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〃You are spoiling meyou two。〃 The parenthesis was a hesitating
addition； but she continued； with fresh sincerity； 〃I shall be
quite helpless when I leave hereif I am ever able to go by
myself。〃
〃Don't ever go； then。〃
〃But just now I want my fan； it is so close everywhere to…day。〃
〃I fly； mademoiselle。〃
He started to the door。
She called after him：
〃Let me help your instinct； then； I had it last in the major's
study。〃
〃That was where I was going。〃
He disappeared。 Rose got up and moved uneasily towards the window。
〃How queer and quiet it looks outside。 It's really too bad that he
should be sent after that fan again。 He'll never find it。〃 She
resumed her place at the piano； Adele following her with round；
expectant eyes。 After a pause she started up again。 〃I'll go and
fetch it myself；〃 she said； with a half…embarrassed laugh； and ran
to the door。
Scarcely understanding her own nervousness； but finding relief in
rapid movement； Rose flew lightly up the staircase。 The major's
study； where she had been writing letters； during his absence； that
morning； was at the further end of a long passage； and near her own
bedroom； the door of which； as she passed； she noticed； half…
abstractedly； was open； but she continued on and hurriedly entered
the study。 At the same moment Emile； with a smile on his face；
turned towards her with the fan in his hand。
〃Oh； you've found it；〃 she said； with nervous eagerness。 〃I was so
afraid you'd have all your trouble for nothing。〃
She extended her hand； with a half…breathless smile； for the fan；
but he caught her outstretched little palm in his own； and held it。
〃Ah！ but you are not going to leave us； are you？〃
In a flash of consciousness she understood him； and； as it seemed
to her； her own nervousness； and all； and everything。 And with it
came a swift appreciation of all it meant to her and her future。
To be always with him and like him； a part of this refined and
restful seclusionakin to all that had so attracted her in this
house； not to be obliged to educate herself up to it； but to be in
it on equal terms at once； to know that it was no wild； foolish
youthful fancy； but a wise； thoughtful； and prudent resolve； that
her father would understand and her friends respect： these were the
thoughts that crowded quickly upon her； more like an explanation of
her feelings than a revelation； in the brief second that he held
her hand。 It was not； perhaps； love as she had dreamed it； and
even BELIEVED it； before。 She was not ashamed or embarrassed； she
even felt； with a slight pride； that she was not blushing。 She
raised her eyes frankly。 What she WOULD have said she did not
know； for the door； which he had closed behind her； began to shake
violently。
It was not the fear of some angry intrusion or interference surely
that made him drop her hand instantly。 It was nother second
thoughtthe idea that some one had fallen in a fit against it that
blanched his face with abject and unreasoning terror！ It must have
been something else that caused him to utter an inarticulate cry
and dash out of the room and down the stairs like a madman！ What
had happened？
In her own self…possession she knew that all this was passing
rapidly； that it was not the door now that was still shaking； for
it had swung almost shut againbut it was the windows； the book…
shelves； the floor beneath her feet； that were all shaking。 She
heard a hurried scrambling； the trampling of feet below； and the
quick rustling of a skirt in the passage； as if some one had
precipitately fled from her room。 Yet no one had called to her
even HE had said nothing。 Whatever had happened they clearly had
not cared for her to know。
The jarring and rattling ceased as suddenly； but the house seemed
silent and empty。 She moved to the door； which had now swung open
a few inches； but to her astonishment it was fixed in that
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 hast