Butinthecanyonswaterwasplentifulandalsoaluxuriantforestgrowth。
Theminewasanabandonedaffair，butheenjoyedthehalf-hour’sscramblearound。Hehadhadexperienceinquartz-miningbeforehewenttoAlaska，andheenjoyedtherecrudescenceofhisoldwisdominsuchmatters。Thestorywassimpletohim:goodprospectsthatwarrantedthestartingofthetunnelintothesidehill；thethreemonths’workandthegettingshortofmoney；thelay-offwhilethemenwentawayandgotjobs；thenthereturnandanewstretchofwork，withthe”pay”everluringandeverrecedingintothemountain，until，afteryearsofhope，themenhadgivenupandvanished。Mostlikelytheyweredeadbynow，Daylightthought，asheturnedinthesaddleandlookedbackacrossthecanyonattheancientdumpanddarkmouthofthetunnel。
Asonthepreviousday，justforthejoyofit，hefollowedcattle-trailsathaphazardandworkedhiswayuptowardthesummits。Comingoutonawagonroadthatledupward，hefolloweditforseveralmiles，emerginginasmall，mountain-encircledvalley，wherehalfadozenpoorranchersfarmedthewine-grapesonthesteepslopes。Beyond，theroadpitchedupward。
Densechaparralcoveredtheexposedhillsidesbutinthecreasesofthecanonshugesprucetreesgrew，andwildoatsandflowers。
Halfanhourlater，shelteringunderthesummitsthemselves，hecameoutonaclearing。Hereandthere，inirregularpatcheswherethesteepandthesoilfavored，winegrapesweregrowing。Daylightcouldseethatithadbeenastiffstruggle，andthatwildnatureshowedfreshsignsofwinning——chaparralthathadinvadedtheclearings；patchesandpartsofpatchesofvineyard，unpruned，grassgrown，andabandoned；andeverywhereoldstake-and-riderfencesvainlystrivingtoremainintact。Here，atasmallfarm-housesurroundedbylargeoutbuildings，theroadended。Beyond，thechaparralblockedtheway。