The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1919-05-15
CHAPTER XII.

-
fiardin'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.
Ia the dining room later he found ev-
eryone discussing It. "Who could re-
menber an earthquake In that desertT r
'1f,e first shakel"
DBring the morning. u~nfathered, as
rpnrors are born. the whisper OF dis
Rster somewhere spread. Their own
slight shock was the edge of the con-
wulsion which had been serious else
where, no n knew quite where, or
why they knew 1t at all. The men
who were shoveling earth ON the levee
began to talk of San Francisco. Some
bne said that morning that the city
was badly hurt. No one could confirm
Ehe rumor. but 1t grew with the day,
Richard met 1t at the office late In
the afternoon. He went direct to the
telegraph operators desk.
Get Los Angeles. the o. p. office
And be quick about It."
Ia ten minutes he wa3 talking Ia
Babcock. Babcock said that the dam,
nge BY the earthquake to that city YVES
mot known, but 1t was afire. San Jose
had confirmed IL. Oakland had report
ed the flames creeping up the resi-.
dence hills of that gay Western city
Cinders were already falling In the
transbay town.
Rickard dropped the receiver.
-where's Hardin?"
Tom Hardin emerged from q knot
Of men who were talking In q corner
by the door.
where's that machineryr
"what machinery"
Richard saw the answer Il his Ques-
taon i'm the others face.
''The dredge machinery. Did you
attend to thatf Did you send for I'll"
ION. yes. that's all right IT'S ell
right
Us It hereT'
Hardin ATTEMPTED j0cuiarity. Il
didAt know as you wanted II here !
ordered 1t sent to Yuma
is It at Yumar
Hardin admitted that Il was moi yet
ut Yuma It would be there soon; he
bad written: oh. It was all right
8 when did you writer
Hardin redeemed under the cate-
shism Of questions He resented be-
hng held up before bis men The 9th
ers felt the electricity In the air. Har-
Mn and his ucceaso wers glaring at
each other like belIigerentA
Il ssnked when did you writer
sYz1nerdsy."
.Yestsrdayr Richard ripped cut
m sash. YESTERDAY. Why ct al. I'd
ne % knowf Did you understand
~ yuu were ordered "a get that
nsrs7 Nov. its gone"
saoeueF The others crowded up.
sson vkancsicois burning" He
wuYksa into his Inner Office. mad clear
ovouxA. He was not thinking Of the
hnSn q the gay young city: not .
AAsught yet did he have OF the human
hxneedies enacfing there: Of homes,
IsseA fortunes swept Into that huge
tpunre. A Il affected the work at the
liver, me nrst block to his campaign.
~ catastrophe came home to him. He
- Z picture Of tortured. twisted
hron. OF ruined machinery. the ma
unhanery for his dredga. He saw II lying
- 4 spent LAGOON. writhing In it,
~ strusgia. he blamed himself for
lsnvnx even such small detail ~ the
iastenlng - the parts to Hardin's
IRE, Tor Hardin wasn't AZ to be trust
"a fsr anything No q could tell
Nm SOW the man vas unlucky: he
Mas 1 foil A month wasted, and
hays were precious. A month"; Months.
Uapdin's luck. Oh. heali
1ancn ~ began 70 speculate as he
Soclsd over the trouble up yonder. A
NdAose city burning1 They would sure
y 81 Il under control. he began to
hink a. the isolation. the telegraph
utres an down That might happen
mywheret He walked TO the door
md looked thoughtfully At the com
nany'e big water eoyser. That wasn't
6och ) bad idoal - plcked up biz
~ 6nd vent e1k
w~x