Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-07-09
FOURTEENTH lNSTALLMENT
A BOLT FROM THE BLUE.
CHAPTER XXI.

I'll p .I.. VIM s.VA
There was a peculiar, almost fore.
boding silence about the camp that
= morning when Laura returned from
her early ride. The only living person
to be seen was the Chinaman, sitting
on a stool in front Of the wagon With
q dish Of potatoes between his knees.
"Say, whereas everyons?" Laura
sang out, after she had looked into Le-
nora's tent and found it empty.
The Chinaman looked up at her
malsvolently.
All gono." he announced. Cow
boys gone workee. Missss gone hurry
up find Mr.. Quest"
Laura hesitated, puzzled. Just then
the professor came cantering in with
q bundle OF grass in his hand. He
glanced down at the Chinaman. g..
Good morning, Miss Laura" he
said. "You don't seem to be getting
on with our friend here" he added in
an undertone. !
%"Pshaw!" she answered. Who
cares what q chink thinks! The fell
lows an idiot. I'm worried, professor.
Lenora's gone out after Mr.. Quest and
The Inspector She wasn't fit to ride
q horse. I can't make out why she's
a. attempted it,"
The professor unslung some field.
glasses from his shoulder and sazed
steadily seuthVud.
1T is just possible" he said, softly!
'thatssahs may have received . warn:
ing Of that" "a
He pointed with his foreiAger. Laura
peered forward. There was something
which seemed to be just a faint cloud
upon the horizon. The professor
handed her his glasses.
"Why. it's a nre!" she cried.
The professor nodded. .
"Just a prairie fire." he replied
"very dangerous, though, these dry
seasons. The flames move SO quickly
that if you happen to be in a certain
position you might easily be cut off,"
Laura turned her horse round.
Come on, professor" she ex-
claimed. That's what it is. Lenora's
gone to try and warn the Others"
They rode to the very edge Of the
tract Of country which was Temporal
fly enveloped in smoke and flame.
Here they pulled in their horses and.
the professor looked t%houghtfully
through his field glasses.
Laura gave a 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 it up.
"Lenora's handkerchief" she cried.
The professor waved his arm west.
ward. Al
Here come Quest and the inspec.
tor. They are making a 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
see 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 a riderless horse
gallop out, stop for a moment with
his head almost between his forelegs,
shake himself furiOusIy and gallon
blindly on again.
Laura would have turned her horse,
but the professor checked her.
LET us. wait for Quest" he advised.
The cowboy, riding a little behind,
the two others, had unimbered his
lariat. swung it over his head and Sc
cured the runaway. Quest galloped up
to where Laura and the professor were
4.waying fEantically.
Say, that's some hre!" Quest ex.
claimed. did you people come out to
see it?"
No, We came to find Lepora!"
Laura answered. breathlessly. That's
her horse. She started to meet you
She must be somewhere"
"Lenora!" Quest interrupted, fierce.
~. what do you mean!"
When l got back to camp" Laura
continued, rapidly, there wasn't .
soul there except the Chinaman. He
told me that Lenora had ridden of Z
few minutes before to lind you. We
came to look for. her. We found her
handkerchief on the road there. and
thhetls hsz horse" !