第219页 / 共439页

Among these peaks lay hidden pockets and caches by hundreds, rock

fissures which made the country a very maze to the uninitiated.

The ranger, himself one of the best trailers in Texas, doubted

whether he could retrace his steps to the Speed place.

After several hours of travel, they emerged from a gulch to a

little valley known as Beaver Dam Park. The girl pointed out to

her companion a narrow brown ribbon that wound through the park.

"There's the road again. That's the last we shall see of it--or

it will be when we have crossed it. Once we reach the Twin Buttes

that are the gateway to French Canon you are perfectly safe. You

can see the buttes from here. No, farther to the right."

"I thought I'd ridden some tough trails in my time, but this

country ce'tainly takes the cake," Fraser said admiringly, as his

gaze swept the horizon. "It puts it over anything I ever met up

with. Ain't that right, Teddy hawss?"