The Man Who Rocked the Earth

Book Excerpt: ...ead with an air of importance."Take your word for it," answered Hood without emotion, save for a slight annoyance at the other's arrogation of superior information. "'Tain't the first time there's been an earthquake since creation." And he strolled out, swinging to the doors behind him. The night shift settled himself before the instruments with a look of dreary resignation."Say," he muttered aloud, "you couldn't jar that feller with a thirteen-inch bomb! He wouldn't even rub himself!"Hood, meantime, bought an evening paper and walked slowly to the district where he lived. It was a fine night and there was no particular excitement in the streets. His wife opened the door."Well," she greeted him, "I'm glad you've come home at last. I was plumb scared something had happened to you. Such a shaking and rumbling and rattling I never did hear! Did you feel it?""I didn't feel nothin'!" answered Bill Hood. "Some one said there was a shock, that was all I heard about it. Close...