The travellers halted only for a moment. They could feel the heat on their faces. Black smoke had begun to roll over the heights around them.
"It'll go up the valley in an hour an' cut Silas off," Sinth whimpered as they went on.
"He must have crossed the valley before now," the young man assured her.
The woman ran ahead and called, loudly, "Silas! Silas!" She continued calling as they hurried on through thickening smoke. They halted for a word at Leonard's Trail, which left the main thoroughfare to Rainbow, and, going down the east side of the ridge, fared away some ten miles over hill and dale to the open country.
It was at right angles with the way of the wind and would soon lead them out of danger.
"Make for Benson Falls with the childem!" cried Sinth. "I'm goin' after Silas." She knew that her brother would surely be coming—that, seeing the fire, he would take any hazard to reach them.
Master knew not what to do. He had begun to worry about the people at Buckhom, but his work was nearer to his hand. It was there at the fork in the trail. He sent a loud, far-reaching cry down the wind, but heard no answer.
"He'll take care of himself—you'd better get away from this valley," he called.
An oily top had taken fire below and within a hundred yards of them.
"Go, go quick, an' save them childern!" she urged. Then she ran away from him.