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It was serrated, and between two spears of rock, directly in line with his position, showed a zigzag crack that at night would let through the gleam of sky This settled, he put on his belt and boots and prepared to descend Some consideration was necessary to decide whether or not to leave his rifle there On the return, carrying the girl and a pack, it would be added encu the ainst the bench As he went straight down the slope he halted every few rods to look up at his e in his memory When he reached the first cedar-tree, he tied his scarf upon a dead branch, and then hurried toward ca his trail upon the return trip
Darkness soon ereater speed It occurred to hilade near cale The big sorrel could not be gotten into Surprise Valley He would have to be left here
Venters deterh the thicket and turn them loose The farther they wandered from this canyon the better it would suit hilooht
Venters whistled low for the dogs, and when they ca to him he sent them out to search for the horses, and followed It soon developed that they were not in the glade nor the thicket
Venters grew cold and rigid at the thought of rustlers having entered his retreat But the thought passed, for the de and Whitie reassured him The horses had wandered away
Under the clump of silver spruces a denser ht-practiced eyes could not catch the white oval of a still face He bent over it with a slight suspension of breath that was both caution lest he frighten her and chill uncertainty of feeling lest he find her dead But she slept, and he arose to renewed activity
He packed his saddle-bags The dogs were hungry, they whined about him and nosed his busy hands; but he took no ti the saddlebags over his shoulders and made them secure with his lasso Then he wrapped the blankets closer about the girl and lifted her in his arround as Venters passed hi left behind, and was not sure whether he liked it or not Venters went on and entered the thicket Here he had to feel his way in pitch blackness and to wedge his progress between the close saplings