ButforonceEllenseemedsingularlyunresponsivetothispanoramaofwildnessandgrandeur。Herearswerelikethoseofalisteningdeer，andhereyescontinuallyrevertedtotheopenplacesalongtheRim。
Atfirst，inherexcitement，timeflewby。Gradually，however，asthesunmovedwestward，shebegantoberestless。Thesoftthudofdroppingpinecones，therustlingofsquirrelsupanddowntheshaggy—barkedspruces，thecrackingofweatheredbitsofrock，thesecaughtherkeenearsmanytimesandbroughtheruperectandthrilling。Finallysheheardasoundwhichresembledthatofanunshodhoofonstone。Stealthilythenshetookherrifleandslippedbackthroughthepinethickettothespotshehadchosen。Thelittlepinesweresoclosetogetherthatshehadtocrawlbetweentheirtrunks。
Thegroundwascoveredwithasoftbedofpineneedles，brownandfragrant。Inherhurrysheprickedherunglovedhandonasharppineconeanddrewtheblood。Shesuckedthetinywound。\"ShoreI’mwonderin’ifthat’sabadomen，\"shemuttered，darklythoughtful。
Thensheresumedhersinuousapproachtotheedgeofthethicket，andpresentlyreachedit。
Ellenlayflatamomenttorecoverherbreath，thenraisedherselfonherelbows。ThroughanopeninginthefringeofbuckbrushshecouldplainlyseethepromontorywhereshehadstoodwithJeanIsbel，andalsotheapproachesbywhichhemightcome。Rathernervouslysherealizedthathercovertwashardlymorethanahundredfeetfromthepromontory。Itwasimperativethatshebeabsolutelysilent。