Everybush，almost，hadlowbranchesthatweredead，hardassteel，sharpasthorns，asclutchingascactus。Progresswaspossibleonlybyendlessdetourstofindthehalf—closedaislesbetweenpatches，orelsebycrashingthroughwithmainstrengthorwalkingrightoverthetops。Jeanpreferredthislastmethod，notbecauseitwastheeasiest，butforthereasonthathecouldseeaheadsomuchfarther。
Soheliterallywalkedacrossthetipsofthemanzanitabrush。Oftenhefellthroughandhadtostepupagain;manyabranchbrokewithhim，lettinghimdown;butforthemostparthesteppedfromforktofork，onbranchafterbranch，withbalanceofanIndianandthepatienceofamanwhosepurposewassustainingandimmutable。
OnthatsouthslopeundertheRimthesunbeatdownhot。Therewasnobreezetotemperthedryair。AndbeforemiddayJeanwaslaboring，wetwithsweat，parchingwiththirst，dustyandhotandtiring。
Itamazedhim，thedoggednessandtenacityoflifeshownbythiswoundedrustler。Thetimecamewhenundertheburningraysofthesunhewascompelledtoabandonthewalkacrossthetipsofthemanzanitabushesandtaketothewinding，openthreadsthatranbetween。ItwouldhavebeenpoorsightindeedthatcouldnothavefollowedQueen’slabyrinthineandbrokenpassagethroughthebrush。ThenthetimecamewhenJeanespiedQueen，faraheadandabove，crawlinglikeablackbugalongthebright—greenslope。SightthenacteduponJeanasuponahoundinthechase。Buthegovernedhisactionsifhecouldnotgovernhisinstincts。Slowlybutsurelyhefollowedthedusty，hottrail，andneverapatchofbloodfailedtosendathrillalonghisveins。
Queen，headeduptowardtheRim，finallyvanishedfromsight。Hadhefallen？Washehiding？Butthehourdisclosedthathewascrawling。