of level land, miles wide, a prairie fire was sweeping in the
majesty of mastery. The lurid flames leaped skyward, while roll on surging
roll of black smoke-waves, with folds of gray ashes smothering between,
poured out along the horizon. Beyond the fire was the dark blue
storm-cloud, banded across the front by the hail mark of coppery green.

Virginia sat enchanted by the grandeur of the scene. The veil had fallen
from her head, and with white face and fascinated eyes, she watched the
glowing fury, a graceful rider on a graceful black horse, on the crest of
the lone headland outlined against the sky.

Suddenly the terror of it broke upon her. She was miles from the cabin
with its double fireguard. Asher had said such fires could leap rivers.
Between her and safety were many level banks where the sandy stream bed
was narrow, and many grassy stretches where there was no water at all.

Distance, storm wind, fire and hail, all seemed ready to close down upon
her, making her senses reel. One human being, alone before the wrath of
Nature! In all the years that followed, she never forgot that scene. For
in that moment a whisper came from somewhere out of the void, "The Eternal
God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms," and she
clasped her hands in a wordless prayer.

The wind that had been cruel all day grew suddenly kind. A dead calm held
the air in a hot stillness. Then with a whip and a whirl, it swung its
course about and began to pour cool and strong out of the northwest.

"The wind is changing," Virginia cried, as she felt its chill and saw the
flame and smoke tower upward and bend back from the way. "It is blowing
the fire to the east, to the southeast. But, will it catch Asher? Oh, you
good Wind, blow south! blow south!" she pleaded, as she dashed down the
long slope for the homeward race.

* * * * *

When Asher reached his claim, he looked in vain for Virginia's face as he
passed the cabin window. He hurried the ponies into the corral, and the
wagon under the lean-to beside the stable, half conscious that something
was missing inside. Then he hastened to the cabin, but Virginia was not
there.

"She may be in the stable." He half whispered the words in his anxiety.

The ponies in the corral were greedily eating their hay, but the black
mare Juno was gone. As Asher turned toward the house, he caught the low
roaring of the tempest and felt a rush of c