There was, moreover, one prerogative which the General jealously guarded. The city of Sacramento, state capital, population a hundred thousand, was—as the General often said—by far the most valuable piece of property in the whole Valley. It stood in the narrow angle between the American and Sacramento rivers, a ticklish place. And of all the tributaries, the American was quickest to rise, and most treacherous. Besides its levees, the chief protection to the city was Sacramento Weir, four miles up-stream. It was more than a third of a mile long, and of all the weirs it alone had gates. Only at the General’s order could those gates be opened.

15

In the City, as if symbolic of a new regime, the great banners no longer flew from the high towers. Here and there some smaller flag rode out the storm—tossed and whipped in the south wind, its colors dulled and sodden.

Wisps of fast-driven scud swirled around the bare flag-poles, and lower—until the tops of the towers were dim in the cloud. By the clocks it was day, but lights shone from the windows. Stone-work was dark with wetness. Under the high archways of the portals people huddled, peering out for street-cars, signaling cabs.

Water spattered upon the sidewalks in rain-drops. Water ran in the gutters; it gurgled through the gratings of the storm drains; it dropped from awnings and cornices; it cascaded from broken drain-pipes.

Sleek wet asphalt reflected the glow of neon lights in long unreal lines of pink and blue. Drivers of cars leaned forward nervously, peering through the windshield-wipers. The professionals—truck- and taximen—sped along as nonchalantly as ever; their impudent wheels threw water from the puddles; pedestrians drew back, fearful or angry. Street-cars came along stolidly; from beneath their wheels little sprays of water flew sideways.

The flower-stands no longer glowed with sun-bright colors; the vendors did little business; they covered the blooms with water-proofs, and hoped for a better day. Newsboys no longer pre-empted the best corners; now they withdrew toward sheltered spots and guarded their papers against the wet; when they made a sale, they quickly drew the folded paper out and handed it to the customer.