the shelton's return to china was delayed until 1913 by war and chaos in kham. they returned to batang along with two other fcms missionary families, the ogdens and the hardys, in july 1914. the missionaries financed the construction of a large comfortable compound in the small tibetan town in which they lived and worked. shelton continued to take photographs and collect tibetan art to sell to museums. he also treated a great variety of patients, including chinese soldiers wounded in fighting with tibetans. he traveled widely over a large area. the shelton family became "tibetanized" in many ways. shelton was abducted by brigands in early 1920 and held prisoner for about two months before being rescued.