The Pulaskian., 1919-04-18
 CHAPTER XII.
Hardin's Luck.


 Two days later there was a shock of earthouake, so slight that the tapping of inc water in Richards bath was his animation of the earth's uneasiness. In the dining room later he found ev- eryone discussing it. "Who could re- member an earthquake in that desertf' sThe first shake!" 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- vulson which had been serious else where, no one knew quite where, or why they knew it at all. The men who were shoveling earth on the levee began to talk of San Francisco. Some one said that morning that the city vas badly hurt. No one could confirm the rumor, but It grew with the day.
 Riekard met if 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.'
 In ten minutes he was talking to Babeock. Babcock said that the dam- age by the earthquake to that city was not known, but it was afire. San Jose had confirmed it. Oakland had report cd the flames creeping up the resi- dence hills of that gay Western city. Ginders were already falling in the transbay town.
 Rickard dropped the receiver. "Where's Hardin?"
 Tom Hardin emerged from a knot of men who were talking in corner by the door,
 Where's that machinery?'
 "What machineryT'
 Rickard saw the answer to his ques- ton in the others face.
 'The dredge machinery. Did you attend to that? Did you send for it?"
 "Oh, yes, that's all right It's all right"
 ''Is 1t here?"
 Hardin attempted jocularity. "I didn't know as you wanted it here. I ordered it sent to Yuma"
 Is it at Yuma?'
 Hardin admitted that 1t was not yet at Yuma; it would be there soon; he had written; oh, it was all right.
 When did you writer"
 Hardin reddcned under the cate ehism of questions. He resented be- ing held up before his men. The oth- CTS felt the electricity in the air. Har- din and his successor were glaring at each other like belligerents.
 T asked when did you writer"
 Yesterday"
 "Yesterday!' Rickard ripped out an oath. Yesterday. Why at all, I'd like to know? Did you understand that you were ordered to get that here? Now. it's gone."
 "Gone?" The others crowded up.
 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 thought yet did he have of the human tragedies enacting there; of homes, hVes, fortunes swept into that huge bonfire. As it affected the work at the rlver the first block to his campaign, tne catastrophe came home to him. He nad picture of tortured, twisted Iron, of ruined machinery, the ma- cnlnery for his dredge. He saw it lying ,lKe spent Laocoon, writhing in it's .aSt struggle. He blamed himself for ieaving even such small detail as the hastening of the parts to Hardin's care, for Hardin wasn't fit to be trust GU Tor anything. No one could tell ulm now the man. was unlucky; he was fool. A month wasted, and uays were precious. A month? Months. nardln's luck. Oh, hell!
 Ihen he began to speculate as he cooled over the trouble up wonder. A whole city burning? They would sure iy get 1t under control. He began to 'ilink of the isolation; the telegraph Wlfes all down. That might happen anywhere! He walked to the door ana looked thoughtfully at the com. pahy's big water tower. That wasn't suen a bad idea. He picked up his hat, and went out.
 CHAPTER XIII.