Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1915-08-06
FOURTEENTH INSTALLMENT
A BOLT FROM THE BLUE.
CHAPTER XXX.

# There was peculiar, almost fore
boding silence about the camp thai
morning when Laura returned from
X her early ride The only living person
s. to be seen was the Chinaman, sitting
on stool in front of the wagon with
a q dish of potatoes between his knees
% Say, where's everyone?" Laura
sang out, after she had looked into LIE
nora's tent and found 1t empty,
s# The Chnaman looked up at her
malevolently.
@ "All gone" he announced. Cow
boys gone workee Missee gone hurry
up find MIR Quest"
Laura hesitated. puzzled Just then
the professor came canterng in with
q bundle of grass In his hand He
glanced down at the Chinaman.
& Good morning, Miss Laura" he
& said. You don't seem TO be getting
on with our friend here" he added In
an undertone.
n "Pshaw!" she answered. "Who
cares what a chink thinks! The fel-
lows an idiot, Pm worried, professor
Lenora's gone out after MIR Quest and
VI the inspector She wasn't fit to ride
a horse. | cant make out why she s
attempted It"
The professor unslung some field
glasses from his shoulder and gazed
steadily southwark
''!: is Just possible" he said, softly,
shat she may have received warn
ing of that"
He pointed with his forehnger Laura
peered forward There was something
which seemed to be just faint cloud
upon the horizon The professor
handed her his glasses.
why, It's a fire." she cried
The professor nodded
Just prairie fire" he replied
very dangerous, though these dry
seasons, The flames move 80 quickly
that If you happen to be in a certain
position you might easily be cut OFF d"
Laura turned her horse round
Come on. professor" she ex.
claimed That's what 1t is. Lenora's
gone to try and warn the others"
They rode to the very edge of the
tract OF country which was Temporal.
lily developed in smoke and flame
Here they pulled in their horses and
the professor looked thoughtfully
through his field glasses,
Laura gave little cry and pointed
with her riding whip. About twenty
yards farther on, by the side of the
road, was a small white object She
cantered on. swung herself from her
horse and picked 1t up.
"Lenoras handkerchief" she cried
The professor waved his arm west
ward
Here come Quest and the inspec
tor. They are making circuit to
avoid the fire. The cowboy with them
must have shown them the way We'd
better hurry up and find out II they've
Seen anything of Miss Lenora."
They galloped across the rough
country towards the little party, who
were now clearly In sight
From the center OF one OF the burn.
Ing patches they saw riderless horse
gallop out, stop for a moment with
his head almost between his torelegs,
shake himself furiously and gallop
blindly on again.
Laura would have turned her horse,
but the professor checked her
LET us wait for Quest" he advised |
The cowboy riding little behind
the two others, had numbered his .
lariat swung it over his head and Sc
cured the runaway Quest galloped up
to where Laura and the professor were
waving frantically.
Say, that's some fire." Quest ex-
claimed. Did you people come out to
see it,"
"No, we came to find Lenora!"
Laura answered, breathlessly That's
her horse. She started to meet you
She must be somewhere"
"Lenora?" Quest interrupted, fierce
ly. What do you mean?'
when ! got back to camp" Laura
continued, rapidly, there wasn't
soul there except the Chinaman. He
told me that Lenora had ridden off
few minutes before to find you We
came to look for her We found her
on the road there, and
that's her horse"