Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-10-08

wOnderingly.
~ h"tS hPF Amy" he said
very slowly, not raising his eyes from
the fire. she wants divorce, OF
course. don't blame her. l can't
I've been dog, Tom"
didn't say anything. The silence
made me uncomfortable. Presently he
spoke again.
Il thought had got used to living
without her and that wouldn't MIND.
But a man can't always tell. After all,
it's pretty hard when it comes to the
showdown. But | wish she'd had the
papers served yesterday or had waited
until tomorrow" He leaned forward,
resting his elbows on his knees. This
is our wedding anniversary, Tom"
| understood Jack Marryatt well
enough to know he'd kick ME out OF
the room if expressed any sympathy.
He didn't want pity. He wanted some
one to listen while he cursed himself
for strong headed. stubborn brute.
He was partly right. but / didn't be-
lieve he was altogether at fault. l
didn't tell him so; he would have
knocked ME down.
So | dressed. and we lit our pipes,
and / listened while he talked of her.
No lover ever spoke more reverently
Of a woman than he did Of Amy. /
listcnek 1t was his heart | heard
his big. honest, throbbing, bruised
heart. And as he spoke | saw where
the little thread had crept in-the lit
tie thread Of discord that had grown
to q cable and pulled them apart. Jack
was proud, and so was Amy, poor girl
too proud to see and to understand
that, after all, it was only rope of
sand
When at last he ceased | gazed out
the window at the moonlight falling
upon the spires and domes and roofs
of San Francisco. Here and there
lights 1ickered in the windows. Be-
low in the street occasionally footsteps
passed. a touring car swept by, or d
hack from which came voices and
laughter.
Presently there drifted to us from
an all night restaurant a confusion of
sounds, which gradually blended, bear
ing to us the melody of Home. Sweet
Home" For q moment Jack listened;
then lie closed the window and re-
sumed his seat with a sigh. From
afar off, on the still air. came the
deep tone of bell striking the hour
one. two. three. four, five. | started
and looked nj Jack. 1t was morning,
and 1t had not seemed an hour! He
" walked To window and stood with
his hands behind him, the waning
moonlight fringing his hair with pale
, silver
| do not know how long he stood
there. My pipe had gone out. The
ashes in the CRATE were dull and life
less. A wicked silence seemed to lay
on everything.
Suddenly heard sound as of rush.
ing wind ard listened, then got to my
feet. only to reel and cling to my chair
The walls trembled and creaked; the
floor rose and fell. surging sea. The
building shiyered and groaned like a
wounded animal. Old man Fear
knocked at the door. Something caught
me up ard tossed me in the air, and
/ fell-down, down, down! Again
was picked up and whirled around
once twice. then dashed against the
wall was dizzy. My head ached
my veins seemed bursting. ] grabbed
my breath with both hands and held
On.
The earth was roaring. 1t ratified
the bones in my body. The sky sung
to it. | could feel the humming in my
feet. Every hair of my head, every
nerve, every fiber of me, was vibrat-
ing million times a second. l was
numb. tortured, delirious with fever,
shaking with chill.
saw Jack at intervals. In that
awful first instant he had eXtinguished
the gas, but the moon and the dawn
shone dimly. in which his face half
showed. Here and there the shadows
shifted, rose and fell-wave shadows.
From above, from below, from every
side came a grinding, SCATTERING, roar
ing, like a hundred trains crossing q
hundred bridges. Then followed the sill
very rattle of breaking glass, the thun
derous crash of walls, wild screams
that grew feeble, ceased, then silence.
ran to q window, but could see
nothing but dust, dust 1t shut out the
day and the moon. l CROPPED back into
the room. Jack was standing in the
open door, twisting and untwisting bis
soft felt hat.
Earthquake My Godw he cried in
a hoarse whisper.
tried to speak, but my tongue was
frozen. l reached out my hand and
touched his coat. felt the warmth of
his body and. laughed like q child that