RIVEN ASUNDER. OR, BERYL GRAYSON'S ORDEAL,

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8387, 23 March 1907, Page 2

RIVEN ASUNDER. OR, BERYL GRAYSON'S ORDEAL,

A BOMANOE OP THE SA'-J i-RANCISCO DISASTE*.

" CHAPTER XIX. —Continued. j It was lik' 1 balm to the stricken j Beryl'o wounJcd hia-i; \>> ■;:;;! u:ie ! ■who, while not claiming to bj oven ' friend, was yor. to In u-asWJ. She yielded herself entirely into iri\u\'u hands and pjrrr.itied her to be the . guide. • Irma Lee seemed to know exactly ■where she should go. Without a mo- j Bient's hesitation, she struck out' J 1 ' boldly through the torn and broken ! streets. j ."Tell me what happened to you," she said, as they hurried along. In breathless and broken sentences Beryl told of her , flight from Sunset ■ .Ranch with her sweetheart and her dear friend, the Mexicana; told of the arrival in San Francisco, of the marriage at the rectory of the earth- .. quake, the wicked work of Berdyne, when Neil was stricken down and of her escape and her miserable wanderings. A strange, wild joy glowed in Irma's f%ce when she learned that the earthquake had come after the wedding ceremony, and jealous hate took the place of exultation when Beryl narrated how Berdyne had spirited her away in the automobile. The conclusion of the sad story left Irma thoughtful and silent. "It cannot be," said she, "that your husband is dead. If he had been you would have found him lying in that room where he was stricken down. In the awful events of the day the maimed and injured have claimed the attention of the authorities and there was no time to look after the bodies, of those who lost their lives." Beryl had grasped at so many straws of hope, only to have them break in her hands, that she hesitated to draw courage from Irma's reassuring words. Yet, if her dear one had passed out of her life forever, she knew that she could not live. Out of her terrible ordeal black despair was rising and gaining the mastery over her. "Mr Preston," went on Irma, seeing how loath Beryl was to be beguiled by false hopes, "must have recovered and gone forth to search for you. No doubt, he was merely stunned by the falling masonry, and left the minister's house very soon after you did. I know something about him, Miss Grayson, and you rest assured that he will move heaven and earth to find you." Beryl made no answer, but her overburdened heart found relief in tears. "You know, do you not," proceeded Irma, "that i,ir Preston has a cousin -living on Nob Hill?" "Neil told me that," replied Beryl '"a long, long time ago. But I could not go to any of Neil's people," she added, with a touch of pride. No need for Irma Lee to ask why. All aristocratic Denver had heard of Neil Preston's love affair, and knew that his purse-proud people looked upon it with .disfavour. All Denver knew, too, that Neil had remained loyal to his heart's choice, had broken with his relatives, and had declared that he would make his own way in the world hand in hand with. Beryl. "I believe I understand the sentiment that animates you," said Irma, "but I think it a mistaken sentiment, at this time. Would not Mr Preston • think that, in this direful emergency, you would go to his cousin's for news of him? And would he not be likely to go there for news of you? Nob Hill is yet safe, and most of the houses are habitable. Perchance r . some of Neil's people are still there, for it is difficult to leave the city today. If you will be advised by me, Miss Grayson,' you will put away your pride and go to the house of Neil's cousin." "I cannot, I cannot!" answered Beryl, clenching -her small hands tightly. "If my darling lives, he will find me; I will wait and pray for him to come." That a girl, tried as Beryl had been, should still have so much spirit aroused Irma Lee's admiration. "Very well," Irma replied. "I am taking you to Russian Hill, where some refugee friends of mine have pitched their camp. I know they will shelter you and protect you. Meanwhile," she added, determinedly, "I shall continue to search for the man who would prove false to me; I am thoroughly familiar with the city, and believe that I will be successful. It may chance, too, that I shall find your husband, so, if you will remain on Russian Hill, it is possible I may be able to send him there." "Heaven will repay you for your kindness to a poor, forlorn girl, Mbs Lee,"- returned Beryl. A hard look crossed the fading beauty of Irma Lee. "I ask nothing of Heaven," said she, harshly, "but to bring me face to face with the man who would cast me aside for one who loathes and abhors him." So the jealous, revengeful woman and the beautiful and sorrow stricken girl, continued on their way up the steep slope to the very crest of Russian Hill. Alas! if Beryl had only known that every step she was taking merely carried her farthtr and farther away from the man she loved! Yet it is often thus with our most cherished desires. Fate, at, times, indulges in a strange play of crosspurposes. CHAPTER XX. THE STRANDED VAN. The experiences which would usually come to a person only in the course of many years were passed through by many thousands of individuals oirthat one day which opened

By Julia Edwards, Author of "The Little Widow," "Sadia, the of All," "Stella Sterling," "Laura Brai/ton," etc.

this tragic San Francisco drama And in the three fiery days which marked the city's ordeal, the events of :in ordinary lifetime were crowded. The ' first shock, the crunching, groaning, and shattering upheaval which disrupted buildings, broke the water-mains, and released the lire-demon, lasted but twentyeight seconds; yet, in that brief period, the locks of youth were silvered as with age, intellect was overthrown, millionaires beggared, lives crushed out, and misery untold heaped upon the devoted City of the Argonauts. We have been seeking to follow but two of the half-mi 1iion threads woven into the warp of the great disaster; and for these, indeed, each minute had its thrilling incident, each hour itsjexciting chapter. Humanity, for the! time, had become the plaything of destiny; fate moved her pawns across the chess-board of life in a swift and bewildering fashion. In the morning Beryl and Neil had missed a reunion by only a few I fateful minutes; in the early afternoon Beryl had fled from the house in Sutter Street at the very moment when Neil was hastening to her rescue. And so the play of crosspurposes continued; at any moment their paths might cross, at any moment they might diverge wildly. Neil, miraculously preserved from death, rushed into the street through a perfect avalanche of flying masonry. Through smoke and flame, a hot breath as from a furnace beating in his face, he staggered toward purer air and safety. He fell before he had cleared the zone of danger. A brave cavalryman saw him, galloped to his aid, and dragged him to safety. Always the soldiers kept just ahead of the flames, driving the people out of harm's way; calm, resolute, , undaunted, they earned a nation's praise for their gallant work all through that period of stress and peril. Neil rested for a few minutes, then arose and hurried away. His darling had escaped from the house where she had been held captive. The evidence of this had been brought home to him, and he knew that he was not deceiving himself. Again she was like a bit of wreckage afloat on that sea of troubled humanity. He could only drift with the many currents and continue to hope and pray that he would find her. In a little while, he scarcely knew how, he found himself advancing along a thoroughfare in the vicinity of Union Square. This breathingspot, like every other within the city limits, had been pre-empted by refugees. Government tents were going up for their accommodation, belongings of every conceivable sort were heaped high in the open spaces, and preparations were being made for the distribution of water and fo6d. This was Wednesday afternoon; but at midnight three sides of the square were in flames and refugees and troops had retreated. But we anticipate. Neil, in the thoroughfare that led to the square, pushed into a group of men and women who were clustered about a [van piled high with trunks. The fire was close to the van, from which the horses had been removed—commandeered, most likely, by soldiers. A man on the seat of the vehicle cried out an offer of 500 dollars to a passing automobile if it would take the van in tow and drag it to safety. The automobile, however, was filled with men wearing red crosses on their sleeves, and no attention was paid to the frantic offer of the man on the truck. The luggage was from one of the great hotels, and had been confided to one of the hotel employees. " With the man who had charge of the van was another. A quiver sped through Neil's nerves as he recognised the second individual as Berdyne's valet, Hargreaves. "I will give you 500 dollars," shouted Hargreaves, to the driver of the Ked Cross automobile, "if you will save just one trunk for me!" . Still no attention was paid by those in the car. They had other and i weightier business in hand, and the offer of a fortune could not have turned them aside. "The trunk," shouted Hargreaves, almost beside himself, "contains valuable papers! It must be saved!" A thrill shot through Neil Preston's frame. He pressed closer, a glint of fire in his dark eyes. He saw one of the trunks, canvas-covered, brass-bound, and with the name, ''Nicholas Berdyne," and the address "Denver, C 01.," lettered on the end. The trunk was well down in the pile that filled the van. "Clear the way!" shouted the soldiers, charging towards the crowd. "The fire will be here in a few minutes! They're going to dynamite ! Clear the way!" (To be Continued.)