early
noon
In vain she scanned the deeply gored valley that lay before her and the timbered slopes of the mountains for sign of human habitation . Her horse lowered his head and snipped at the bunch grass . Stiffly the girl dismounted . She had been in the saddle since early noon with only two short intervals of rest when she had stopped to drink and to bathe her fare in the deliciously cold waters of mountain streams -- and now the trail had melted into the hills , and the broad shadows of mountains were lengthening . Every muscle of her body ached at the unaccustomed strain , and she was very hungry . She envied her horse his enjoyment of the bunch grass which he munched with much tongueing of the bit and impatient shaking of the head . With bridle reins gripped tightly she leaned wearily against the saddle .