Here was hard riding to and fro across the
brook, between huge mossy boulders, and between aspens so close together
that Helen could scarce squeeze her knees through.

Once more Roy climbed out of that canuon, over a ridge into another,
down long wooded slopes and through scrub-oak thickets, on and on
till the sun stood straight overhead. Then he halted for a short rest,
unsaddled the horses to let them roll, and gave the girls some cold
lunch that he had packed. He strolled off with his gun, and, upon
returning, resaddled and gave the word to start.

That was the last of rest and easy traveling for the girls. The forest
that he struck into seemed ribbed like a washboard with deep ravines
so steep of slope as to make precarious travel. Mostly he kept to the
bottom where dry washes afforded a kind of trail. But it was necessary
to cross these ravines when they were too long to be headed, and this
crossing was work.

The locust thickets characteristic of these slopes were thorny and close
knit. They tore and scratched and stung both horses and riders. Ranger
appeared to be the most intelligent of the horses and suffered less.
Bo's white mustang dragged her through more than one brambly place. On
the other hand, some of these steep slopes, were comparatively free of
underbrush. Great firs and pines loomed up on all sides. The earth was
soft and the hoofs sank deep. Toward the bottom of a descent Ranger
would brace his front feet and then slide down on his haunches. This
mode facilitated travel, but it frightened Helen. The climb out then on
the other side had to be done on foot.

After half a dozen slopes surmounted in this way Helen's strength was
spent and her breath was gone. She felt light-headed. She could not get
enough air. Her feet felt like lead, and her riding-coat was a burden.
A hundred times, hot and wet and throbbing, she was compelled to stop.
Always she had been a splendid walker and climber. And here, to break up
the long ride, she was glad to be on her feet. But she could only drag
one foot up after the other. Then, when her nose began to bleed, she
realized that it was the elevation which was causing all the trouble.
Her heart, however, did not hurt her, though she was conscious of an
oppression on her breast.

At last Roy led into a ravine so deep and wide and full of forest
verdure that it appeared impossible to cross. Nevertheless, he started
down, dismounting after a little way. Helen found tha