The Washington times., 1938-09-20
EARTHQUAKE WEATHER.

own way. Listen here, Call"
: Day after day, night after
night, arguments over and over,
as if he needed to say a word to
her, she thought.
But when she tried to pin him
down to any facts concerning
himself, it was the same story.
He was still doing work for the
papers, had just gotten back
from abroad, expected to be sent
to China.
She had to wait over two days
in San Francisco for her boat.
Rolf was cheerful over the delay,
and got himself room at the
same hotel, even on the same
floor, as near by as possible.
Just how far is this going?"
she asked him when they dined to,
gether their first night.
ROLF STICKS AROUND
He grinned down at her as they
followed the head waiter to their
corner table. 1--WE booked pass
age with you. Well have a few
more days together. Maybe your
George will choke by then"
But I happen to love him" She
waited until they were in the
Spanish red chairs, Mexican
music from a hidden balcony,
shaded lights, all the setting for
romance. "Not-well-but I do
love him"
Trying to tell yourself. aren't
you?"
His eyes dared her to deny 1t.
"If you're so positive, why on
earth didn't you look me up," she
demanded. you haven't written
to me for three years, not line. "
IT was waiting until you gave
the signal. Do you really imagine
that I'm the type of man to run
after a woman who had practi-
cally told me I am a failure in
her bright eyeS?"
After dinner the last night they
drove around the Presidio and
along the south shore. The air
was curious. No fog, no wind.
warm and rather murky. Coming
back the lights on the bridges
looked like strings of stars.
Earthquake weather." said
Rolf lazily, his arm around her.
EARTHQUAKE TALE
IT was in an earthquake a
couple of years ago down in the
West Indies. Queer thing hap
pened. It was little coast town,
and my story was around a young
political guy who had popped off
some official and was to be shot
at sunrise: literally, at sunrise.
They do it that way down there.
II was hanging around the one
story jail and his girl came up to
me, asked me to give him her love
and a rose. They wouldn't let
her near him. And the priest
came, and then the soldiers, and
they were getting ready In little
courtyard, when all at once there
was an earthquake, just like that.
The whole town seemed to crum-
BILE together. The walls Of the
Jail fell out and I saw the boy
walk out free. with everything
smashed around him and most of
the other fellows under the
stones. I helped him dig the girl
out. She was dead"
II don't care for your little bed
time story at ALL" Gail said,
steadily. Whats the morale"
He was suddenly dead in earn
est. leaning forward in the car.
Just that life is like that, can't
you see? We can't count on years
ahead. It may stop any time. We
have to take what we can now.
Can't you see that?"
She was relieved when she
found heself back at the hotel,
away from his arguments, away
from the almost overpowering
force of his presence. 1t was near
ly before she finished packing,
and fell into a troubled, fitful
sleep. Crashes awakened her,
rumblings like far off canlonad-
ing, and a strange sense of ire
sistible motion, violent. unescapa-
BILE, all about her.
She found herself out Of bed,