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           WehadcoveredperhapshalfthedistancebacktoShirningwhenJosellanoticedthesmoke.At-firstsightitmighthavebeenacloud,butaswenearedthetopofthehiltwecouldseethegraycolumnbeneaththemorediffusedupperlayer.Shepointedtoit,andlookedatmewithoutaword.Theonlyfireswehadseeninyearshadbeenafewspontaneousoutbreaksinlatersummer.WebothknewatoncethattheplumeaheadwasrisingfromtheneighborhoodofShirning.Iforcedthehalf-trackalongatagreaterspeedthanithadeverdoneonthedeterioratedroads.Wewerethrownaboutinsideit,andyetstillseemedtobecrawling.Josellasatsilentallthetime,herlipspressedtogetherandhereyesfixedonthesmoke.Iknewthatshewassearchingforsomeindicationthatthesourcewasnearerorfartheraway;anywherebutatShirningitself.Butthecloserwecame,thelessroomtherewasfordoubt.Wetoreupthefinallanequiteobliviousofthestingswhippingatthevehicleasitpassed.Then,attheturn,wewereabletoseethatitwasnotthehouseitselfbutthewoodpilethatwasablaze.

           AtthesoundofthehornSusancamerunningouttopullontheropewhichopenedthegatefromasafedistance.Sheshoutedsomethingwhichwasdrownedintherattleofourdrivingin.Herfreehandwaspointing,nottothefire,buttowardthefrontofthehouse.Asweranfartherintotheyardwecouldseethereason.Skillfullylandedinthemiddleofoutlawnstoodthehelicopter.