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position； and she could not pass。 As yet she had been free from
any personal fear； and even now it was with a half smile at her
imprisonment in the major's study； that she rang the bell and
turned to the window。 A man； whom she recognized as one of the
ranch laborers； was standing a hundred feet away in the garden；
looking curiously at the house。 He saw her face as she tried to
raise the sash； uttered an exclamation； and ran forward。 But
before she could understand what he said； the sash began to rattle
in her hand； the jarring recommenced； the floor shook beneath her
feet； a hideous sound of grinding seemed to come from the walls； a
thin seam of dust…like smoke broke from the ceiling； and with the
noise of falling plaster a dozen books followed each other from the
shelves； in what in the frantic hurry of that moment seemed a
grimly deliberate succession； a picture hanging against the wall；
to her dazed wonder； swung forward； and appeared to stand at right
angles from it； she felt herself reeling against the furniture； a
deadly nausea overtook her； as she glanced despairingly towards the
window； the outlying fields beyond the garden seemed to be
undulating like a sea。 For the first time she raised her voice；
not in fear； but in a pathetic little cry of apology for her
awkwardness in tumbling about and not being able to grapple this
new experience； and then she found herself near the door； which had
once more swung free。 She grasped it eagerly； and darted out of
the study into the deserted passage。 Here some instinct made her
follow the line of the wall； rather than the shaking balusters of
the corridor and staircase； but before she reached the bottom she
heard a shout； and the farm laborer she had seen coming towards her
seized her by the arm； dragged her to the open doorway of the
drawing…room； and halted beneath its arch in the wall。 Another
thrill； but lighter than before； passed through the building； then
all was still again。
〃It's over； I reckon that's all just now；〃 said the man； coolly。
〃It's quite safe to cut and run for the garden now； through this
window。〃 He half led； half lifted her through the French window to
the veranda and the ground； and locking her arm in his； ran quickly
forward a hundred feet from the house； stopping at last beneath a
large post oak where there was a rustic seat into which she sank。
〃You're safe now； I reckon；〃 he said grimly。
She looked towards the house； the sun was shining brightly； a cool
breeze seemed to have sprung up as they ran。 She could see a
quantity of rubbish lying on the roof from which a dozen yards of
zinc gutter were perilously hanging； the broken shafts of the
further cluster of chimneys； a pile of bricks scattered upon the
ground and among the battered down beams of the end of the veranda
but that was all。 She lifted her now whitened face to the man；
and with the apologetic smile still lingering on her lips； asked：
〃What does it all mean？ What has happened？〃
The man stared at her。 〃D'ye mean to say ye don't know？〃
〃How could I？ They must have all left the house as soon as it
began。 I was talking toto M。 l'Hommadieu； and he suddenly left。〃
The man brought his face angrily down within an inch of her own。
〃D'ye mean to say that them dd French half…breeds stampeded and
left yer there alone？〃
She was still too much stupefied by the reaction to fully
comprehend his meaning； and repeated feebly with her smile still
faintly lingering： 〃But you don't tell me WHAT it was？〃
〃An earthquake；〃 said the man； roughly； 〃and if it had lasted ten
seconds longer it would have shook the whole shanty down and left
you under it。 Yer kin tell that to them； if they don't know it；
but from the way they made tracks to the fields； I reckon they did。
They're coming now。〃
Without another word he turned away half surlily； half defiantly；
passing scarce fifty yards away Mrs。 Randolph and her daughter； who
were hastening towards their guest。
〃Oh； here you are！〃 said Mrs。 Randolph； with the nearest approach
to effusion that Rose had yet seen in her manner。 〃We were
wondering where you had run to； and were getting quite concerned。
Emile was looking for you everywhere。〃
The recollection of his blank and abject face； his vague outcry and
blind fright； came back to Rose with a shock that sent a flash of
sympathetic shame to her face。 The ingenious Adele noticed it； and
dutifully pinched her mother's arm。
〃Emile？〃 echoed Rose faintly〃looking for ME？〃
Mother and daughter exchanged glances。
〃Yes；〃 said Mrs。 Randolph； cheerfully； 〃he says he started to run
with you； but you got ahead and slipped out of the garden dooror
something of the kind；〃 she added； with the air of making light of
Rose's girlish fears。 〃You know one scarcely knows what one does
at such times； and it must have been frightfully strange to YOU
and he's been quite distracted； lest you should have wandered away。
Adele； run and tell him Miss Mallory has been here under the oak
all the time。〃
Rose startedand then fell hopelessly back in her seat。 Perhaps
it WAS true！ Perhaps he had not rushed off with that awful face
and without a word。 Perhaps she herself had been half…frightened
out of her reason。 In the simple； weak kindness of her nature it
seemed less dreadful to believe that the fault was partly her own。
〃And you went back into the house to look for us when all was
over；〃 said Mrs。 Randolph； fixing her black； beady； magnetic eyes
on Rose； 〃and that stupid yokel Zake brought you out again。 He
needn't have clutched your arm so closely； my dear；I must speak
to the major about his excessive familiaritybut I suppose I shall
be told that that is American freedom。 I call it 'a liberty。'〃
It struck Rose that she had not even thanked the manin the same
flash that she remembered something dreadful that he had said。 She
covered her face with her hands and tried to recall herself。
Mrs。 Randolph gently tapped her shoulder with a mixture of maternal
philosophy and discipline； and continued： 〃Of course； it's an
upsetand you're confused still。 That's nothing。 They say； dear；
it's perfectly well known that no two people's recollections of
these things ever are the same。 It's really ridiculous the
contradictory stories one hears。 Isn't it； Emile？〃
Rose felt that the young man had joined them and was looking at
her。 In the fear that she should still see some trace of the
startled； selfish animal in his face； she did not dare to raise her
eyes to his； but looked at his mother。 Mrs。 Randolph was standing
then； collected but impatient。
〃It's all over now；〃 said Emile； in his usual voice； 〃and except
the chimneys and some fallen plaster there's really no damage done。
But I'm afraid they have caught it pretty badly at the mission； and
at San Francisco in those tall； flashy； rattle…trap buildings
they're putting up。 I've just sent