Francisco and Jeanne went to San Diego. There the former tried to refashion the work of many months--two hundred pages of a novel which the flames destroyed. Robert Windham and his family journeyed to Hawaii. Frank did not see his uncle after that talk in the Berkeley Hills. Parks and public spaces were covered with little green cottages in orderly rows. Refugee camps one termed then and therein lived 20,000 of the city's homeless. Street cars were running. Passengers were carried free until the first of May. Patrick Calhoun was trying to convert the cable roads into electric lines in spite of the objection of the improvement clubs. He was negotiating with the Supervisors for a blanket franchise to electrize all of his routes. "And he'll get it, too," Aleta told Frank as they dined together. "It's arranged, I understand, for quarter of a million dollars." Frank pondered. "What'll Langdon say to that?" William H. Langdon was the district attorney, a former superintendent of schools, whom Ruef had put on his Union Labor ticket to give it tone. But Langdon had refused to "take program." He had even raided the "protected" gamblers, ignoring Ruef's hot insinuations of "ingratitude." "Oh, Ruef's too smart for Langdon," said Aleta. "Every Sunday night he, Schmitz and Big Jim Gallagher hold a caucus. Gallagher is Ruef's representative on the Board. They figure out what will occur at Monday's session of the Supervisors. It's all cut and dried." "It can't last long," Frank mused. "They're getting too much money. Those fellows who used to earn from $75 to $100 a month are spending five times that amount. Schmitz is building a palace. He rides around in his automobile with a liveried chauffeur. He's going to Europe they say." The girl glanced up at him half furtively. "Perhaps I'll go to Europe, too." "What?" Frank eyed her startled. "Not with--" "Yes, my friend, the Supervisor." Her tone was defiant. "Why shouldn't I?" "Don't--Aleta." "But, why not?" He was silent. But his eyes were on her, pleadingly. "Would you care, Frank? Would you care--at all?" "You know I would," he spoke half angrily. The girl traced patterns with her fork upon the table cloth. [Illustration: "I am going South," Francisco told his son. "I cannot bear this."] CHAPTER LXXXII AT BAY On May 21, the United Railway Company received a franchise to electrize any of its street-car routes, "where grades permitted." At once ensued a public uproar. From the press, the pulpit and the rostrum issued fiery accusations that the city was betrayed. In the midst of it Mayor Schmitz departed for Europe. Frank met Ruef at the Ferry, where the former had gone to see Aleta off on a road tour with her company. The little boss was twisting his moustache and muttering to himself. "So His Honor's off on a lark," said the newsman, meaningly. Ruef glared at him, but made no answer.