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Updated: June 9, 2025
"Th' settlers," said Conford. "All right. Until they are here we'll guard the mouth of this cañon that leads into the Rockface, as I understand it. Now take me to this man Banner." At a low, rambling house in the outskirts of Corvan they found Jim Banner, sitting on the edge of his bed, undeniably sick from some acute attack.
The cabin faced southwest, set at an angle to command the circled glade, the dropping slopes, the distant range lands, the wooded line of the Broken Bend, and farther off the levels and slants of the gently undulating Valley, with the mighty Rockface of the Wall rising like a mystery beyond.
The red light that dyed Lost Valley so wondrously at the hour of the sun's sharp decline above the peaks and ridges of the Cañon Country was awash in all the great sunken cup, save at the west under the Rockface where the shadows were already dark. Kenset drank in the beauty of the scene with smiling eyes. Already a love for this hidden paradise had grown wonderfully in his heart.
Coming to a crumpled shelf jutting out of the rockface, he spied a small opening just ahead and to his right, and with the giant reptile just a few short yards behind, rushed headlong and breathless into the welcome shadows of a small cave. But the danger was not yet passed. Though unable to fit the whole of its body into the small enclosure, the lizard was not so easily defeated.
It lay level at the mouth of the passing cut, was never filled higher. Starting at dusk from Corvan, Pete reached his destination around two o'clock, filled his sacks, tied them on his mules and started down, coming out of the Rockface in time to meet the dawn that quivered on the eastern ramparts.
Pretty young Paula from the Pomo Indian settlement far to the north of the Valley under the Rockface felt it and was more silent, cat-like of step than ever. José, always full of laughter at his outside work, was sobered. For this change was not material, but spiritual, and it had to do with Tharon, who was now the mistress of Last's.
The thunder of El Rey's beating hoofs was like the sound of the cataracts when the cañons shot their freshets from the Rockface. The note of his speed was rising rising rising. The blood began to pound in her temples with pride and exultation. She saw the distance narrowing just the smallest bit between her and Courtrey. Just the smallest trifle, indeed, but narrowing.
"I'm goin' to th' Cañon Country, Billy," she said simply, "to find th' Cup o' God an' Kenset." Then she straightened in her saddle and gave El Rey the rein. It was two of the clock by the starry heavens when these two riders entered the blind opening in the Rockface and disappeared. El Rey, the mighty, tossed his great head and whistled, stamped his hoofs in the dead sift of the silencing floor.
He saw the golden light on its uncounted acres, the shadow falling at the foot of the great Rockface, the mighty Wall itself with the silver ribbon of the Vestal's Veil falling straight down from the upper rim, the distant town, looking always like a dull gem in a dark setting, and a thrill shot to his heart.
"I mean that it looks better here in my cabin than it ever did on city walls." "Why?" "Well I don't know. Contrast, perhaps." Tharon stood a moment thinking. "Perhaps," she answered slowly, "yes, perhaps. I guess that's why you seem so diff'rent to me. Jim Last used to say that was why th' Valley was so soft-like an' lovely, contrasted by th' Rockface."
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