Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-03-21
CHAPTER XII.
Hardin's Luck.


Two days later there was a shock Of
earthquake, SO slight that the tapping
of the water in Richards bath was his
intimation OF the earth's uneasiness.
In the dining room later he found ev-
eryonO discussing IL. "Who could re-
member an earthquake in that desertT
"The Hrst shake"
During the morning. unfathered, as
rumors are born. the whisper of dis
aster somewhere spread. Their own
slight shock was the edge of the con-
vulslOn which had been serious else
where, no one knew quite where. or
why they knew 1t at all. The men
who were shoveling earth on the 1evee
began to talk Of San Francisco. Some
one said that morning that the city
was badly hurt. No one coule confirm
the rumor. but It grew with the day.
Richard met 1t Mt the Office late in
the afternoon. He went direct to the
telegraph operators desk.
sect Los Angeles, the o. Ps Office,
And Ea quick about it,"
In ten minutes he was talking to
Babcock. Babcock said that the dam
age by the earthquake to that city was
not known, but It was afire. San Jose
had confirmed 1t. Oakland had report
ed the flames creeping up the rest
dence hills Of that gay Western city.
Cinders were already falling in the
transbay town.
Rickard dropped the receiver.
where's HardinT
Tom Hardin emerged from a knot
Of men who were talking In a corner
by the door.
"Where's that machinery
"What machineryr'
Rickard saw the answer to his ques-
tion in tbs others face.
~rhe dredge machinery. Did you
attend to that2 Did you Send for itY'
"oh, yes, that's all right. It's all
right ratl.-
"Is Il hereT'
Hafdin attempted jocularity. 81
didn't know as you wanted it here. 1
ordered It sent to Yuma" X.
as 1t at Yuma7"
hardin admitted that 1t was not vet
at Yuma; 1t would be there soon; he
had written; oh. It was all right.
when did you writer"
Hardin reddened under the cate
ehism Of questions He resented be-
ing held up before his men. The 9th
orr felt the electricity in the air. Har-
din and kiB successor were glaring at
each other like beIlfgerents.
II asked when did you writer"
yesterday"
Yesterday Rickard ripped out
N oath. Yesterday. Why at all, I'd
live to know2 Did you understand
tEnt you were ordered to get that
hare7 Now. it's gone"
~uoneT The others crowded up.
~San Francsico's burning" He
Ralked into his inner office, mad clear
, through. He was not thinking of the
f1in Of the gay young city; not a
Chought yet did he have of the human
Tragedies enacting there; of homes,
lives, fortunes swept into that huge
bonfire. As it affected the work at the
liver. the first block to his campaign,
Lee catastrophe came home to him. He
had a picture of tortured, twisted
seDn. OF ruined machinery, the ma
esinery fcr his dredge. He saw 1t lying
pke spent LAGOON, writhing in its
test struggle. He blamed himself fol
isaving 67en such a small detail as the
nastenlrs Of the parts to Hardin'i
cure, fct Hardin wasn't fit to be trust
"a for anything. No one could tel
him rsNw the man was unlucky; h
was A fool. A month wasted, ant
ahys we're precious. A month"; Months
Ix9rdln's luck. Oh, hell
Then he began to speculate as h
Sosaed over the trouble up yonder.
whole city burning2 They would sure
n get It under control. he began t
Nink of the isolation; the telegraph
wires all down. That might happel
Gnywherel He walked to the doc
snd looked thoughtfully at the con
Enny's big water tower. That WASH
each a bad idea He picked up hi
Int, and went out.