ord, but his mind had suddenly seized upon it with a
different thought from hers. If the earth were shaking, it would not
be with the storm above. His eyes peered ahead. Devil's Hill lay less
than a mile away, and that was where he reckoned the fire would strike
the trail. Devil's Hill. A sudden uncomfortable repulsion at the
thought of its barren dome took hold of him. For some subtle reason it
no longer became the haven to be yearned for that it had been. Rather
was it a resting-place to be sought only in extremity--if the earth
were shaking.

His attention now became divided between the fire and Caesar. The horse
was evidently laboring. He was moving without his accustomed freedom
of gait, and yet he did not seem to be tiring.

Half the distance to the foot of the hill had been covered. The fire
was nearing rapidly, so near indeed was it that the air was alive with
a perfect hail of glowing sparks, swept ahead of it by the terrific
wind. The scorching air was becoming unendurable, and the mental
strain made the trail seem endless, and their efforts almost hopeless.
Buck looked down at the girl's patient face.

"It's hot--hot as hell," he said with another meaningless laugh.

The girl read through his words and the laugh--read through them to
the thought behind them, and promptly protested.

"Don't worry for me. I can stand--anything now."

The added squeeze of her arm upon his shoulders set Buck's teeth
gritting.

Suddenly he reined Caesar in.

"I must know 'bout that--shakin'," he said.

For a second the horse stood with heaving body. It was only a moment,
but in that moment he spread out his feet as though to save himself
from falling. Then in answer to the spur he sped on.

"It's the earth, sure," cried Buck. And had there been another escape
he would have turned from the barren hill now rising amidst the
banking smoke-clouds ahead of him.

"Earthquake!" said the girl.

"Yes."

Nothing more was said. The air scorched their flesh, and Joan was
fearful lest the falling sparks should fire her clothing. With every
passing moment Caesar was nearing their forbidding goal. The fire was
so adjacent that the roar and crackle of it shrieked in their ears,
and through the trees shone the hideous gleam of flame. It was neck
and neck, and their hope lay beneath them. Buck raked the creature's
flanks again with his spurs, and the gallant beast responded. On, on
they sped at a gait that Buck knew well could not