adden, this is too hard for you," said Ned, as they paused
once, gasping for breath, "I don't believe it is safe either, you
ought never to have come."

"What do I care for difficulty or danger?" she replied, "Think of Lyle
going through this storm alone; I only pray she may not have been too
late!"

Scarcely had she finished speaking, when, without an instant's
warning, the timber through which they were passing suddenly seemed
one mass of blinding flame, while almost simultaneously came the
deafening crash of the thunder.

"Great Heavens! that must have struck awfully near us!" exclaimed Ned,
but no cry escaped from Leslie's lips, as, shuddering, she clasped his
arm more closely and struggled bravely on.

It was not until a few seconds later, when there came the sound of the
terrible explosion, followed by the bursting and crashing of the
rocks, while the ground quivered and trembled as though shaken by an
earthquake, that, for an instant, her courage failed, and with a low
cry, she sank to the ground, shivering with horror. But only for an
instant, and then she rose to her feet, dizzy and trembling from the
shock, but brave and determined as ever.

"Come," she said hoarsely, "we must hasten; perhaps we can help them
in some way, even if we are too late to save them."

Speechless from a horrible, sickening realization of all which that
terrible shock might mean to those whom they were striving to save,
Ned silently helped her forward. They had gone but a few steps, when
there suddenly burst upon the dark and stormy heavens a dull, red
glare, which grew brighter moment by moment, and on emerging from the
timber into the open ground, a frightful scene met their gaze.

Dense clouds of smoke were pouring from the shafts of the nearest
mine, while, at a little distance, could be seen the mills, their
whole interior already ablaze with light. In that end of the buildings
containing the sorting rooms and Haight's office, the fire was raging,
having come in contact with quantities of chemicals which had
increased its fury.

"Great Caesar!" ejaculated Ned, "the mills were struck, and are on
fire."

But Leslie uttered a sharp cry, and ran swiftly down the path to where
Lyle lay unconscious, followed quickly by Ned.

"Poor child, poor child!" she moaned, "oh, merciful heaven, she came
too late, and they are all lost!"

Then, as she knelt beside the unconscious form, there came another
terrific explosion, which see