Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1894-03-02

the cnaSm az
i "But you seen Ii !" shs
said bluntly.
'sYes, but it was ellef up the field
reckoned that the split might be deeper
but not SO broad in the rock outcror
over there than in the adobe here.
found it SO and jumped it."
! He looked as if he might--alert, intel
ligent and self contained. Yet she said
nothing. He fingered moment.
'I'm afraid you must have been badly
shaken and a little frightened up there
before the chimneys came down."
mo-" she was glad TO say, briefly and
she believed truthfully; 81 wasn't fright
ened. | didn't even know it was an
| earthquake
"Ah," he reflected. that was because
you are stranger. It's odd-they're
all like that. | 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"
1.-THE well?' she repeated vacantly.
eyes, the artesian well has stopped.
Didn't the major tell your"
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-
tant" she said obviously.
1t was his turn to look at her wonder
ingly. IF 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 agriculturist opposed
the long summer droughts. She only
vaguely guessed that the dreadful earth
quake had struck at the prosperity of
those people whom only few hours
ago she had been proud to call her
friends. The underlying goodness of
her nature was touched. Should she let
momentary fault-if it were not really.
after all, only a MISUNDERSTANDING |
between her and them at such a mo-
ment? 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 |
lantlc home, and of professional men, |
merchants and stock brokers in San
francisco. 1t was true they were not
as continually devoted to her and to the |
nice art and 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 earth
that so depraved 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
wit - n
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
her blue eyes and putting a
pink flush upon her fair cheek Rose
reached the garden with the intention of
rushing alphabetically 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 1t came an instructive aversion to
speak of her meeting with the inventor.
She would wait until Mrs. Randolph
.old her. But although that lady was
in low voiced discussion in
French with Emile and Adele which in :
SANITY ceased at her approach there
vas no allusion made to the new calam-
ty.
You need not telegraph to your
ather," she said, as Rose approached.
He has already telegraphed to you for
Jews. As you were out, and the mes
enger was waiting an answer, we
pened the dispatch, and sent one telling
lim that you were all right, and that he
iced not hurry here ON your account
20 you are satisfied, hope" A few
ours ago this would have been true,
nd Rose would have probably seen in
he action of her hostess only a fiatter-
az motherly supervision There was,
fact, still a lingering trace of that :
rust in her mind, yet she was conscious
hat she would have preferred to answer
he dispatch herself and to have let her 4
ither come
fro BR OoNrTNUKDl