About noon
And now she was assured of her love and almost convinced of her fear . The reputation these wild bandits gave Jim was astounding and inexplicable to Joan . She rode the miles thinking of Jim , dreading to meet him , longing to see him , and praying and planning for him . About noon the cavalcade rode out of the mouth of a canon into a wide valley , surrounded by high , rounded foot-hills . Horses and cattle were grazing on the green levels . A wide , shallow , noisy stream split the valley . Joan could tell from the tracks at the crossing that this place , whatever and wherever it was , saw considerable travel ; and she concluded the main rendezvous of the bandits was close at hand .