ThenthemanytrailsleadingawayfromtheJorthranch——thesegrewtohaveafascinationforEllen;andthetimecamewhensherodeoutonthemtoseeforherselfwheretheyled。ThesheepranchofDaggs，supposedtobeonlyafewmilesacrosstheridges，downinBearCanyon，nevermaterializedatallforEllen。ThiscircumstancesointerestedherthatshewentuptoseeherfriendSpragueandgothimtodirecthertoBearCanyon，sothatshewouldbesurenottomissit。Andsherodefromthenarrow，maple—thicketedheadofitneartheRimdownallitslength。Shefoundnoranch，nocabin，notevenacorralinBearCanyon。Spraguesaidtherewasonlyonecanyonbythatname。Daggshadassuredheroftheexactlocationonhisplace，andsohadherfather。Hadtheylied？Weretheymistakeninthecanyon？Thereweremanycanyons，allheadingupneartheRim，allrunningandwideningdownformilesthroughthewoodedmountain，andvastlydifferentfromthedeep，short，yellow—walledgorgesthatcutintotheRimfromtheBasinside。
Elleninvestigatedthecanyonswithinsixoreightmilesofherhome，bothtoeastandtowest。Allshediscoveredwasacoupleofoldlogcabins，longdeserted。Still，shedidnotfollowoutallthetrailstotheirends。Severalofthemledfarintothedeepest，roughest，wildestbrakesofgorgeandthicketthatshehadseen。Nocattleorsheephadeverbeendrivenoverthesetrails。
ThisridingaroundofEllen’satlengthgottoherfather’sears。
Ellenexpectedthatabitterquarrelwouldensue，forshecertainlywouldrefusetobeconfinedtothecamp;butherfatheronlyaskedhertolimitherridingtothemeadowvalley，andstraightwayforgotallaboutit。Infact，hisabstractiononemoment，hisintensenervousnessthenext，hisharderdrinkingandfiercerharangueswiththemen，grewtobedistressingforEllen。Theypresagedhisfurtherdeteriorationandtheever—presentevilofthegrowingfeud。
OnedayJorthrodehomeintheearlymorning，afteranabsenceoftwonights。Ellenheardtheclip—clopof，horseslongbeforeshesawthem。