He marked the place
instinctively with his eyes, and went on to the stable, stepping
rather more quickly than was his habit.
Inside, he sat down upon the oats-box, and meditated upon what he
should do. He could not even guess at his assailant, much less
reach him. A dozen men could be picked off by a rifle in the
hands of one at the top, while they were climbing that bluff.
Even if one succeeded in reaching the foot of the rim-rock, there
was a forty-foot wall of unscalable rock, with just the one
narrow fissure where it was possible to climb up to the level
above, by using both hands to cling to certain sharp projections
while the feet sought a niche here and there in the wall. Easy
enough--if one were but left to climb in peace, but absolutely
suicidal if an enemy stood above.
He scowled through the little paneless window at what he could
see of the bluff, and thought of the mile-long grade to be
climbed and the rough stretch of lava rock, sage, and scattered
bowlders to be gone over before one could reach the place upon a
horse.
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