oment of flight.

Under the shifting cloud flashes of red followed by waves of fire
raced through the tree-tops. That the forest fire traveled through the
tree-tops was as new to me as it was terrible. The fire seemed to make
and drive the wind. Lower down along the ground was a dull furnace-glow,
now dark, now bright. It all brought into my mind a picture I had seen
of the end of the world.

Target broke the spell by swinging me up into the saddle as he leaped
forward with a furious snort. I struck him with the bridle, and yelled:

"You iron-jawed brute! You've been crazy to run--now run!"

XVII. THE BACK-FIRE

Target pounded over the scaly ground and thundered into the hard trail.
Then he stretched out. As we cleared the last obstructing pile of rocks
I looked back. There was a vast wave of fire rolling up the canyon and
spreading up the slopes. It was so close that I nearly fainted. With
both hands knotted and stiff I clung to the pommel in a cold horror, and
I looked back no more to see the flames reaching out for me. But I could
not keep the dreadful roar from filling my ears, and it weakened me so
that I all but dropped from the saddle. Only an unconscious instinct to
fight for life made me hold on.

Blue and white puffs of smoke swept by me. The trail was a dim, twisting
line. The slopes and pines, merged in a mass, flew backward in brown
sheets. Above the roar of the pursuing fire I heard the thunder of
Target's hoofs. I scarcely felt him or the saddle, only a motion and the
splitting of the wind.

The fear of death by fire, which had almost robbed me of strength,
passed from me. My brain cleared. Still I had no kind of hope, only a
desperate resolve not to give up.

The great bay horse was running to save his life and to save mine. It
was a race with fire. When I thought of the horse, and saw how fast he
was going, and realized that I must do my part, I was myself again.

The trail was a winding, hard-packed thread of white ground. It had been
made for leisurely travel. Many turns were sudden and sharp. I loosened
the reins, and cried out to Target. Evidently I had unknowingly held him
in, for he lengthened out, and went on in quicker, longer leaps. In
that moment riding seemed easy. I listened to the roar behind me, now
a little less deafening, and began to thrill. We were running away from
the fire.

Hope made the race seem different. Something stirred and beat warm
within me, driving out th