Texas and established a herd with no other asset than a couple of
horses and a branding-iron," said he.

Then we worked up gradually to a divide, whence we could see a
range of wild and rugged mountains on our right. They rose by
slopes and ledges, steep and rough, and at last ended in the
thousand-foot cliffs of the buttes, running sheer and unbroken
for many miles. During all the rest of our trip they were to be
our companions, the only constant factors in the tumult of lesser
peaks, precipitous canons, and twisted systems in which we were
constantly involved.

The sky was sun-and-shadow after the rain. Each and every
Arizonan predicted clearing.

"Why, it almost never rains in Arizona," said Jed Parker. "And
when it does it quits before it begins."

Nevertheless, about noon a thick cloud gathered about the tops of
the Galiuros above us. Almost immediately it was dissipated by
the wind, but when the peaks again showed, we stared with
astonishment to see that they were white with snow. It was as
though a magician had passed a sheet before them the brief
instant necessary to work his great transformation. Shortly the
sky thickened again, and it began to rain.

Travel had been precarious before; but now its difficulties were
infinitely increased. The clay sub-soil to the rubble turned
slippery and adhesive. On the sides of the mountains it was
almost impossible to keep a footing. We speedily became wet, our