204 ACROSS MONGOLIAN PLAINS 



could not return without them. As they could see for 

 themselves our passports had been properly viseed by 

 the Foreign Office in Peking, and we were prepared to 

 stay. 



The soldiers returned to Kwei-hua-cheng, and the 

 following day we were honored by a visit from the com- 

 mandant himself. To him we repeated our determina- 

 tion to remain. He evidently realized that we could not 

 be dislodged and suggested a compromise arrangement. 

 He would send soldiers to guard our house and to ac- 

 company us while we were hunting. We assented read- 

 ily, because we knew Chinese soldiers. Of course, the 

 sentinel at the door troubled us not at all, and the ones 

 who were to accompany us were easily disposed of. For 

 the first day's hunt with our guard we selected the 

 roughest part of the mountain, and set such a terrific 

 pace up the almost perpendicular slope that before long 

 they were left far behind. They never bothered us 

 again. 



