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covered the ground and crackled under his feet as he went out to bring in the
horses。 He saw fresh deer tracks。 Then he went back to camp for his rifle。
Keeping a sharp lookout for game； he continued his search for the horses。
The forest was open and park…like。 There were no fallen trees or evidences of
fire。 Presently he came to a wide glade in the midst of which Nagger and the
pack…mustang were grazing with a herd of deer。 The size of the latter amazed
Slone。 The deer he had hunted back on the Sevier range were much smaller than
these。 Evidently these were mule deer； closely allied to the elk。 They were so
tame they stood facing him curiously； with long ears erect。 It was sheer
murder to kill a deer standing and watching like that； but Slone was out of
meat and hungry and facing a long； hard trip。 He shot a buck； which leaped
spasmodically away； trying to follow the herd； and fell at the edge of the
glade。 Slone cut out a haunch； and then； catching the horses； he returned to
camp； where he packed and saddled； and at once rode out on the dim trail。
The wildness of the country he was entering was evident in the fact that as he
passed the glade where he had shot the deer a few minutes before； there were
coyotes quarreling over the carcass。
Stone could see ahead and on each side several hundred yards； and presently he
ascertained that the forest floor was not so level as he had supposed。 He had
entered a valley or was traversing a wide； gently sloping pass。 He went
through thickets of juniper； and had to go around clumps of quaking aspen。 The
pines grew larger and farther apart。 Cedars and pinyons had been left behind；
and he had met with no silver spruces after leaving camp。 Probably that point
was the height of a divide。 There were banks of snow in some of the hollows on
the north side。 Evidently the snow had very recently melted； and it was
evident also that the depth of snow through here had been fully ten feet；
judging from the mutilation of the juniper…trees where the deer； standing on
the hard； frozen crust； had browsed upon the branches。
The quiet of the forest thrilled Slone。 And the only movement was the
occasional gray flash of a deer or coyote across a glade。 No birds of any
species crossed Stone's sight。 He came； presently； upon a lion track in the
trail； made probably a day before。 Slone grew curious about it； seeing how it
held； as he was holding； to Wildfire's tracks。 After a mile or so he made sure
the lion had been trailing the stallion； and for a second he felt a cold
contraction of his heart。 Already he loved Wildfire； and by virtue of all this
toil of travel considered the wild horse his property。
〃No lion could ever get close to Wildfire；〃 he soliloquized； with a short
laugh。 Of that he was absolutely certain。
The sun rose； melting the frost； and a breath of warm air； laden with the
scent of pine； moved heavily under the huge； yellow trees。 Slone passed a
point where the remains of an old camp…fire and a pile of deer antlers were
further proof that Indians visited this plateau to hunt。 From this camp
broader； more deeply defined trails led away to the south and east。 Slone kept
to the east trail； in which Wildfire's tracks and those of the lion showed
clearly。 It was about the middle of the forenoon when the tracks of the
stallion and lion left the trail to lead up a little draw where grass grew
thick。 Slone followed； reading the signs of Wildfire's progress； and the
action of his pursuer； as well as if he had seen them。 Here the stallion had
plowed into a snow…bank； eating a hole two feet deep； then he had grazed
around a little； then on and on； there his splendid tracks were deep in the
soft earth。 Slone knew what to expect when the track of the lion veered from
those of the horse； and he followed the lion tracks。 The ground was soft from
the late melting of snow； and Nagger sunk deep。 The lion left a plain track。
Here he stole steadily along； there he left many tracks at a point where he
might have halted to make sure of his scent。 He was circling on the trail of
the stallion； with cunning intent of ambush。 The end of this slow； careful
stalk of the lion； as told in his tracks； came upon the edge of a knoll where
he had crouched to watch and wait。
From this perch he had made a magnificent springSlone estimating it to be
forty feet…but he had missed the stallion。 There were Wildfire's tracks again；
slow and short； and then deep and sharp where in the impetus of fright he had
sprung out of reach。 A second leap of the lion； and then lessening bounds； and
finally an abrupt turn from Wildfire's trail told the futility of that stalk。
Slone made certain that Wildfire was so keen that as he grazed along he had
kept to open ground。
Wildfire had run for a mile； then slowed down to a trot； and he had circled to
get back to the trail he had left。 Slone believed the horse was just so
intelligent。 At any rate； Wildfire struck the trail again； and turned at right
angles to follow it。
Here the forest floor appeared perfectly level。 Patches of snow became
frequent； and larger as Slone went on。 At length the patches closed up； and
soon extended as far as he could see。 It was soft； affording difficult travel。
Slone crossed hundreds of deer tracks； and the trail he was on eventually
became a deer runway。
Presently； far down one of the aisles between the great pines Slone saw what
appeared to be a yellow cliff； far away。 It puzzled him。 And as he went on he
received the impression that the forest dropped out of sight ahead。 Then the
trees grew thicker； obstructing his view。 Presently the trail became soggy and
he had to help his horse。 The mustang floundered in the soft snow and earth。
Cedars and pinyons appeared again； making travel still more laborious。
All at once there came to Slone a strange consciousness of light and wind and
space and void。 On the instant his horse halted with a snort。 Slone quickly
looked up。 Had he come to the end of the world？ An abyss； a canyon； yawned
beneath him； beyond all comparison in its greatness。 His keen eye； educated to
desert distance and dimension； swept down and across； taking in the tremendous
truth； before it staggered his comprehension。 But a second sweeping glance；
slower； becoming intoxicated with what it beheld； saw gigantic cliff…steps and
yellow slopes dotted with cedars； leading down to clefts filled with purple
smoke； and these led on and on to a ragged red world of rock； bare； shining；
bold； uplifted in mesa； dome； peak； and crag； clear and strange in the morning
light； still and sleeping like death。
This； then； was the great canyon； which had seemed like a hunter's fable
rather than truth。 Slone's sight dimmed； blurring the spectacle； and he found
that his eyes had filled with tears。 He wiped them away and looked again and
again； until he was confounded by the vastness and the grandeur and the vague
sadness of the scene。 Nothing he had ever looked at had affected him like this
canyon； although the Stewarts had tried to prepare him for it。
It was the horse…hunter's passion that reminded him of his pursuit。 The deer
trail led down through a break in the wall。 Only a few rods of it could be
seen。 This trail was passable； even though choked with snow。 But the depth
beyond this wall seemed to fascinate Slone and hold him back； used as he was
to desert trails。 Then the clean mark of Wildfire's hoof brought back the old
thrill。
〃This place fits you； Wildfire；〃 muttered Slone； dismounting。
He started down； leading Nagger。 The mustang followed。 Slone kept to the wall
side of the trail； fearing the horses might slip。 The snow held firmly at
first and Slone had no trouble。 The gap in the rim…rock widened to a slope
thickly grown over with cedars and pinyons and manzanita。 This growth made the
descent more laborious； yet afforded means at least for Slone to go down with
less danger。 There was no stopping。 Once started； the horses had to keep on。
Slone saw the impossibility of ever climbing out while that snow was there。
The trail zigzagged down and down。 Very soon the yellow wall hung tremendously
over him； straight up。 The snow became thinner and softer。 The horses began to
slip。 They slid on their haunches。 Fortunately the slope grew less steep； and
Slone could see below where it reached out to comparatively level ground。
Still； a mishap might yet occur。 Slone kept as close to Nagger as possible；
helping him whenever he could do it。 The mustang slipped； rolled over； and
then slipped past Slone； went down the slope to bring up in a cedar。 Slone
worked down to him and extricated him。 Then the huge Nagger began to slide。
Snow and loose rock slid with him； and so did Slone。 The little avalanche
stopped of its own accord； and then Slone dragged Nagger on down and down；
presently to come to the end of the steep descent。 Slone looked up to see that
he had made short work of a thousand…foot slope。 Here cedars and pinyons grew
thickly enough to make a forest。 The snow thinned out to patches； and then
failed。 But the going remained bad for a while as the horses sank deep in a
soft red earth。 This eventually grew more solid and finally dry。 Slone worked