Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-02-16

ought to look up Mlllicent."
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 1t 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 1t draggled over her free arm.
But her dignity was intact. The IN
slant she beheld her kindred she de-
manded of them, as II 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"
In NYnh
but instinctively assuming a CON-
posed mien, followed the undaunted
,ld lady.
The colonel was going in another
direction, having heard telephone
bell. He was most anxious to put HIM
self into Communication with Birdsali,
because not even during the earth
quake had he forgotten an uglier peril;
and it had occurred to him that Atkins
was Of temper not to be frightened
by the commissions OF order: but rather
to make his account OF 1t. 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 we're spouting; and from where
he stood since he felt the first shock
he had counted &c fires Ten OF them
were down in the quarter where some
of his men had homes; and a field
glass had shown that the houses were
all tossed about there; he couldn't
keep his men steady; it seemed inhu-
nan to ask them to stay when their
wives and children might be dying; OF
course 1t was his damn luck to have
al married men from down there.
well, reckon you will have to let
them 20; 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 1t; he had had init
nations that some men were trying to
sneak up the hill; they had been
turned back. They pretended to 9
some wandering railway workers; bit
Bisisall 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
49, drnffod 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>
lance; 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 walt 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 it.
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
not 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 bosslng
us as ruthlessly as football coach;
and Cousin Cary is taking his slack
talk as meek as freshman. Great
Ole boy, Keatcham! And-oh, | say!
has any one gone to the rescue of the
Rogerses? saw Kito speeding over
that way from the garage and Haley
hiking after him. hope the nine
small yellow domestics are not burned
at the stake with Rogers; the bally
fire-trap is blazing like tar-barrel!"
AS it happened, the colonel had dis
patched small party to their neigh
boris aid. Haley and Kito were not
among them; they were to guard the
garage which was too vital point i'll
their household economy to leave un-
protected. Nevertheless, Haley and