Together they noiselessly stole into the brush.
Ellen had no other thought than to comply with Colter's wishes.

There was her wounded uncle who had been left unattended, and she was anxious to get back to him.

Besides, if she had wanted to run off from Colter, where could she go?
Alone in the woods, she would get lost and die of starvation.

Her lot must be cast with the Jorth faction until the end.
That did not seem far away.
Her strained attention and suspense made the moments fly.

By and by several shots pealed out far across the side canyon on her right, and they were answered by reports sounding closer to her.