Her lameness was almost gone, and she was eager for the day's journey.
As they filed again up the valley that morning, with the early sun transfiguring the great snow-topped ranges about them into a paradise of colour and warmth, Aldous found himself mentally wondering if it were really possible that a serious danger menaced them.

He did not tell MacDonald what was in his mind.

He did not confess that he was about ready to believe that the man on the snow-ridge had been a hunter or a prospector returning to his camp in the other valley, and that the attack in Tete Jaune was the one and only effort Quade would make to secure possession of Joanne.

While a few hours before he had almost expected an immediate attack, he was now becoming more and more convinced that Quade, to a large extent, had dropped out of the situation.

He might be with Mortimer FitzHugh, and probably was--a dangerous and formidable enemy to be accounted for when the final settlement came.
But as an immediate menace to Joanne, Aldous was beginning to fear him less as the hours passed.