Indiscreet Letters from Peking, by B.L. Putnam Weale

An account of the siege of Peking by Bertram Lenox Simpson (1877-1930), under the pen name B.L. Putnam Weale. Simpson was born in China, later worked at the Imperial Maritime Customs, from which he was sacked in 1901.
Robert A. Bickers wrote of him in 'Britain in China,' as "the consummate treaty port jobbing hack, writing commentaries, begging for newspaper work, penning novels, . He worked thereafter in Chinese government or warlord employ". (p. 33)
He was murdered in 1930 while working for warlord Yan Xishan, having taken control of the Tianjin customs.