The rim of the west wall changed from gray to pink. A mocking-bird burst into
song. A coyote sneaked away from the light of day. Out in the open Slone found
the trail made by Creech's mustangs and by the horse of Cordts's man. The
latter could not be very far ahead. In less than an hour Slone came to a clump
of cedars where this man had camped. An hour behind him!
This canyon was open, with a level and narrow floor divided by a deep wash.
Slone put Wildfire to a gallop. The narrow wash was no obstacle to Wildfire;
he did not have to be urged or checked. It was not long before Slone saw a
horseman a quarter of a mile ahead, and he was discovered almost at the same
time. This fellow showed both surprise and fear. He ran his horse. But in
comparison with Wildfire that horse seemed sluggish. Slone would have caught
up with him very soon but for a change in the lay of the land. The canyon
split up and all of its gorges and ravines and washes headed upon the
pine-fringed plateau, now only a few miles distant. The gait of the horses had
to be reduced to a trot, and then a walk.
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