Some inborn superstition of her native mountains worked upon her. In his absence the things which had prejudiced her against him faded while the smooth efficiency and ease of her journey to this distant land was recalled, with the realization that that comfort and speed must have been due entirely to him whom she had thought spending his time in drunken carouses. He had brought her so far, to the very threshold of what she sought, and, if he should now abandon her, that threshold must remain uncrossed. De Launay had taken on some of the attributes of a guardian angel, a jinni who alone could guide her to the goal she sought. And she was about to divorce him, to cut the slight tie that bound him to her. This was her feeling when Wilding showed her the handbill, and the ancient, faded poster carried instant conviction to her that she was at last on the trail of the murderer. When the lawyer repeated the sheriff's deductions as to Louisiana's death or detention, she merely shook her head. Although the description carried little meaning to her she seemed to envision a figure, sinister and evil, something to seek and something to find. Or something that De Launay would surely find! She went out to where the two young men were working with the pack outfit and horses which had been brought in for their journey. "My friends," she said soberly, "we must hurry and be gone to-morrow. I have a feeling that we shall find this man. But it will be with Monsieur de Launay's help. I do not know why but I feel that he will bring us to the man. We must rejoin him as soon as possible." "All right," said Sucatash, shortly. Dave muttered, "Damn De Launay!" But they both turned back to their work and hastened their preparations. CHAPTER XVI IN THE SOLITUDES OF THE CANYON The great wall of the Esmeraldas is split at one point by a ragged chasm opening out into the foothills and the grass plains to the north. This was the outlet of Shoestring Creek, a small stream of water which flowed out into the plain and was finally lost in the sands. It ran back into the range almost to the top of the main divide, forming a sort of natural pathway through the rugged mountains, a pathway much followed by the sheep-herders in driving their flocks from winter to summer range. There was no road, properly speaking. In fact, when one had penetrated a few miles into the canyon passage was rendered arduous and difficult by a series of rocky terraces down which the stream tumbled. At many points the sheep trails winding along the slopes of the canyon walls formed the only practical thoroughfare. Farther up, the canyon became more level, but no one had ever built a road through it. A good trail ran along it, generally at the level of the stream. Once past the terraced and rough part, there were no difficulties worthy of mention, at least in other seasons than winter.