Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-03-01

the chaSm rs herself.
But You seem to have got over she
said bluntly.
Yes, but it was further up the field.
/ reckoned that the split might be deeper
but not SO broad in the rock outcrop
over there than in the adobe here. /
found it so and jumped it."
He looked rs if he might-alert, intel
hsent and self contained. Yet she said
nothing. He fingered a moment.
I'm afraid You must have been badly
shaken and little frightened up there
before the chimneys came down"
No" she was glad to say, briefly and
she believed tIuthfUlly; Il wasn't fright.
ened. | didn't even know it was an
earthquake"
"Ah," he reflected, "that was because
you are stranger. Its odd-they're
all like that. l suppose it's because no.
body really expects or believes in the
unlocked for thing, and yet that's the
thing that always happens, And then
of course that other affair, which really
Is serious, startled you the more"
She felt herself ridiculorsly and an.
grily blushing. II don't know what You
mean" she said icily. What other af.
fair?'
"Why, the we'll"
"The well:' she repeated vacantly.
Eyes, the artesian well has stopped.
Didn't tine major tell youg"
mo" said the girl. He was away.
| haven't seen him yet"
well, the flow of water has ceased
completely. That's what I'm here for.
The major sent for me, and I've been to
examine it"
And is that stoppage so very impor-
tantY she said dubiously.
1t was his turn to look at her wonder
ingly. "lf it's lost entirely it means ruin
for the rancho" he said seriously. He
wheeled his horse, nodded gravely and
trotted off.
Maj. Randolph's figure of the "life
blood of the rancho" flashed across her
suddenly. She knew nothing of irriga.
ton or the costly appliances by which
the Californian agnculturlst opposed
the long summer droughts. She only
vaguely guessed that the dreadful earth
quake had struck at the prosperity of
those people whom only a few hours
ago she had been proud to call her
friends. The underlying goodness of
her nature was touched. Should she let
a momentary fault-if it were not really,
after all, only Observation-Disclosures
between her and them at such a mo-
menR She turned and hurried quickly
toward the house.
fastening onward she found time,
however, to wonder also why these com.
mon men-she now included even the
young inventor in that category-were
all SO rude and uncivil to her. She had
never before been treated in this way;
she had always been rather embarrassed
by the admiring attentions of young
men-clerks and collegians in her At
lantic home, and of professional men,
merchants and stock brokers in San
Francisco. 1t was true they were not
as continually devoted 10 her and to tho
nice art anG etiquette Of pleasing as
Emile-they had other things TO think
about, being in business and not being
gentlemen, but then they were greatly
superior to these clowns, that took no
notice of her and rode off without lin
gering or formal leave taking when their
selfish affairs were concluded.
1t must be the contact of the vulgar
earth-this wretched, cracking, material
and yet ungovernable and lawless ea:th
that so deprayed them. She felt she
would like to say this to some one-not
her father, for he wouldn't listen to
her. not to the major, who would laugh.
ingly argue with her, but to Mrs. Ran
dolph, who would understand her-and
perhaps say it some day in her own
sharp, sneering way to those very
clowns. With these gentle sentiments
irradiating her blue eyes and putting
pink flush upon her fair cheek Rose
reached the garden with the intention of
rushing sympathetically into Mrs. Ran
dolph's arms.
But it suddenly occurred to her that
she would be obliged to state how she
became aware Of this misfortune, and
with it came an instructive aversion to
speak of her meeting with the inventor.
She would wait until Mrs. Randolph
told her. But although that lady was
engaged in low voiced discussion in
French with Emile and Adele which in
stantly ceased at her approach there
was no allusion made to the new calam-
ity.
lyon need not telegraph to your
father" she said, as Rose approached.
HE has already telegraphed to you for
news. AS you were out, and the mes
senger was waiting an answer, we
opened, the dispatch, and sent one telling
him that you were all right, and that he
need not hurry here ON your account.
So you are satisfied, | hope" A few
hours ago this would have been true,
and Rose would have probably seen in
the action of her hostess only flatter-
ing motherly supervision. There was,
in fact, still lingering trace OF that
trust in her mind, yet she was conscious
that she would have preferred TO answer
the dispatch herself and to have let her
father come.
iro N onErfsuEDI