bluff above this bench. On up
that canyon several miles was the site where Queen had surprised Jean
and his comrades at their campfire. Somewhere in this vicinity was the
hiding place of the rustlers.

Thereupon Jean proceeded with the utmost stealth, absolutely certain
that he would miss no sound, movement, sign, or anything unnatural to
the wild peace of the canyon. And his first sense to register
something was his keen smell. Sheep! He was amazed to smell sheep.
There must be a flock not far away. Then from where he glided along
under the trees he saw down to open places in the willow brake and
noticed sheep tracks in the dark, muddy bank of the brook. Next he
heard faint tinkle of bells, and at length, when he could see farther
into the open enlargement of the canyon, his surprised gaze fell upon
an immense gray, woolly patch that blotted out acres and acres of
grass. Thousands of sheep were grazing there. Jean knew there were
several flocks of Jorth's sheep on the mountain in the care of herders,
but he had never thought of them being so far west, more than twenty
miles from Chevelon Canyon. His roving eyes could not descry any
herders or dogs. But he knew there must be dogs close to that immense
flock. And, whatever his cunning, he could not hope to elude the scent
and sight of shepherd dogs. It would be best to go back the way he had
come, wait for darkness, then cross the canyon and climb out, and work
around to his objective point. Turning at once, he started to glide
back. But almost immediately he was brought stock-still and thrilling
by the sound of hoofs.

Horses were coming in the direction he wished to take. They were
close. His swift conclusion was that the men who had pursued him up on
the Rim had worked down into the canyon. One circling glance showed
him that he had no sure covert near at hand. It would not do to risk
their passing him there. The border of woodland was narrow and not
dense enough for close inspection. He was forced to turn back up the
canyon, in the hope of soon finding a hiding place or a break in the
wall where he could climb up.

Hugging the base of the wall, he slipped on, passing the point where he
had espied the sheep, and gliding on until he was stopped by a bend in
the dense line of willows. It sheered to the west there and ran close
to the high wall. Jean kept on until he was stooping under a curling
border of willow thicket, with branches slim and yel