Mr. Hale reflected swiftly. He smiled at thought of his own long legs bestriding the low back of the donkey, but a memory of that heated trail down which he must pass to reach the nearest house, decided the matter. While the small owners of the burro were improving the time of the shepherd's absence to ransack his dwelling the sturdy little animal bore its accustomed rider out of sight. Meanwhile, Jessica's moccasined feet were flying down the slope, her blue skirts and scarlet Tam making a moving spot of color against the sandy glare of the canyon wall, and long before she came within hailing distance catching the eyes of one who eagerly awaited her approach. This was John Benton, the carpenter and general utility man at Sobrante; who had come up the opposite side of the canyon, where were many huge bowlders, a few trees, and no trail at all. Indeed, a passage along that face of the gulch was difficult in extreme, and so dangerous that it must have been serious business which brought a lame man thither. Fortunately for his patience, the girl paused for breath at a point level with his own narrow perch upon a shelving rock, and where there was no great width of the V-shaped chasm. "Lady Jess! Oh! I say! Miss Jessica! Lady Jess!" The girl looked about her, up and down, everywhere save to the further side where nobody ever went if it could be avoided. But she answered, cheerily: "_Hola!_ Coo'ee! Coo'ee! Who are you?" The man made a trumpet of his hands and shouted back: "The flume! Look east--to the flume!" She followed his example and called through her own fingers: "What's wrong? How came you there?" He pointed downward, and she shaded her eyes from the blinding sunshine to see why, but could discover nothing new in the familiar scene. "The water! That's where it goes! The flume is cut!" Even at that pitch, his tones were full of excited indignation, and her own anger leaped at once. "Somebody's cut the flume? Who dared! Wait--wait--I'm coming!" "No, no! Don't. You can't help it--you'll break your neck! Oh! Lady Jess!" "I'm coming! Wait for me!" The carpenter laughed. "Might have known she would, and wanted she should, I suppose. Surest-footed little thing in the world. Guess I needn't fret. Though when I think what this old ranch would be without her, I don't feel any great call to send her into danger, myself. My! she's as nimble as a squirrel! Down to the bottom a'ready. Up this side in a jiffy, and won't her blue eyes snap when she sees this lowdown trick? If I knew whose job it was, well, I'm a peaceable man if I'm let, but there wouldn't be room enough in this here valley for the two of us. And it's all on a piece with the rest. One thing after another. There's a snake in this wigwam, but which 'tis? H-m-m! Beats me. Beats me clear to Jericho."