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at San Francisco in those tall； flashy； rattle…trap buildings
they're putting up。 I've just sent off one of the men for news。〃
Her father was in San Francisco by that time； and she had never
thought of him！ In her quick remorse she now forgot all else and
rose to her feet。
〃I must telegraph to my father at once；〃 she said hurriedly； 〃he is
there。〃
〃You had better wait until the messenger returns and hear his
news；〃 said Emile。 〃If the shock was only a slight one in San
Francisco； your father might not understand you； and would be
alarmed。〃
She could see his face nowthere was no record of the past
expression upon it； but he was watching her eagerly。 Mrs。 Randolph
and Adele had moved away to speak to the servants。 Emile drew
nearer。
〃You surely will not desert us now？〃 he said in a low voice。
〃Please don't；〃 she said vaguely。 〃I'm so worried；〃 and； pushing
quickly past him； she hurriedly rejoined the two women。
They were superintending the erection of a long tent or marquee in
the garden； hastily extemporized from the awnings of the veranda
and other cloth。 Mrs。 Randolph explained that； although all danger
was over； there was the possibility of the recurrence of lighter
shocks during the day and night； and that they would all feel much
more secure and comfortable to camp out for the next twenty…four
hours in the open air。
〃Only imagine you're picnicking； and you'll enjoy it as most people
usually enjoy those horrid al fresco entertainments。 I don't
believe there's the slightest real necessity for it； but；〃 she
added in a lower voice； 〃the Irish and Chinese servants are so
demoralized now； they wouldn't stay indoors with us。 It's a common
practice here； I believe； for a day or two after the shock； and it
gives time to put things right again and clear up。 The old； one…
storied； Spanish houses with walls three feet thick； and built
round a courtyard or patio； were much safer。 It's only when the
Americans try to improve upon the old order of things with their
pinchbeck shams and stucco that Providence interferes like this to
punish them。〃
It was the fact； however； that Rose was more impressed by what
seemed to her the absolute indifference of Providence in the
matter； and the cool resumption by Nature of her ordinary
conditions。 The sky above their heads was as rigidly blue as ever；
and as smilingly monotonous； the distant prospect； with its clear；
well…known silhouettes； had not changed； the crows swung on lazy；
deliberate wings over the grain as before； and the trade…wind was
again blowing in its quiet persistency。 And yet she knew that
something had happened that would never again make her enjoyment of
the prospect the samethat nothing would ever be as it was
yesterday。 I think at first she referred only to the material and
larger phenomena； and did not confound this revelation of the
insecurity of the universe with her experience of man。 Yet the
fact also remained that to the conservative； correct； and； as she
believed； secure condition to which she had been approximating； all
her relations were rudely shaken and upset。 It really seemed to
this simple…minded young woman that the revolutionary disturbance
of settled conditions might have as Providential an origin as the
〃Divine Right〃 of which she had heard so much。
CHAPTER IV
In her desire to be alone and to evade the now significant
attentions of Emile； she took advantage of the bustle that followed
the hurried transfer of furniture and articles from the house to
escape through the garden to the outlying fields。 Striking into
one of the dusty lanes that she remembered； she wandered on for
half an hour until her progress and meditation were suddenly
arrested。 She had come upon a long chasm or crack in the soil；
full twenty feet wide and as many in depth； crossing her path at
right angles。 She did not remember having seen it before； the
track of wheels went up to its precipitous edge； she could see the
track on the other side； but the hiatus remained； unbridged and
uncovered。 It was not there yesterday。 She glanced right and
left； the fissure seemed to extend； like a moat or ditch； from the
distant road to the upland between her and the great wheat valley
below； from which she was shut off。 An odd sense of being in some
way a prisoner confronted her。 She drew back with an impatient
start； and perhaps her first real sense of indignation。 A voice
behind her； which she at once recognized； scarcely restored her
calmness。
〃You can't get across there； miss。〃
She turned。 It was the young inventor from the wheat ranch； on
horseback and with a clean face。 He had just ridden out of the
grain on the same side of the chasm as herself。
〃But you seem to have got over；〃 she said bluntly。
〃Yes； but it was further up the field。 I reckoned that the split
might be deeper but not so broad in the rock outcrop over there
than in the adobe here。 I found it so and jumped it。〃
He looked as if he mightalert； intelligent； and self…contained。
He lingered a moment； and then continued：
〃I'm afraid you must have been badly shaken and a little frightened
up there before the chimneys came down？〃
〃No；〃 she was glad to say briefly； and she believed truthfully； I
wasn't frightened。 I didn't even know it was an earthquake。〃
〃Ah！〃 he reflected； 〃that was because you were a stranger。 It's
oddthey're all like that。 I suppose it's because nobody really
expects or believes in the unlooked…for thing； and yet that's the
thing that always happens。 And then； of course； that other affair；
which really is serious； startled you the more。〃
She felt herself ridiculously and angrily blushing。 〃I don't know
what you mean；〃 she said icily。 〃What other affair？〃
〃Why； the well。〃
〃The well？〃 she repeated vacantly。
〃Yes； the artesian well has stopped。 Didn't the major tell you？〃
〃No；〃 said the girl。 〃He was away； I haven't seen him yet。〃
〃Well； the flow of water has ceased completely。 That's what I'm
here for。 The major sent for me； and I've been to examine it。〃
〃And is that stoppage so very important？〃 she said dubiously。
It was his turn to look at her wonderingly。
〃If it's LOST entirely； it means ruin for the ranch；〃 he said
sharply。 He wheeled his horse； nodded gravely； and trotted off。
Major Randolph's figure of the 〃life…blood of the ranch〃 flashed
across her suddenly。 She knew nothing of irrigation or the costly
appliances by which the Californian agriculturist opposed the long
summer droughts。 She only vaguely guessed that the dreadful
earthquake had struck at the prosperity of those people whom only
a few hours ago she had been proud to call her friends。 The
underlying goodness of her nature was touched。 Should she let
a momentary faultif it were not really； after all； only a
misunderstandingrise between her and them at such a m