unchanged.
SAN FRANCISCO
BT IGNORE PETERS
city on a hundred hills,
Your rugged, youthful beauty fills
My soul with wondering, and thrills
My heart to hope !
1 love your winds upon my cheek,
Their rough caresses seem to speak
Of distant vastness cold and bleak
Whence they've escaped.
I love your fog that rolls so free,
A tender offering of the sea,
Your shelt'ring comforter to be
From heat and cold !
You stand apart from all the rest,
The winds, the sea have loved you best !
Ah, bravest blossom of the West,
God be with you !
CROSSING IN THE FOG
BY FLORENCE LAND MAY
THEY WEEE returning from a
drive and passed a burning tene-
ment house one of those
choked, crowded affairs seen in
tht large Eastern cities. Frantic men,
women and children were hanging from
the high windows and tumbling over each
other on the fire escapes. More than one
heart-chilling thud and shriek of agony
greeted Evelyn's ears as the dog-cart
paused and she sprang out, crying: "Let
us help ! Quick, Noel !"
The man flung the reins to the footman
and followed Evelyn, somewhat slowly.
The girl's voice rose high with excite-
ment : "Oh, look ! There ! Above you the
fourth no, the fifth story window a wo-
man is holding out a child! Oh, Noel,
look at her face! Poor thing! She is
pleading with us to catch the little crea-
ture! Here!' 7 grasping a corner of the
heavy lap robe and pulling it out of the
cart.
"Where on earth are the fire engines?
On the other side ? Ah, I see a stream of
water ! Oh, see, the woman still holds out
the child she is faint, she staggers !"
Handing the dazed Noel the other end
of the lap-robe she cried: "Hold firm,
Noel ! Steady, now !"
The mother in- the window above made
a signal and dropped the child.
Evelyn ground her teeth together and
followed it with up-lifted eyes as it fell
down, down. Faster and faster it came
through the smoke-laden air. She felt
the buffalo robe tremble.
"Now!" shrieked Evelyn; "firmly!"
but the lap-robe fell at her feet, and im-
mediately a shock greeted her ears. Glan-
cing down she saw, and heard a shriek as
the mother's form fell backward into the
flames above.
Noel stood a little way off. He was
wiping his face dazedly.
Evelyn gave him a curious glance and
bent over the child. It was older than she
had thought. Had it fallen into the out-
stretched robe the shock would have been
a severe one to them.
She wrapped the crushed heap .in the
warm robe and exclaimed: "I will give it
decent burial for the mother's sake!"
She glanced toward Noel, expecting him
to offer assistance, but he shrank back
with an expression of repulsion.
"Don't !" he cried. "Leave it ! Let us
go home! You've seen enough of these
horrors !"
The girl gave him a wondering, con-
temptuous glance, and he flinched.
"My hand slippefl, Evelyn," he said
blunderingly.
"You had better leave me," replied the
girl, quietly. "This is no place for cow-
ards. I will go home alone."
The man turned silently and went
and that had been the last.
II.
"It's too bad!" exclaimed Tom Las-
calles ; "I've got to go back !"
"Back!" echoed his companion depre-
catingly.
She was a tall girl with an undulating
grace of movement, commonly called "wil-
lowy." Now, however, she stopped short
and faced Tom. In an hour they were
due across the bay at San Rafael.
"Why, I've forgotten that lease of
Syrnmes. He is to call to see me about it
at San Rafael to-morrow morning. I sim-
ply must go back for it, else I will have to
return to the city to-morrow. That would
spoil our holiday."
His eyes were tender, and under the pre-
tense of impressing his words upon her,
he gave her arm a faint pressure.
Evelyn met his gaze without flushing.
She was thirty, since last March, and felt
that she could look life and love in the face
sensiblv. Her eves turned from Tom to
484
OVERLAND MONTHLY.
the crowd about them. The Tiburon ferry's
waiting room was filling rapidly. Would
Tom have time to get back to her ?
"We'll miss the five-ten, but we can
get the six-thirty/"' she replied resignedly.
"That will give you over an hour. It will
take quite all of that. I'll read and wait
here. I would prefer to do so to having
that dreadful jam in the cars at this
hour/' she added, as Lascalles turned to
go-
She followed his figure with her eyes
until she saw him swing himself onto a
car. How strong he was ! Six feet three
in height, broad shouldered, good-looking
Evelyn felt that she had secured a prize
in physical strength and beauty. But
these were not all of Tom's attractions,
she told herself. She liked his fresh
wholesomeness, his purity of expression,
which contrasted oddly with his physique.
One could tell at a glance that his thoughts
were as clean as a woman's.
"Cleaner thani most," Evelyn declared
sotto voce. She liked men better than wo-
men. She liked them as comrades, friends
and, she thought comfortably, Tom was
something of both; yet he was the lover,
too, dominating, convincing.
She closed her eyes and recalled her
meeting with Tom and their immediate
and complete understanding. He had not
asked for her, but had simply taken her,
and the feted society woman liked it. Nor
had Tom apologized for his primitive
manner of living nor offered her more
than his love.
He had taken it for granted that "the
right kind of woman" would give all with-
out hesitation, as simply as he would have
done had the case been reversed.
Therein; lay his charm for Evelyn yet
there was something behind the pleasant
good-nature of Tom's external appearance
which savored of firmness, even hardness.
She felt 'that he would brook no trifling,
no shirking of responsibilities. It was
almost as if he exclaimed : "I have no time
in- my busy existence for nonsense. Life
is to me a serious affair. I but pause in
my battle with the strong forces to take
unto myself a mate. No puling weak-
ling for me. You are a tiger, I another
tiger we will journey on together."
Evelyn consented to be wooed in his
way. She liked her fiance's bluffness and
life was a plain affair its lethe of social
pleasure all drunk to dregs and disgust.
She had had her dreams of heroism, ro-
mance; often, in the fullness of possession
that had been hers since infancy, she had
wondered whether it would eve^r be her
privilege to sacrifice self for others in a
way which counted in the scheme of
things. And now she found herself, after
a brief struggle with her forces ready to
accept Tom's hard lot cheerfully.
Her money, he had declared, he would
never use until he had as much to offer.
"It will be cotton instead of silk, little
woman," he had said smilingly the day
before, as she held out her well-shaped foot
to have her shoe tied and he caught a
glimpse of a wonderful silk petticoat.
"I know, Tom, dear," she had responded
softly. "I think I'd like cotton for a
change."
There had been another in her life as
a matter of course. What woman ever mar-
ried her first love? and Evelyn reminded
herself that she was past thirty.
She had believed herself to be made of
sterner stuff than to harbor regrets, yet,
as she sat there waiting for Tom, memory
flung open her portals, and she felt her-
self dwelling lingeringly upon that last
love that dream of "might-have-beens"
which were not.
"What!" she cried impatiently, "have
I to rlo with thee, persistent memory! I
have chosen my fate and am content."
Yet the contrasts between the two men
who had in turn awakened her being, were
too vivid to away.
She loved Tom for his strength; the'
other had appealed to her through the
charm of weakness and dependence upon
her. How he had appealed to her with
his polish and culture and feminine
beauty ! How she had loved his touch, his
kisses! Something strangled her and she
gave a choking cry, checking herself at
once as curious eyes fastened upon her.
All would have gone well with Noel
Eaymond and herself but for that fatal
discovery. She had known that he was
weak, she had not realized
It was ten years ago now, and well she
recalled the afternoon of their parting
and the circumstance.
Evelyn shook herself, sat up and glanced
at her watch. The gate was open; and the
CROSSING IN THE FOG.
485
crowd filing through. Still no sign of
Tom. In his hurry, he had left his over-
coat as well as his suit case, and Evelyn
feared he would be cold. At any rate, he
would miss the six-thirty, - and there was
no other boat until eight-thirty. What
should she do? They had been invited
over to San Rafael for the week-end, and
their hostess would dine at seven-thirty.
The dinner was to be an elaborate affair
in honor of her and Tom's approaching
marriage.
She waited until the last passenger had
filed through the gate, and the gate-keeper
shouted "All aboard !" then followed hast-
%
As it was, she would reach Tiburon at
7 p. m. and would arrive at San Rafael too
late to dress without keeping Mrs. Dris-
coll waiting. She would have to excuse
Tom, who would in all probability follow
on the nine o'clock boat via Sausalito. This
was the last boat by way of Tiburon.
So hasty had been her decision that
she had not had time to check the dress-
suit case and overcoat at the news-stand;
besides, Tom would, in all probability,
not think to call for them, she reminded
herself. She was so heavily encumbered
with hand-baggage that she decided to re-
main below deck, outside of the cabin.
The evening was foggy and the wind
blowing a gale through the Golden Gate.
Finding her own wraps insufficient, she
donned Tom's overcoat, laughing gaily
over the spectacle she was making of her-
self still, there was no one to see. She
was alone on the outer deck. At any rate
the pockets were nice and warm for her
hands to nestle in, and the deep collar
sheltered her ears and neck from the cold ;
she felt very comfortable in Tom's coat.
As they reached the center of the bay
between Belvedere and San Francisco,
directly opposite the Golden Gate, the
ferry boat entered a dense fog bank. Eve-
lyn couldn't see ten feet away. Why didn't
they use the searchlight, she wondered, as
she huddled closer to the cabin, from which
issued the sound of laughter and voices.
The saloon and cafe were below deck, and
were filled with half-drunken men. Eve-
lyn shuddered. She hated drunkenness
above all things. She remembered gladly
that Tom drank but very little.
Dear Tom ! What was he thinking ? He
had probably arrived by now to find her
gone. Tom had been dabbling a little in
real estate since the fire and had made
some successful leases and sales. It was
one way, he said, of helping out.
He was already looking forward to the
time when his fortune should equal hers,
after which they would travel and do all
sorts of pleasant things together. Mean-
time she would have to as he expressed
it "wear cotton."
Evelyn dimpled as she remembered the
trays full of fine lingerie and silk under-
wear she had stored away in her several
trunks. Poor, silly Tom! Would he
make her discard her finery until he could
afford to buy it for her? She half liked
the idea.
The fog-horns were blowing hoarsely,
and their discordant note sent a shock
through the girl. The cry of the fog-
horns always reminded her of a soul in
pain. The sound was almost human. She
shuddered. There it was again ! A shock
a grinding of the ferry-boat against
rocks threw her to the floor !
All was wild with confusion. The cabin
doors were flung open, and from the up-
per deck she heard the shrieks of women
and children. Later there were voices re-
assuring the frightened passengers.
"We have struck Alcatraz Island. It
is nothing. All right in a minute."
Still the ferry shivered, and was thrown
violently against the rocks. The shrieks
became motfe prolonged upstairs, while
cries of "We are sinking! We are sink-
ing!" greeted Evelyn's ears.
She held on tightly to the railing, not
daring to go inside. She was preparing
herself to leap in case the ferry-boat sank.
Just then she heard a child's cry, and
rushed upstairs.
Quietly she reassured the trembling wo-
men and children. She looked tall and
self-reliant standing there in a man's coat,
and even in their fear the women whis-
pered, "Who is she?"
Lights flickered dimly from Alcatraz,
the fortified prison island, and voices
called to voices in the fog. Finally a
swarm of soldiers and officers leaped on
board from the big boat that had been
put out, arid slowly but surely the ferry
boat was pulled off the rocks. The pad-
dles churned the water once more, the
486
CROSSING IN THE FOG.
whistles shrieked, and the ferry was again
on her way to Tiburon.
Evelyn bethought herself of the two
dress-suit cases she had left below deck.
Dropping the baby she had been hold-
ing gently into its relieved mother's lap,
she flew downstairs. Yes, there they were,
only pushed a little to one side. She sighed
with satisfaction. She would be too late
for the 'dinner but what matter? After
such an experience she had no appetite
for dinner or toasts. She would be only
too happy to creep quietly to bed.
They were almost across now, so she
decided not to go back upstairs. She
crossed over to the rail and leaned over.
Yes, certainly the fog was slowly lifting.
The lights of Sausalito twinkled plainly
in the distance, resembling .a delicate dia-
mond necklace. Behind them, Alcatraz
Island rose ghost-like out of the fog, re-
sembling a haunted castle.
Evelyn watched the churned foam at
the ferry-boat's side, and admired the
phosphorescent waves of light as the water
receded from the paddle wheel. Suddenly
she became aware of a human presence,
and glanced about her hastily.
She saw no one, yet that strange cer-
tainty swept over her, so common to the
impressionable nature, that she was not
alone. She scanned the semi-darkness,
and finally rebuked herself for her foolish
fancies.
As she turned her back to the railing,
glancing toward Angel Island, over which
a new moon hung suspended like a silver
disc, she noticed a form wriggling toward
her. She started, and almost screamed,
but regained her control as she fixed her
fascinated gaze upon the object and
waited.
It would take but a moment to give the
alarm, and meanwhile she was transfixed
with curiosity and fear. The wriggling
object was a man, and his figure was
curved close to the railing while inch by
inch he worked his way toward Evelyn's
still figure. As he drew nearer, he placed
his hand upon his lips in token of a de-
sire for silence.
Just at that moment the searchlight
played upon the waters of the bay, rest-
ing for a brief moment upon the crouch-
ing form of Evelyn's strange companion.
"With a gasping cry she recognized him.
"Noel!" she cried in stifled tones.
"Noel !"
The man gazed at her imploringly, and
she half met him as he crawled toward
her.
"Not here ! In the shadow of that post
there !" he gasped, and half dragging him
along, Evelyn recognized the fact that he
wore the dress of a military prisoner. She
-touched his shoulder. It was wet from
the spray. She gazed into his wild, hag-
gard eyes, and exclaimed:
"For heaven's sake, Noel, what does
this mean?"
He interrupted, calling, "Brandy;
quick !"
Evelyn was at her wits' ends, but, re-
membering Tom's baggage, she felt for a
flask of brandy. Finding it without trou-
ble, she puckered her brow. "Why, I
wonder if Tom
The prisoner stared at her curiously and
she passed him the flask, from which he
drank in great gulps.
"You must help me out of this Evelyn,"
he said rapidly, the brandy seemingly giv-
ing him strength. "It'll be no news to
you to learn that I've acted like a fool."
"Wait.!" gasped the woman. Thus say-
ing, she threw off the overcoat and pressed
it upon him.
"This will disguise you and keep you
warm. This," pulling out a muffler from
Tom's suit-case, "you must wrap around
your head. Now pull this hat" she took
out a soft slouch hat which Tom had
stuffed in at the last minute, "well down
over your eyes. The sleeves hide your
hands, the coat reaches to your ankles.
Now, before the boat lands, tell me quick-
ly!
They were almost opposite the army
post at Angel Island. Raymond looked
that way once and shuddered.
"If you'll help me out of this hole, I'll
love you forever, Ev.," he began hope-
fully. "My Uncle Ralph died the other
day and left me half a million. I was
tied up there at that d island for an-
other year for desertion-^ "
"Desertion !" repeated the woman, every
vestige of color leaving her cheeks, her
eyes flashing dangerously "Desertion !"
"Oh, I say, Ev., don't be too hard on a
fellow. I did it for you in the first
place."
OVERLAID MONTHLY.
487
"Did what for me ?" asked Evelyn, im-
patiently. "Be quick; we are almost
there.' 7
"You see, you told me I was a coward,
and after that I went to the devil. 'Twas
your fault, Evelyn; you could have made
a man of me."
At that instant a man's face was pressed
against the glass door of the cabin and the
two figures huddled together fearfully.
But no he had not opened the door; he
was gone.
"Tell me all," gasped Evelyn, clutching
him rudely. "If I'm to help you, be
quick!"
She handed him the trousers of Tom's
dress-suit. "Put these over those. I'll
turn my back," she exclaimed. "Throw
the coat of your uniform overboard. It's
the safest. Her voice lingered a moment
hesitatingly over the word "uniform."
"Dear Tom will forgive me," she de-
clared to herself. "Now tie the scarf
closer around your n<eck so we are land-
ing. There's no time for the story. "Here,"
pressing a purse into his hand, "take the
same train with me to San Rafael, but sit
behind me. To-morrow you can return
to the city at dawn and board the limited
for Chicago. Do not stop an> instant. You
may write me the particulars. One ques-
tion : Where were you when you deserted ?"
"It was in the Philippines," he replied.
"I volunteered as a common soldier. I
did it for the lark, you know, and to prove
to you that I was no coward but
when the battle came and those cannibal
savages were after us "
"I see," replied the girl, "you ran
"Well, Ev., yes, but I think you're
rather hard on a fellow. I did it for you.
I'll send for you, Ev., from Xew York;
see if I don't,"
"You will not send for me you will
leave the country," replied the woman,
firmly. "Keep close to me," she whis-
pered; "we have landed. Don't slink be-
hind keep up with the crowd."
"The turnkey had left my door open a
moment when the ferry-boat struck. I
was a 'trusty.' I swung myself on the
tug as she pulled out, and that's how I
escaped," he whispered.
"I shall expect you to dinner to-mor-
row," Evelyn cried/a little loudly.
Curious, searching glances were direct-
ed their way. Kvrlyn avoided the eyes
of some friends who "tried to bow to licr.
She gazed straight in front of her as
she said in a low tone, ''Keep tin- suit-
case. My the man who owns it will not
mind. I get off at San Rafael. You must
get away as quickly as you can to-night,
if you can, to Petaluma. Better not try
to back to the city. I believe this train
which we take goes on bevond San
Rafael.'
"My God!" murmured the man, "but
you must have loved me; must, do, love
me now. Meet me in New York. The
world lies before us. I have still my career
my art, and half a million besides. Eve-
lyn, dear, come !"
His face lighted radiantly.
A slow, contemptuous smile played up-
on the woman's face. They were off the
boat now, moving slowly with the crowd.
"What I have done has been for the
sake of what was'' declared Evelyn slow-
ly and distinctly; "never let me regret
that I have done it !"
The man's face flushed redly. It was
as if a whip had struck him. Her words
were so many lashes.
"Aren't you a little hard?" he began
again, but she was silently hurrying him
alone.
"My God !" he cried, "it is terrible !"
"Hush ; you can begin again !" she re-
plied.
"What is the use?" he exclaimed hope-
lessly then clutched her arm like a vise.
A cannon's shot boomed upon the air.
"It's a pity," a ranch man's wife ex-
claimed behind them, "that such as him
should be wed with such as her."
"How ye know?" asked her husband,
loudly. "Be they sweethearts?"
"Why, Jonas, can't ye see? She be
a-taking Qare of him."
Just then a sound shook the air that
made the hills tremble. A prisoner had
escaped.
It seemed to Evelyn that the very
heavens took up the cry, but her step
was firm as she half-helped, half -dragged
her companion onto the waiting train.
III.
Ahmit twelve o'clock that night Tom
Lascalles crossed the drawing-room to
where Evelyn sat. Mrs. Driscoll had
488
OVERLAND MONTHLY.
waited dinner for him in. vain. He had
just arrived and was attired in his busi-
ness suit.
Evelyn was resplendent in evening dress
and looked as sweetly calm as if nothing
unusual had happened. A feeling of
exultation swept over Tom to think that
she was his own. She appeared more than
usually tender and womanly, he thought,
and he noticed the softened lines about
her eyes and mouth.
"How did we miss each other?" she
cried, speaking with a soft rush. Her
eyes sparkled with nervous excitement,
as she thought of all that had occurred
since their parting a few hours ago.
(f Wel], I didn't find the combination for
the safe, and had to go to Van Wynkle's
residence on Van Ness avenue to get it,"
he explained apologetically. "You didn't
become very tired, did you, with the wait-
ing?"
"Oh, Tom!" she whispered; "it was
dreadful to miss you like that !"
"Was it, dear?" he asked, tenderly.
"Yes, and I hope you'll forgive me I
I left your overcoat and dress-suit
case. I must have fallen asleep. At
any rate, it is gone."
He noticed that a tear glistened on her
lashes, and that her voice was husky.
"You forgive me, do you not?" she
pleaded, and Tom could not understand
that darkening of her eyes and the eager
manner in which her hand caught his.
"You make too much of a trifle, dear
one," he exclaimed.
"Yes, it was, as you say, a trifle," she
replied, hesitatingly.
She had deceived him, yet she had never
loved him so entirely as she did at that
moment.
Something of it must have shown in
her face, for he bent over her tenderly,
saying :
"Never mind, Evelyn, I I will need
new clothes for our wedding, you know."
She glanced archly at him and his face
flushed a dull red.
"Come into the conservatory for a
moment I haven't kissed you once to-
day."
Evelyn rose slowly to her feet, and all
eyes followed their stately figures as they
passed out of the room into the damp,
sweet-smelJing conservatory.
"Oh, Tom," she cried, throwing her
arms about him in utter abandon, "you
are such a comfort. You are all and more
than I wish, my love!"
Tom was too surprised to do more than
stroke her hair gently, saying soothingly:
"It is all right !"
Neither saw a white, drawn face pressed
against the moist panes of the conserva-
tory, nor heard the strangling cry of dis-
appointment and agony as a man dashed
out of the gate into the night. Both were
surprised, however, the next morning, to
find Tom's dress-suit case at the front
door with his overcoat neatly folded on
top.
HUNTING BY AUTOMOBILE
BY E. M. STETSON
IT HAS ALWAYS been thought that
an automobile was not suited for
hunting, but it seems that there is
hardly anything that the auto cannot
be forced into doing. One would think it
would be too noisy, or that it could not
be made to climb into the inaccessible
places where the hunter must go to get
his game, for its services to be available,
but all of this is removed by the will
of the one who drives the auto, and wills
to use it on his hunting expeditions.
Antelope hunting in Montana is one
of the keenest sports in which the natives
of that State indulge, and like many other
pastimes it has felt the growing influence
of the motor car. One of the wealthiest
ranchers in Montana, who has profited
by the general adaptability of the auto-
mobile is C. P. Morse, of Billings, who
in idle periods spends much time hunt-
ing the elusive antelope and thereby en-
tertaining his friends in motor cars.
He has long since discarded his horses
and wagons, having found that the auto
takes him to and from the hunting
grounds quicker than horses and with less
trouble. With the cars, he is enabled, also,
to do a large amount of scouting and
reconnoitering, and to pursue the ante-
lopes into the foothills and the rugged
country where they love to stay. These