The Blood Red Dawn

zed was her boredom. On the other hand, Mrs. Robson seemed to have contrived, from years of living among arid pleasures, the ability to conserve every happiness that she chanced upon to its

by bit, she gleaned detached details of what had transpired, weaving them into a vivid w

which Mrs. Robson brought to her recitals was a new and pleasing experience. After listening to the authentic gossip of Mrs. Robson, Mrs. Finnegan would return to her thre

ally, "they served cigarettes alo

d, "far be it from me to criticize what your daughter

on, but she felt in duty bound to resent M

y because you're not accustomed

laire

such a thing? I hope I've brought my

to pick flaws in her logic. But sooner or later the topic would again verge on the controversial. Usually at the point where the scene sh

ou say went dow

aire, Mrs. Condor, and a yo

d to hire hacks when Finnegan was in the livery business years ago. She's a ga

ody had dinners at the Cliff House in t

et you never went to such a place without y

Mrs. Robson found her desire to know the real details of Mrs. Condor's questionable gaieties offered up on the altar of class loya

er neighbor fell back upon the fact that Stillman was a married man. Mrs. Finnegan really worshiped Mrs

ggedly. "And I don't approve of married men taking an interest

Stillman, because it was not in her nature to be anything but partizan, and at the same time she was mollified by her neighbor's

t that we've known him so long ... but the family, you know ... they're old-ti

She was almost creative in the artistry she brought to these transmutations. In the end she convinced hers

by the usual summer drought in California prolonged beyond its appointed season. The country and the people needed rain. Claire, always responsive to the moods of wind and weather, longed for the cleansing flood to descen

ur thick shoes, Claire!

d joyously and hurri

r band of light marked the sullen flight of the sun. People were scampering about buoyantly, running for street-cars, chasing liberated hats, battling with billowing skirts. It seemed as if the pro

nt and Mr. Flint did not put in an appearance. At about three o'clock in the afternoon a long-distance call came on the telephone for Miss Robson. Claire answered. Flint was on the other end of the wire. He wanted to know if she could come at once over to Yolanda and take se

e station, and of course

t at three-forty-five. She had no time to lose; it was a good ten minutes' walk from the office to the ferry and little to be gained by taking a street-car. She mana

in had fallen, but the air was full of ominous promise. The wind was even bri

thought Claire, as she exchanged f

rong sea was running and already the ferryboat was plunging and straining like a restless bloodhound in leash. The air was full of screaming gulls and the clipped whistling of restless bay craft. Cl

would think of seeing

Munch's cousin sitting beside her,

ow stupid of me! Have

ork I never have eyes for anything else. How do you

and brought out knitting-ne

ted, holding her handiwork up ruefully

cted the sock with

m laying myself out for a roast doing tatting in public these war days! But it's restful and I'm not one to pretend. As l

to Mr. Flint's to take some

f the boat just as I got on." Mrs. Richards'

ow Mrs.

get a real line on people until you live with them. I've never nursed any of the Flint fa

t's?" ech

some things. I was so relieved when Gertie didn't get that dreadful Miss Whitehead's place. Being in the general offic

ce. "I'm in the private office, Mrs.

with a girl like you it's different. Some women

ation forced from the particular to the general, Miss Munch's cousin lost interest, and by the time the boat had passed Alcatraz Island

were still following in the foam-churned wake. In the face of all the pitching about, Mrs. Richards had quite a battle to dire

s bundles, and Claire and she made their way down the narrow stairs to the lower deck. Their progress was slow and uncertain. The southeaster w

gasped Mrs. Richards, c

ards staggered and wrestled vainly with tatting-bag and bundles and a refractory skirt.

t's get over there in the

her attention to the car. It was a huge dark-red affair, evidently fresh from the shop. Claire knew none of the fine points of automobiles, b

f delight, as he faced her from the opposite

" she q

t out with it. And this kind of weather always puts me up on my toes. Where are

th a frank, outstretched hand. "Oh, I beg your par

, but Mrs. Richards cut in w

rgotten me. It's been some years, of course.

he recovered himself cleverly. "Mrs. Richards-of

da," said Claire, "to take some di

heard it. Nothing

home, anyway," volunteered Mrs. Richards,

Flint and the children

interrupted t

re than polite acceptance of what he had just heard. "I can take you ladies to

"but I get off at Sausalito. I've no

r to the train for me. I shouldn't want to change my program and ca

k. "It's going to pour in less than ten minutes. I'm not one of those am

a moment undecided whether to follow Mrs.

is. But the truth is Edington promised to catch this boat and I wanted him to try out the new playt

Sausalito ferry-slip, and in the sudden confusion o

to her. She felt glad that he was behind her, in