The Irish standard., 1909-03-06

1--WE must find Randall; the poor
soul has mortal terror Of 'quakes-"
Aunt Rebecca's wellbred accents were
unruff1ed; she appeared a thought
stimulated, nothing more: danger al
ways acted as tonic on Winter nerves
-"Archie. you go put your clothes on
this minute, honey And suppose we
ought to look up Millicent."
The colonel, however, had barely set
foot on the threshold when Mrs. Mel
vile appeared, propelling Randall,
whom she had rescued from the maids
closet where she was covering behind
her neat frocks, momentarily expect
ing DEATH but decently ready for it in
gown and shoes. Mrs. Melville her.
self, in the disorder of the shock. had
merely added her best Paris hat and
skeleton hustle to her dainty night
gear She had not forgotten her
kimono; she had only forgotten to don
it; and it draggled over her free arm.
But her dignity was intact. The in
slant she beheld her kindred she de-
manded of them, as If they were re-
sponsible, whether this was a sample
Of the Californian climate. Keatcham
blushed and fed with Colvin and the
giggling Arnold and Archie, who was
too polite to giggle.
Mrs. Winter put on her eyeglasses.
"Millicent." said she in the gentlest of
tones, "your hustle Is on crooked"
One wild glance at the merciless
mirror in the carved pier-glass did
Mrs. Melville give, and, then, without
a word, she fed.
Randall" said Mrs. Winter, you
look very nice; come and help me
dress. There will most likely be some
more shocks"
Randall. trembling In every limb,
but instinctively assuming a COM
posed mien, followed the undaunted
old lady.
The colonel was going in another
direction, having heard a telephone
bell. He was most anxious to put him.
self into communication with Birdsall,
because not even during the earth
quake had he forgotten an uglier peril;
and 1t had occurred to him that Atkins
was Of a temper not to be frightened
by the commissions Of order; but rather
to make his account Of it. Nor did the
message through the telephone tend
to reassure him.
The man at the other end OF the
telephone was Birdsall. No telling
how long the telephone service would
keep up, he reported; wires were down
around the corner; worse, the water
mains were spouting; and from where
he stood since he felt the first shock
he had counted 36 fires. Ten OF them
Of his men had homes; and field
glass had shown that the houses were
all tossed about there; he couldn't
keep his men steady; 1t seemed inhu-
man to ask them to stay when their
wives and children might be dying; OF
course 1t was his damn lnck to have
all married men from down there.
We'll, reckon you will have to let
them go; but watch out begged the
colonel, "for you know the men we are
after will take advantage Of general
disorder to get in their dirty work.
Now is the most dangerous time"
Birdsaill knew It; he had had init
nations that some men were trying to
sneak up the hill: they had been
turned back. They pretended to be
some wandering railway workers; but
Birdsall distrusted them. He-no use
to ring! Vain to tap the carriage Of
the receiver! The telephone was dead,
Jared out of existence somewhere be-
yond their ken.
BY this time the cold sunlight OF
the woefullest day that San Francisco
had ever seen was spread over the
earth. The city was spotted with
blood-red spouts Of flames. The ruin
of the earthquake had hardly been
visible from their distance. although
1t was ugly enough and Of real impor-
tance; but, even in the brief space
which they in Casa Fuerte had waited
before they should set forth. fires had
enkindled in all directions. most dread
full to see; nor did there seem to be
any check upon them.
Tracy had walked the domestic staff.
and, dazed but stoical. they were get
ting breakfast. But Keatcham could
not wait; he was in cold fury Of
haste to get to the town.
He had consented to wait for his
breakfast under Miss Smiths repre-
sentation that 1t would be ready at
once and her assurance that he
couldn't work through the day with
out t.
Happily, Archie" explained Tracy.
whose unquenchable college levity no
earthquake could affect, happily my
domestic jewel has been stocked up
/ with rice and oatmeal, two Of the most
nutritious of foods; and Miss Janet is
making coffee on her travelling coffee
pot for the Boss. That's alcohol, and
independent of gas-mains. Lucky; for
the gas.range is out Of action, and we
have to try charcoal. Notice one in
teresting thing, Archie? Old Keatch-
am. whom we were fighting tooth and
nail three weeks ago, is now bossing
us as ruthlessly as football coach;
80 C1,,.l- Co,,r O. <oLtno hic o1oo1r