The L'Anse sentinel., 1919-05-02
CHAPTER XII.
lIardin's Luck.


Two days later there was shock of
earthquake, so slight that the tapping
OF the water in Richards bath was his
iatimation of the carth's uneasiness
In the dining room later he found ev-
eryone discussing It. 'Who could re
glember an earthquake In that desertT
"The first shakel"
During the morning, unfathered. as
rumors are born. the whisper Of dis
astcr somewhere spread. Their own
slight shock was the edge OF the CON
vulsion which had been serious else
where, no one knew quite where. OF
why they knew 1t ut all. The men
who were shoveling earth on the levec
began to talk of San Francisco. Some
one said that morning that the city
was badly hurt. No one could confirm
1he 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 0. p. Office
And be quick about It,"
In ten minutes he was talking to
Babcock. Babcock said that the dam
age by the earthquake to that city was
mot known, but it was afire. San Jose
bad confirmed 1t. Oakland had report
-ed the flames creeping up the resi-
aience hills of that gay Western city.
Clnders were already falling In the
transbay town.
Rickard dropped the receiver.
+Whcre's Hardin?"
Tom Hardin emerged from q knot
of men who were talking In a corner
by the door.
where's that machineryT
't'What machineryr
JRickard saw the answer to his Ques-
Ntion In the others face.
'The dredge machinery. Did you
attend to that? Did you send for it7"
"Oh, yes, that's all right It's all
fright"
'"Is 1t here2"
Hardin attempted 1ocularity. Il
didn't know as you wanted II here. I
ordered II sent to Yumr-"
as 1t Mt Yumu?"
Hardin admitted that II wns not yet
ut Yuma; II would be there soon; he
had written; oh, twas all right
"When did you writer
" Hardin reddcned under the cate-
chIsm of questions He resented be-
ing held up before his men. The 9TH
'crs felt the electricity in the air. Hnr-
din and his successor were glaring Mt
each other like belligerents.
II asked when did you writer
yesterday"
"Ycsterday" Rickard ripped out
.an oath. yesterday. Why at all. I'd
like to know? Did you understand
that you were ordered to get that
hero? Now. It's gone"
Nivnc?" Tho others crowded mp.
"San Francsico's burning" He
walked into his inner office, mad clear
through. He was not thinking Of the
ruin of the gay young city: not q
thought yet did he have of the human
tragedies enactlng there; Of homes.
dives, fortunes swept into that huge
bonfire. AS II affected the work Mt the
river, the first block to his campaign,
the catastrophe came home to him. He
Ind a picture Of tortured. twisted
Iron, Of ruined machinery, the ma
chinery for his dredge. He saw Il lying
like a spent LAGOON. writhing In its
last struggle. He blamed himself for
leaving even such small detail ns the
Fastening Of the parts to Hard3n's
care, for Hardin wasn't ut to be trust
cd for anything. No one could tell
him now the man was unlucty: he
was a fool. A month wasted, and
days were precious. a month"; Months
Hardln's luck. oh, hell!
Then he began to speculate ms he
cooled over the trouble up yondcr. A
whole city burning? They would ssre-
ny get Il under control. He began to
think Of the isolation; the telegraph
wires all down. That might happen
anywherei He walked to the door |
and looked thoughtfully Mt the rom
pany's big water tower. That wasn't ]
such bad idea! He picked up his |
hat. and went out.
~na nren Nsss