to bring his head above the canvas top of the wagon. Those in it, save
Paul, who remained holding the reins to quiet the very restive horses,
had jumped to the ground.

"The wind is driving on der flames dot are back of us," said Mr. Switzer
in a low voice. "It is driving dem on."

He turned in the opposite direction, where the flames and smoke were
less marked, but still dangerously in evidence.

"Und dere, too," the German murmured. "Der vind dere, too, is driving
dem on--driving dem on! I don't understand it. Dere must be a vacuum
caused by der two fires."

"Well, what's to be done?" asked Mr. Towne, who formed one of the
fleeing party. "We can't stay here forever--between two fires, you
know."

"Yah! I know," remarked Mr. Switzer, slowly. "Ve must get avay. We
cannot go back, ve cannot go forvarts. Den ve must----"

"Oh, if we can't go back, what has become of those whom we left
behind?" cried Ruth. "My father--and the others?"

Her tearful face was turned toward Alice.

"They--they may be all right," said the younger girl, but her voice was
not very certain.

"The--the fire must be at the cabin by now," went on Ruth. "If--if
anything has happened that they were not able to get the flames under
control----"

She, too, did not finish her portentous sentence.

"Ve cannot go forvarts," murmured Mr. Switzer, "und ve cannot go back.
Den de only oder t'ing to do iss to go to der left or right. Iss dot not
so Paul, my boy?"

"It certainly is, and the sooner the better!" cried the young actor.
"Get into the wagon again and I'll try the left. It looks more open
there. And hurry, please, it's getting hard to hold the horses. They
want to bolt."

There were four animals hitched to the wagon, and it was all Paul could
do to manage them. Every moment they were getting more and more excited
by the sight and smell of the smoke and flames.

Into the wagon piled the refugees, and Paul gave the horses their heads,
guiding them over the prairie in a direction to the left, for the smoke
seemed less thick there. It was a desperate chance, but one that had to
be taken.

Ruth and Alice, going to the rear of the vehicle, looked out of the
opening for a sight of their father and the others coming up on the
gallop, possibly to report that the fire had gotten beyond their
control.

But there was no sight of them.

"Oh, what can have happened?" murmured Ruth with clasped hands, while
tears came into her eyes.

"Don't