we'll keep out of sight--a day behind."

When Slone reached the cedars the sun was low down in the west. He
looked back across the fifty miles of valley to the colored cliffs and
walls. He seemed to be above them now, and the cool air, with tang of
cedar and juniper, strengthened the impression that he had climbed high.

A mile or more ahead of him rose a gray cliff with breaks in it and a
line of dark cedars or pinyons on the level rims. He believed these
breaks to be the mouths of canyons, and so it turned out. Wildfire's
trail led into the mouth of a narrow canyon with very steep and high
walls. Nagger snorted his perception of water, and the mustang whistled.
Wildfire's tracks led to a point under the wall where a spring gushed
forth. There were mountain lion and deer tracks also, as well as those
of smaller game.

Slone made camp here. The mustang was tired. But Nagger, upon taking a
long drink, rolled in the grass as if he had just begun the trip. After
eating, Slone took his rifle and went out to look for deer. But there
appeared to be none at hand. He came across many lion tracks, and saw,
with apprehension, where one had taken Wildfire's trail. Wildfire had
grazed up the canyon, keeping on and on, and he was likely to go miles in
a night. Slone reflected that as small as were his own chances of
getting Wildfire, they were still better than those of a mountain lion.
Wildfire was the most cunning of all animals--a wild stallion; his speed
and endurance were incomparable; his scent as keen as those animals that
relied wholly upon scent to warn them of danger; and as for sight, it
was Slone's belief that no hoofed creature, except the mountain sheep
used to high altitudes, could see as far as a wild horse.

It bothered Slone a little that he was getting into a lion country.
Nagger showed nervousness, something unusual for him. Slone tied both
horses with long halters and stationed them on patches of thick grass.
Then he put a cedar stump on the fire and went to sleep. Upon awakening
and going to the spring he was somewhat chagrined to see that deer had
come down to drink early. Evidently they were numerous. A lion country
was always a deer country, for the lions followed the deer.

Slone was packed and saddled and on his way before the sun reddened the
canyon wall. He walked the horses. From time to time he saw signs of
Wildfire's consistent progress. The canyon narrowed and the walls grew
lower and the grass