RIVEN ASUNDER. OR, BERYL GRAYSON'S ORDEAL,

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8383, 18 March 1907, Page 2

RIVEN ASUNDER. OR, BERYL GRAYSON'S ORDEAL,

A KOMANCE OF THE SAM FBANCISCO DISASTER

By Julia Edwards, Author of "The Little Midair," "Saditi, the lloselud," "Pn'ticst of All," "Stella Stetliuy,'" "Laura Drayton," <''< ; -

CHAPTER XIV.— Continued.

"Ah, Hoave;:!" groaned N»il,' in despair. Then, he asked: "Which way di d he « o': " The soldier i:oirled. "She was alcr.e?" demanded Neil. "Yes." He started off hurriedly in the direction the soldier had indicated. "If she comes back," he called as he hastened on, "havener go to Golden Gate Park. Tell her that lam well, and that I will find her!" But Beryl did not return while that soldier was on duty. Later in the_day the fire drove the soldier away, and there was not even a ruin for Beryl to return to for the words of good cheer which the boy in blue was keeping foi\her. Beryl and Neil were hopelessly entangled in the destruction of the great city.

CHAPTER XV.

PORTSMOUTH SQUARE. The presence of the regulars from the Presidio had made looting a dangerous occupation. Twice the ghoulish Dave Gorsline had been fired at, and he had narrowly missed being hit by the bullets that he had thought best to give up hi 3 pilfering operations—at least, for the time. ,He had profited largely, however, and his pockets were heavy with rings, j watches, brooches, silver, and gold. Wherever he had seen a helpless fellow creature, he had pounced upon him like a harpy, and wrenched away his valuables with brutal haste. « Once the depraved wretch had been pursued, and had only escaped by darting into a pretentious dwelling in Sutter Street. This house had withstood the great shock admirably. Windows were broken, chimneys had fallen, and part of the roof had tumbled in, but the walls still stood. The occupants had deserted the place, and Gorsline, who had the courage of the sneak-thief and the prowler, took his ease in he place for awhile. He lounged on rich divans, raided a pantry, for cold food, and a sideboard for wine and cigars, and sighed to think that he could not appropriate the silver and some of the luxurious furnishings. , In due course he sallied forth once more, but found the soldiers thicker than ever.: Presently he found himself in Portsmouth Square, ar. ( d under the menacing shadow of the Hall of Justice. He shook his dirty fist at the building, then ore w back, in awe as a file of men came from the nearby morgue, bearing sheeted forms which were being placed in hastily improvised graves. It was after nine o'clock, and the morgue was in danger of fire. As Gorsline turned away from the grisly spectacle, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He whirled like a cat, fearing an officer; then his fears subsided in a raucous laugh. 1

"Trenwyck?" he exclaimed. The lawyer's face bore traces of excitement.

"Where's Berdyne?" he asked. "Do you know?" "Not me," answered Gorsline. "He went off down Pine Street in that gasoline-wagon of his, takin' the girl with him. I thought you was out o' the city by this time." Trenwyck's excitement increased. He paid no attention to Gorsline's last remark, as there was something else in his crafty mind. "If Berdyne took Beryl Grayson away with him," said he, "then something must v have gone wrong." "How do you figger it?" queried Gorsline.

"Why, because the girl is here in Portsmouth Square!" The ruffian flashed the lawyer a startled look with his small, beady -eyes. "Sure o' that, Trenwyick?" "I can't be mistaken." "Is the gal alone?" "Yes. What do you suppose happened to Berdyne?" "Ask me somethin' easy."

"If we had some place to take the girl," muttered Trenwyck, "and if we could get word to Berdyne " "How are we gpin' to get word to .anyone in a town all shook up like this?" grunted the rufiian. "Berdyne has a yacht off Saiisalifo, .and- "

"Take me close, so'st I can git a good look at the gal," interrupted •Gorsline. "Mebby you'.'e made a .mistake.

The square was thronging with Chinamen, who had poured out of Chinatown, which lay to the west. Each Oriental had a heap of his personal effects with him, and by threading their way among * the Celestals and their piles of goods it was easy for the two scoundrels to approach the Stevenson Memorial, near which the girl Trenwyck had in mind was sitting. It was really poor Beryl, whose ■weary wanderings had carried her to that place. Again the net of fate was spreading to enmesh her. The blows of adversity which had been rained upon her suffering spirit, had benumbed her fauculties. When she had left the ruins of the minister's home,' she knew not whither she was going, nor cared. On reaching the square, thronged with its motley refugees, she had become conscious of overwhelming fatigue, and Jiad sunk down to rest on the first conveninent object that offered. B£Sw The wistfulness and grief that -were mirrored in her sweet face would have touched a heart of stone; but the hard, cruel natures of the'two plotters were, incapable of pity.. Beryl was sitting on a. trunk, leaning against, another which stood up- : right behind her.' One of her hands was raised to her face, and the rare gemJJNeilfhadJgiven her sparkled its j

lure in the eyes of the heartless ghoul. "Berdyne will certainly not leave the city while the girl is here," whispered Trenwyck. "I know him too well. Unless he is too badly injured, or dead, you may rest assured "he is searching for her this minute. If there was some place to which we could take her until we could find Berdyne, I should be in favour of.'' "In the first place," muttered Gorsline, "we may never find Berdyne." ''That goes without saying. And yet, we may." "I know of a house in Sutter Street that held together purty well, an' there ain't no one in the place. If we cou'd get her there, we might run our chances o' findin' Berdyne. I we didn't find him, and things got too hot, we could let the gal go." "I don't think she will know me," said Trenwyck cunningly; "and I believe I can turn the trick, and get | her to go to the house you mention. It's a safe house, is Jit?" he added anxiously. "I've no mind to let a chimney, or a wall, tumble on top of me. I was frightened out of my senses when the shock began." "You haven't got much sand, Trenwyck," returned Gorsline, with an evil grin. "How'll you get the gal to come to the place?" "Trust me for that. She looks as though she was crazed, and half out of her mind."

"That may help you." "How am I to find this house you speak of ? That's the point." "Get thecal to come with you, and I'll keep jest ahead —far enough so she won't see an' reckernize me, but not so far but what you can keep me in sight. See? When I turn into the house, you turn in there, too." "We'll try it," said the scoundrelly Trenwyck. Gorsline stood where he was and watched, his greedy eyes still on the precious stone that flashed on Beryl's finger. Trenwyck stepped forward, halted in front of a woman whose painted face and bold eyes told her character, alas! only too well, and asked: "Pardon me, but are you Miss Beryl Grayson? I am seeking a person of that name who was recently in Pine Street, and who has become separated from her friends." The woman crouching on a wooden box looked up into Trenwyck\s face with a flippant leer. Nevertheless, his ruse succeeded. Beryl heard the crafty lawyer's question, and, in her distraught state, failed to perceive the artifice of such a random query. A flash of hope and understanding crossed her lovely face. "Sir," she spoke up eagerly, "I am, or was, Miss Beryl Grayson. Oh, tell me quickiy k why you seek me?" She did not recognise Trenwyck.

Indeed, while the lawyer was at Sunset Ranch she had scarcely seen him, and had not once met him face to face.

With a pleased look on his face, Trenwyck stepped up to Beryl. "You had a friend, 'a. Mexican girl?" he inquired. "Tonita Morales—yes, yes!" ansered Beryl, clasping her hands, convulsively. "Well," went on Trenwyck, "Miss Morales has takenrefuge in a house on Sutter Street. It is my house," he added unblusihingly, "and I told Miss Morales that I would try and find you. She has good news for you Miss Grayson." % "/kt last, at last!" murmured Beryl, in tearful gratitude, lifting her eyes above. Hope had opened the closed door of her emotions, for this stray gleam of joy seemed to promise fulfilment of her dearest desire. Tonita had sent for her. No doubt her "good news" had to do with Neil.

"Will you go with me?" asked Trenwyck insinuatingly. , "Without a moment's delay," replied Beryl. "Heaven will reward you for lifting a poor, forlorn girl out of her black despair." She arose to his side and accepted the support of his proffered arm; then, together, they left Portsmouth Square. Trenwyck kept his eyes on the moving form of Gorsline, and here was another who kept her eyes on Trenwyck and the devoted Beryl —followng them as steadfastly as they followed the ruffian in the lead. How true it is that:

"Against the head which innocence secures, Insidious malice aims her darts in vain; Turned backward by the powerful breath of Heaven!" (To be continued).