Travers; A Story of the San Francisco Earthquake (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER HI A MIDNIGHT CHAT The homes of San Francisco's wealthier citizens lay in the Western portion of the city, climbing up and down the steep streets and out over the sand-dunes; but in the level Mission district there were still handsome houses surrounded by spacious lawns and gardens. Some few of these were occupied by the families who settled there when the district was fashionable and who had not moved when the caprice of fashion beckoned them elsewhere. Among such residences was that of the Thornton's, standing back, surrounded by roses and heliotrope. The night after the opera was a quiet one. The air was still and heavy. There was a peculiar waiting hush in it that was far from a portent. Such motionless air, though unusual in San Francisco, was notunknown, and Mrs. Addington and Gwendolyn did not comment on it as they drove home through the lamp-lighted streets in their brougham. Mrs. Addington leaned back in silence. She had observed more than Gwendolyn suspected of the glances exchanged between her and Drexel at the supper table, and she was heavy of heart, puzzled what move to make, fearing to assume an active opposition which would be too apt to arouse antagonism in a girl of Gwen's years and spirit. Gwen herself, nestled in her fluffy wrap, was lost in her own thoughts. She felt guilty, unhappy and ill at ease. They went up the concrete walk to the house and were admitted by the butler. Still no word passed between them. At her chamber door Gwendolyn turned suddenly to Mrs. Addington, who was about to enter her own room. Her young face was earnest, her cheeks flushed. "Auntie," she cried, "aren't you going to kiss me good-night." Mrs. Addington looked down at her, sharply observant, but not ungentle. ."Why of course, dear?if you wi...