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[[underline]] Chapter X. [[/underline]] 209.

talk with him I pointed out the very strong desirability of obtaining, from what passed at that time as the Chinese "Government", some sort of tangible and official recognition of our work in place of the loose and nebulous arrangements under which we had been operating hitherto.  Mr. Bell saw Dr. Wellington Koo (then acting as Foreign Minister) on our behalf a few days later.  Dr. Koo's attitude, Mr. Bell informed me, was most friendly; but the speed and confusion with which public events were moving made it impossible for us to reach a definitive understanding at that time.
  It was during the same month of September, in fact that Marshal Wu P'ei-fu commenced his long expected war against his arch-enemy the Manchurian warlord.  His concentration of troops in this connection had the result usual in such cases; that wide areas being thus stripped of their guardians the local garrisons, a great resurgence of banditry immediately followed.  Our friends, both Chinese and foreign, protested the imprudence---according to some, the positive danger---of our trying to reach K'ai-fêng and keep our engagement with Mr. Wang Ku-ch'iao.  [[strikethrough]] (see page 197). [[/strikethrough]] We felt, however, that we ought at least to make the attempt.

[[underline]] Visit to K'ai-fêng. [[/underline]]
On September 29th, accordingly, with Messrs. Wenley, Tung, and Ch'iu I took the train for Honan.  Our journey southward was much delayed by interminable and constantly recurring waits at railway sidings while trains laden with soldiers and munitions of war traveled in the opposite direction, to the theater of hostilities in the north.  We met, however, with