I had, in company with the correspondent of the London “Times,” early in the morning of the 20th of June, in the most emphatic language, represented the true state of the case to Minister Conger, only to be met with the cold reply, as he turned away after listening to us, “I don’t agree with you.” But on receipt of the news of Ketteler’s death, a few moments later, the United States minister “changed his mind,” and reluctantly admitted it would be impossible to go to Tientsin, and that we must try and defend ourselves in Peking until a large relief force could arrive to rescue us. Hasty preparations were then made to send all the women and children into the English legation, which was the largest of all the legations, as well as the strongest, from which to make a final stand. In a few hours after the news of Von Ketteler’s murder a steady stream of men, women, and children, carrying bundles, buckets, and trunks, could have been seen pouring into the main gate of the British legation, all with anxious faces. Carts, too, loaded with provisions from the three foreign stores, were making the best use of the time in transferring all the available eatables and drinkables within the protection of the legation walls. As the twenty-four hours granted us in which to hasten from the city expired at 4 P.M., all used their entire energy as well as that of the coolies and servants at their disposal, so that at the time specified, when the Chinese opened a terrifying fire upon us from all sides, provisions enough to last us several months were safely under shelter. CHAPTER V _DIARIES OF THE AUTHOR AND HIS SON FROM JUNE 20 TO END OF SIEGE_ [Illustration: HSII YUNG I Beheaded for favoring moderation. Member of Tsung-li-yamen] AT FOUR o’clock on the afternoon of June 20, 1900, all the foreign women and children, and nearly all of the civilians of Peking and vicinity, including the customs staff and the missionary body, had taken refuge in the British legation. It was surprising to every one to find that, in the time that had elapsed since the arrival of the British marines, May 31, no barricades had been erected, no trenches dug, nor any attention paid whatever to rendering the place better able to stand a siege. In talking with one of the British sergeants, and commenting upon this utter neglect, he informed me that Captain Halliday had, a few days before, attempted to improvise some barriers by means of dry-goods boxes filled with earth, but had been so laughed at and snubbed by Captains Strouts and Wray, British officers, that he had given up the attempt. Sir Claude MacDonald, the British minister, who is an ex-major in the army, and should have instructed in this very important duty, was, equally with marine officers, culpably silent.