Shadowed, cool, mossy, damp, this narrow gulch seemed the wildest place Ellen had ever seen.

She could just see the sunset-flushed, gold-tipped spruces far above her.

The men repacked the horse that had slipped his burden, and once more resumed their progress ahead, now turning up this canyon.
There was no horse trail, but deer and bear trails were numerous.

The sun sank and the sky darkened, but still the men rode on; and the farther they traveled the wilder grew the aspect of the canyon.
At length Colter broke a way through a heavy thicket of willows and entered a side canyon, the mouth of which Ellen had not even descried.
It turned and widened, and at length opened out into a round pocket, apparently inclosed, and as lonely and isolated a place as even pursued rustlers could desire.

Hidden by jutting wall and thicket of spruce were two old log cabins joined together by roof and attic floor, the same as the double cabin at the Jorth ranch.
Ellen smelled wood smoke, and presently, on going round the cabins, saw a bright fire.