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A recounting of a white man in China’s Secret Service and his exploits against Chinese rebels. His main hope rests in having the opposing general’s daughter onboard his train as he travels on his mission. Will the ruse work? Wait for an unexpected twist as the spy makes his narrow escape.
PS: A white secret agent in a country of yellow men? I thought the purpose of a secret spy was to blend in, not stick out.
Some background. During much of the 1800’s Brittain was the main contact of China with the rest of the world. The main commerce was in opium traffic. China was getting fed up with the white man, but at the beginning of the 20th century, American missionaries flocked to China to offer civic support, to build schools and hospitals. In general, to give back, and not take so much. Still, just after World War 1, the Chinese felt that Christianity was changing the people against the government, demanded that a Chinese national be put on the administrative boards of the civic projects. The climate led to the rebellions and uprisings mentioned in the story today. Eventually missionaries were expelled, and the communists took over.
