"He couldn't help himself. Nearly everyone else had left the office." The car whirled around a corner and raced through a traffic light just as it turned amber. Suddenly from far away, there came a dull explosion which rocked the pavement. Salt and Penny stared at each other with alert comprehension. "That was at the Conway Plant!" the photographer exclaimed, pushing his foot hard on the gas pedal. "Penny, we've got a real assignment ahead of us!" CHAPTER 3 _SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT_ Darkness shrouded the streets as the press car careened toward the outskirts of the city where the Conway Steel Plant was situated. Rattling over the river bridge, Salt and Penny caught their first glimpse of the factory. Flames were shooting high into the sky from one of the buildings, and employes poured in panic through the main gate. No policemen were yet in evidence, nor had the fire department arrived. Pulling up at the curb, Salt seized his camera and stuffed a handful of flashbulbs into his pockets. Grabbing Penny's elbow, he steered her toward the gate. To get through the barrier, they fought their way past the outsurging, panic-stricken tide of fleeing employes. "Scared?" Salt asked as they paused to stare at the shooting flames. "A little," Penny admitted truthfully. "Will there be any more explosions?" "That's the chance we're taking. DeWitt shouldn't have sent you on this assignment!" "He couldn't know there would be other explosions," Penny replied. "Besides, someone had to cover the story, and no one else was there. I can handle it." "I think you can too," said Salt quietly. "But you'll have to work alone. My job is to take pictures." "I'll meet you at the car," Penny threw over her shoulder as she left him. Scarcely knowing how or where to begin, she ran toward the burning building. One of the smaller storage structures of the factory, it was not connected with the main office. The larger building remained intact. Workmen with an inadequate hose were making a frantic effort to keep the flames from spreading to the other structures. Penny ran up to one of the men, plucking at his sleeve to command attention. "What set off the explosion?" she shouted in his ear. "Don't know," he replied above the roar of the flames. "Anyone killed?" "Two workmen. They're over there." The man waved his hand vaguely toward another building. Unable to gain more information, Penny ran toward the nearby structure. The wind, she noted, was carrying flames in the opposite direction. Unless there were further explosions, danger of the fire spreading was not great. Entering the building, she met several men who appeared to be officials of the company. "I'm looking for Mr. Conway!" she accosted them. "Is he here?" "Who are you?" one of the men asked bluntly. "I'm Penny Parker from the _Star_." "My name is Conway. What do you want to know?"