They were now hunting-dogs--keen, alert, suspicious, sniffing the warm breeze.
The monotony of the yellow walls broke in change of color and smooth surface, and the rugged outline of rims grew craggy.

Splits appeared in deep breaks, and gorges running at right angles, and then the Pass opened wide at a junction of intersecting canyons.
Lassiter dismounted, led his burro, called the dogs close, and proceeded at snail pace through dark masses of rock and dense thickets under the left wall.

Long he watched and listened before venturing to cross the mouths of side canyons.

At length he halted, fled his burro, lifted a warning hand to Jane, and then slipped away among the boulders, and, followed by the stealthy dogs, disappeared from sight.

The time he remained absent was neither short nor long to Jane Withersteen.
When he reached her side again he was pale, and his lips were set in a hard line, and his gray eyes glittered coldly.