gh its words were
grand: "My spirit is the Spirit of Time, of Eternity, of God. Man is
little, vain, vaunting. Listen. To-morrow he shall be gone. Peace!
Peace!"

CHAPTER 14.

ALL HEROES BUT ONE

As we rode up the slope of Buckskin, the sunrise glinted red-gold
through the aisles of frosted pines, giving us a hunter's glad greeting.

With all due respect to, and appreciation of, the breaks of the Siwash,
we unanimously decided that if cougars inhabited any other section of
canyon country, we preferred it, and were going to find it. We had
often speculated on the appearance of the rim wall directly across the
neck of the canyon upon which we were located. It showed a long stretch
of breaks, fissures, caves, yellow crags, crumbled ruins and clefts
green with pinyon pine. As a crow flies, it was only a mile or two
straight across from camp, but to reach it, we had to ascend the
mountain and head the canyon which deeply indented the slope.

A thousand feet or more above the level bench, the character of the
forest changed; the pines grew thicker, and interspersed among them
were silver spruces and balsams. Here in the clumps of small trees and
underbrush, we began to jump deer, and in a few moments a greater
number than I had ever seen in all my hunting experiences loped within
range of my eye. I could not look out into the forest where an aisle or
lane or glade stretched to any distance, without seeing a big gray deer
cross it. Jones said the herds had recently come up from the breaks,
where they had wintered. These deer were twice the size of the Eastern
species, and as fat as well-fed cattle. They were almost as tame, too.
A big herd ran out of one glade, leaving behind several curious does,
which watched us intently for a moment, then bounded off with the
stiff, springy bounce that so amused me.

Sounder crossed fresh trails one after another; Jude, Tige and Ranger
followed him, but hesitated often, barked and whined; Don started off
once, to come sneaking back at Jones's stern call. But surly old Moze
either would not or could not obey, and away he dashed. Bang! Jones
sent a charge of fine shot after him. He yelped, doubled up as if
stung, and returned as quickly as he had gone.

"Hyar, you white and black coon dog," said Jones, "get in behind, and
stay there."

We turned to the right after a while and got among shallow ravines.
Gigantic pines grew on the ridges and in the hollows, and everywhere
bluebel