give you my word of honor, captain, that I am not a spy,” said Gilbert, when he could get the chance to speak.

“Who are you?”

“I am simply an American citizen, the selling agent for the Richmond Importing Company. We have been doing business here for several years.”

“I see.” The Russian captain mused for a moment. “But it is true that you aided some Japanese, yes?”

“I helped one man whom I knew personally. He was being put out of his house after paying his rent. I made the rent gatherer give the rent money back. The man was poor, and he had a sick wife and several small children depending upon him.”

“Ha! I see. Well, we have no further use for the Japanese in this city, or in the whole of Manchuria, for the matter of that. They must leave and[Pg 55] at once. I will investigate your case more fully later. In the meantime you must remain here.”

[Pg 55]

Gilbert’s heart sank and for the time being he knew not how to reply. If he was made a prisoner there was no telling when he would be able to clear himself and get away. The Russian authorities might keep him locked up for weeks and even months. In the meanwhile, what would become of the Columbia with her valuable cargo, and what would become of his friends on board?

“They are not going to keep me a prisoner if I can help it,” he told himself grimly. “I’ve been in a tight fix before and got out of it, and I’ll get out of this one too!”

The opportunity to escape came sooner than expected. Scarcely a quarter of an hour went by when there was a commotion on the street, and word was brought in that all the Chinese and Japanese in Port Arthur were rising, to massacre the Russian citizens. The report was a false one, but it produced a terrible sensation for a couple of hours, and the Russian soldiers were called out to quell the disturbance.

In the excitement Gilbert watched his chance, and when he was not observed, he slipped from among the soldiers who surrounded him and through an open doorway into another portion of the building. From this apartment he ran into a near-by shed, 

 Prev. P 36/178 next