JC made a few short trips into the canyon just to get the feel of it. For the first mile, the canyon was wide, fairly straight, and with a very gentle slope. The floor consisted of very large flat, water smoothed, rocks with three to four inch wide water carved cracks between them.
    When JC reached the first fork in the canyon, he thought he was lost. One leg was the wide entrance to a small box canyon. The canyon continued down the other leg, but it was very narrow and turned very sharply, so it appeared to be a dead end. In the middle of the fork stood a large chimney rock. The strata on all the walls and the chimney were exactly the same. As he rode around the chimney, he could not tell where he had been or where he was going. A hint of panic over took him, until he remembered the position of the sun. JC never lost his bearings again.
    That episode convinced him to draw a map of the canyon. With each trip into the canyon he traveled farther and faster than the time before. With the map, he could estimate how far he could explore each day and what and how many provisions to take on each trip. The more he explored the canyon, the more it fascinated him. The midday heat in the canyon did not deter him, he spent the rest of the summer exploring it. If anyone lived in the canyon and traveled frequently outside, their camp had to be close to the entrance, otherwise, travel time would be prohibitive.
    Having come to that conclusion, he traveled the full length of the canyon only once, to check his map and to look for water. He did not find anything else of interest and the canyon was bone dry. A camp had to have water and because water was so important, he was convinced that if he found water, he would find the camp.
    He used a narrow piece of fire wood to probe the cracks in the canyon floor. He was elated when the end came out wet, but then he could not tell when he found water again. He used pieces of cloth, wool, and corn cobs tied to the end of the stick, but the irregular walls of the cracks removed them. He was continually amazed how easy the stick slid down into the cracks and how equally easy it became stuck.
    Using a stick was too slow, he had to find another way. "If I could only see down into the cracks. I could if I had a light. Why not reflect sun light into the cracks?" He struck pay dirt, about every twenty feet the light colored rock would turn very dark. When he tested with his stick the end would be wet. The water trail ended near a short chimney rock in the small box canyon.
    The base of both walls had shallow caves, one right after another for more than a mile in both directions. He inspected the walls very carefully for water or an opening. After a week, he found nothing but dry rock and caves.
    One of the caves must be a tunnel, but which one, they looked alike. They had the same color, the same strata, and the same stone. He couldn't see a single difference except for size, some were tall and narrow, others were low and wide, and others had a different configuration. Entering a cave was like entering a jack-o-lantern, the inside was much larger than the entrance and the walls and ceiling curved like the inside of a pumpkin.
    JC stopped exploring the canyon, he had to think of a way to eliminate searching all the caves, it would take too long. He spent more at the top of the bell tower, hoping to get an inspiration. One day while up in the tower, he watched a lone horseman ride into Nowhere. He watched him for a long time, but he didn't get an idea until he rode into the livery.
    "If anyone was to travel quickly in and out of the canyon they would do it on horseback. Why were solutions so easy in hindsight?"
    The next morning he rode into the small box canyon and into each cave that would accommodate him. Before lunch he was looking over the third step from the eastern most part of the fourth step.
    When the cave continued, he knew he had found a way to the fourth step. He was so excited, he was oblivious to his surroundings. When he reached the top, he rode directly to the tip of the step, he couldn't believe it. He was so ecstatic, he just sat there and took in the view.
    He sat for more than an hour before his excitement subsided, "My gosh, I'm sitting on a stone bench," he stood and looked around, "And the back rest is a stone shelter." Inside he found a telescope in a protective case. The case was badly deteriorated, but the telescope was in good shape. Obviously, this was an observation post.
    He returned to the bench. The wall in front of the bench was carefully stacked to preserve maximum visibility. The ridges and cuts in the edge of the step were continued back and up until the wall was three feet high, forming a modified saw tooth rampart, the top of each tooth was flat. A person could sit on the bench and observe the entire third step and the entrance to the canyon through different vee's in the rampart without being seen.
    A group of stones, similar to the ones at the top of the bell tower were on the roof of the stone shelter. With the telescope JC could easily see Nowhere and when he brought the bell tower into focus, he knew the purpose of the stones. Each stone was a different size and a different shape, they were signals.
    He surveyed this portion of the fourth step. His eyes followed the canyon to the box canyon to the top of the path, about a mile north, to the eastern edge of the step. The fourth step sloped steeply away from its eastern edge for a short distance and then more gently until it was nearly level, the eastern edge was five feet higher than the rest of the step.
    Beyond the path was the fifth step, three feet high, a tongue, like the third step only much smaller. From its tip to the next step, it rose very gently for more than a mile. The sixth step, ten feet high, was also a tongue, but not as curved. The camp was at the base of the sixth step almost in the center of the step.
    JC could not see any more steps because the sixth step was covered with trees and behind the trees were the mountains. He scanned the sixth step with the telescope to the east until it disappeared at the edge of the fourth step escarpment, so did the fifth step, and so did the mountains. He followed the sixth step to west until it disappeared again, so did the fifth step, at the rim of the canyon, he would find out for sure another time. To the south, the canyon cut an island out of the fourth step, higher than the rest of the step and blocked his view, but he could see the mountains. He followed the giant horseshoe shaped mountain range from the south to the west to the north, enclosing the entire upper steps and the canyon.
    As he continued to look over the steps, it slowly sank into his brain that something was different. Then it came to him, the fifth step was green. Quickly he scanned the entire fifth step again. The box canyon cut a large hole in the fourth step and east of the hole, the fifth step was green. About twenty feet from each edge, the rock gave way to grass. He started at one end of the sixth step and scanned all the way across and back.
    He didn't see the small water fall the first time, but he did the second, at the east end of the camp. He could not follow the stream across the fifth step because the grass was to high. At the tip of the fifth step, a tiny stream was barely visible. He mounted and rode to the tip of the fifth step. The stream fell into an irregular triangular shaped opening of a water carved rock cistern. The water flowed out of the cistern through a channel about four inches wide and about six feet down. The channel followed the base of the fifth step and then meandered to the west side of the path, where it disappeared into the rock. Water flowed gently over the fifth step at many places before the channel turned toward the path.
    He rode back to the tip of the fifth step and followed the tiny stream to the camp. A clay tile channeled water from the small stream above the falls into a clay horse trough at the side of the stable. The water flowed out of the trough through a hole in its wall and down another clay tile back to the stream. He let his horse drink.
    He explored the camp very thoroughly, the buildings were made of stacked rock and clay, with clay tile on the roof. One room was the armory, it contained molds to make bullets, among other things.
    A ladle still had lead in it. JC bumped it and tipped it over. The wind must have blown sand on the flat surface before the lead cooled and over the years the ladle rusted and gave the other side a dark red color.
    At first glance it looked like a rock, sand stone on one side and iron ore on the other. This oddly colored, half egg shaped piece of lead appealed to him and he put it in his pocket. The only other item he took was the telescope. He carried both everywhere he went.
    He noticed the length of the shadows and decided to leave. He looked carefully at the terrain on the way back. The small stream divided and joined many times. One large branch ended in a rock cistern at the edge of the grass near the short chimney rock in the box canyon.
    He looked even more carefully at the cave. When he was in the box canyon, he looked back at the cave and could not tell which cave was the tunnel. He had to ride back to make sure. He dismounted and walked to the center of the box canyon and looked back at the cave. He couldn't see anything to identify the cave, everything was similar.
    The tunnel made two sharp turns before it became a steep serpentine path. The one side wall of the cave curved to become the far wall of the tunnel. The back wall of the cave was the near wall of the tunnel. The strata of the two walls matched so closely that in the shadows of the cave all depth perception was lost. JC could not tell that nearly eight feet separated the two walls, the far wall of the tunnel blended into the back wall of the cave. When he move to either side of the cave, the curving side walls of the cave blocked any view of the tunnel entrance.
    There had to be some way to find the entrance cave easily without betraying it to others. He looked for land marks in the box canyon, nothing stood out. He looked at the rim, no help there either. He placed his rock directly in front of the cave, walked back to his horse, rode out of the canyon, and rode back in.
    The first time, he looked at the back wall of the canyon, it never changed. When he reached his rock, he repeated the procedure, three more times. Each time he looked at a different part of the rim. Several chimney rocks were near the back wall, their tops below the rim, but above the short chimney rock, as he rode in the angles to the tops of the chimneys changed; therefore the short chimney appeared to grow in height faster than the chimneys near the back wall.
    When he reached his rock, all the chimneys appeared to be the same height, with their tops silhouetted against the sky. He would be able to locate the tunnel in very dim light, maybe even at night. He picked up his rock and rode back to Nowhere a very satisfied man.
    He could not believe his good luck, not only did he find a path to the top of the fourth step, he also found a camp that could accommodate fifteen people. He didn't tell anyone, but a few noticed the telescope and the rock and soon everyone knew about them. No one asked JC, but he knew they knew.
    Each time he left the cave, he looked back to see if his comings and goings left a trail. As with its earlier occupants, the rock floor kept his secret. He returned to his routine of riding in the morning, helping in the afternoon, and listening to stories after dinner. He explored the camp on his morning rides. He rode leisurely to the camp, explored some part, and rode leisurely back to Nowhere in time for lunch. The trips became so routine, he didn't need to guide his horse, it knew where to go. It took him to the middle of the box canyon and stopped. This gave JC a lot of time to think.
    One thought kept returning ever since he saw the green grass and water on the fourth step, "How could he put it to use." He thought about it long and often. He had considered raising sheep, cattle, horses, and crops. Because the access was very limited, everything would have to be transport on horseback. The only sensible way to use the fourth step was to raise horses.
    Take them to the fourth step after the spring melt and return before the winter snows filled the path to the tunnel. Even if the snow melted every day, the path would fill with snow and it would be the last place to melt.
    The camp was pretty much as he expected, ignoring the effects of weather and time. The living quarters were neat and tidy as if the occupants had left for a vacation and the work areas looked as if they had left on a moments notice, they put down what ever they were doing and left. He didn't find any money, jewelry, gold, or silver. According to the stories there should be some gold, somewhere. He looked every where without success.
    In late August, he changed his routine, the story was nearly complete, all he needed was to find the southern camp. He left at sunrise and returned at dusk. The people didn't ask where he was going, they knew, they just didn't know what he did when he got there or what he found. They waited patiently for him to make a comment, but none was forth coming.
    He followed the water procedure at the southern entrance without success and when he reached the top of the divide in the canyon, he couldn't use it anyway. The canyon floor changed from large flat rocks to an alternating surface of gravel or clay and the walls contained fewer caves.
    He was positive the entrance to the southern camp was in the section with the rock floor, otherwise a trail would be detectable. Since he couldn't find the entrance by looking at the walls or the floor, he looked at the rim. He looked at each rim while riding in both directions until his neck was stiff. He rode out of the canyon and stopped at the top of the steep incline. He didn't have anything else to do, so out of frustration, he rode to the bottom. On the slow ride back, he let his horse go at its own speed, he tried to figure out what he had done wrong and what he could do differently.
    When he said the word 'wrong' to himself, he knew. He assumed like everyone else that the entrance to the southern camp was in the canyon. Now he knew where to look. People going down the incline would be at the wrong angle to see the entrance. The people going up, would be tired as they approached the top and would be looking down at the road and would not see it; therefore it had to be near the top of the incline.
    By the time he was three quarters of the way up he had a plan. When the switch back turned next to the dry river bed, he checked to see if it was rock, sand, or gravel, if rock he looked at the base of the fourth step, at the wall up to the height of a horseman, and at the rim straight above and then all the way to the top.
    The stream bed turned from rock to sand or gravel and back to rock at every other switch back. When he reached the second switch back from the top, he thought he had missed it. He stopped his horse and looked in both directions along the rim, nothing, he looked at the wall, just ripples that hung like curtains. He looked at the stream bed, it was rather steep in this section, but large flat level rocks ran at an angle down to the wall, a horse could walk across them easily.
    He couldn't see an entrance, but this had to be it, he made his horse walk across and down the rocks. The last large rock took him around the end of what appeared to be a ripple in the wall. It was not a ripple, it was the outer wall of a very narrow canyon. Just like the cave, the back and front walls matched so well they appeared to be one wall.
    He turned in a tight circle to the right, then to the left, and then to the right. The narrow canyon ran north behind the face of the fourth step. The path was steep, well worn, and just wide enough for a horse. He estimated that he was even with the third step when the canyon curved sharply to the left and widened as it curved gently to the south. Until then it would have difficult to turn around. Two chimney rocks stood on the top of a small rise and over the rise, the canyon became a small valley. The camp was near a small pool at the base of the west wall.
    Water seeped from the wall at several places above the pool and flowed gently down. The pool was the beginning of a small stream that flowed down the valley next to the west wall. Trees lined the east bank and grass covered the rest of the valley. Shadows were climbing the east wall, he called it a day and rode back to Nowhere.
    He returned the next day and rode down the valley next to the stream. The west wall didn't change, but the east wall gave way to low steep hills, to high gentle hills, and then the progression reversed. At the southern end of the valley, the canyon walls nearly converged, less than a foot apart, except at the very bottom, where the stream under cut the stone. The valley was three miles long and a mile and a half at its widest point.
    He rode over the gentle hills, to find more gentle hills rising still higher. He continued until he could see the rim of the fourth step. The hills met the step at a shear ten foot wall; however, he did find one place where a horse could climb to the fourth step.
    The fourth step was covered with loose gravel and small flat rocks. Twenty feet from the edge, the gravel gave way to a foot of clay, followed by stone to the edge. The clay was very dense and varied in thickness, from six inches to a foot. He had not noticed this before and wondered if all the steps were this way. He was not as excited as when he made his first discovery, he was paying attention to his surroundings, this time.
    He followed the east canyon wall north until he was looking down at the steep incline. He used the telescope to look over the third step, the valley to the east, and the hills below the tongue to the south. Again it was a magnificent view, but he didn't spend time looking, he turned and followed the canyon wall back.
    The entrance was very narrow at the bottom, but it was too wide to cross at the top, he didn't give it a second thought. He rode to the southern end of the valley. Where the canyon walls met, a horse could jump across in several places and further south the canyon disappeared.
    He surveyed the rest of the step with the telescope. To the southeast, the fourth step met the mountains and the end of the fourth step escarpment, about a mile away. To the south, the fifth step began with the mountains behind it. To the southwest, the fifth step curved to the east and the tree covered sixth step began, with the mountains behind the trees. To the west, both steps stopped at the main canyon. To the north, he could see the mountains, but again the island the canyon cut out of the fourth step blocked his view of the rest of the step and the box canyon camp. He followed the giant horseshoe mountain range from north to south. He had seen enough and returned to the camp. He tethered his horse next to the stream and removed the riding gear.
    This camp, also, met his expectations. Compared to the box canyon camp, this one was a pigs sty. It didn't have any buildings, only hovels. Refuse was scattered everywhere. He inspected the hovels and cleaned out the best one and stored anything of use in it. He didn't find very much and even less in good condition. If it had not been protected from the weather, it was generally of no use. He found some gold coins, a few pieces of jewelry, and a small clay jar filled with gold dust.
    At both camps, he found some food, stored in tins or clay jars; some cotton goods, of no use; a dozen rifles and pistols, beyond repair; and a few hand tools, in good shape. Leather goods were mildewed or dried and cracked so badly they were of no use. He didn't find any animals or wool goods in either camp. He took the coins, jewelry, and gold, readied his horse, took one last look around, and left.
    He knew he had to tell the people something. He had heard their stories, he knew what to tell them so rumors would not draw fortune hunters to the area. Even today, people walking ahead of the mules coming up the south incline, found bandit booty. He would tell them he found these items on a ledge under the first switch back. If anyone decided to check, they would not stumble on to the entryway because they would not be far enough down the incline.
    He knew what he was going to do with the next five or ten years of his life and he was going to put his plan into action that night. He reached Nowhere, well after sunset, and stopped at the inn first. The whole village was waiting for him, he had never returned this late without telling someone he would be late. He didn't have to say anything, one of the boys took care of his horse and returned as fast as he could.
    JC told them his planned story. The innkeeper, the carpenter, the storekeeper, and the livery owner looked at one another and shook their heads, but that was the story they heard and that was the story they repeated. Most of the men understood and were willing to do what he wanted, the others followed.
    The storekeeper could sell almost anything without arousing curiosity and offered his services. JC was aware of this, but was glad he didn't have to ask. The storekeeper's offer was very convenient, it allowed him to put his plan into motion very smoothly. "Would you trade these items for kerosene lamps and kerosene for the winter. If any money is left, buy firewood and distribute it to those in need." The people murmured, they wanted to have a celebration.
    "Wait. I'm leaving on the next stage coach." They groaned. "Would you do something for me?"
    He knew they would before he asked. "Meet me here tomorrow afternoon and I will tell you my version of the story and then we can celebrate." They cheered. "I'll return in the spring and make Nowhere my home." A louder cheer. "I'm tired, I'll see you tomorrow afternoon," and left them buzzing.
    In the morning, he rode to the box canyon camp to search one more time for gold and to check the edge of the upper steps. He rode to where the fifth step met the canyon. Unlike the south fourth step, the rock changed to gravel twenty feet from the edge. He kicked the gravel and uncovered the clay. On the fifth step he dug at the edge of the grass with his knife to find it. It was less than an inch thick and it was soft, it was not as dense as the clay from the other steps. He rode to the sixth step and it was the same way. He rode quickly to the camp and searched everywhere that he had not looked before, but he didn't find any gold. He rode back to Nowhere in time for lunch.
 

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    Ron and Paul were playmates since they were able to crawl. They were inseparable, from dawn to dusk and sometimes after dusk. As they grew older, their horizons grew. By age eight, they made their first excursions into the canyon. Every chance they could, they went to the canyon.
    By twelve, reaching the fourth step was an obsession. They ran to the canyon, so they would have more daylight time in the canyon. They disciplined themselves to be home at sunset, sometimes they ran home to make sure they were. They didn't want their parents to say, "You can't go to the canyon."
    Because of their obsession, they paid attention, they learned fast, and they did their assigned chores as fast as possible. They did what ever they could to spend more time in the canyon. By fourteen, they explored every cave to the first fork. They began with the left wall, exploring each cave and the floor and the wall adjacent to it. When they finished they left a small turquoise stone in the entrance and explored the next cave.
    By their sixteenth birthday, they moved the turquoise stone to the short chimney rock, having explored two thirds of the small box canyon. Adjacent to the chimney, the wall was cracked. It was the only place where they found hand and foot holds in the canyon wall. Between the chimney and the wall was a saddle of lose rock. Next to the wall, it was nearly ten feet high. Paul was determined to climb to the top, with only twenty feet to go, he would not give up.
    "How would you get back down?" asked Ron, "We don't have a rope." They argued, neither gave in to the other. Ron didn't help Paul because each time they stood next to each other, the loose rock gave way and they slid a short distance down the pile. Ron explored the caves, while Paul explored the wall. Paul found a place where he could climb the wall, but overtime the rock gave way and he fell a short distance.
    A few days later, Ron moved the turquoise stone to another cave and went to see what Paul was doing. He wasn't on the canyon floor or on the rock pile. Ron looked up the canyon wall, he didn't see him at first because Paul was in a ripple in the canyon wall, near the top.
    Ron didn't make a sound. He didn't want to do anything to startle Paul. He knew what was going to happen and could do nothing but watch and wait. Sweat rolled down his face, his stomach cramped, he felt awful.
    Then it began. Paul tried to get a new hand hold and the rock gave way. Quickly, he discarded the loose rock and tried to get another hold, only to have the rock break again. His motion became frantic. Then in quick succession, one foot hold broke, followed by the other hand hold. For an instant he balanced on one foot, but only for an instant. His body fell away from the wall. Desperately, he grabbed at the rock, only to push himself further from the wall.
    He did a half twist in the air, trying to land feet first with his back to the wall so he would slide down the rock pile on his feet and buttocks. He nearly made it. He hit buttocks first, followed by his feet and head. The rock gave way on impact and he slid down the pile.
    Ron ran towards him before he landed. Paul was motionless, blood oozing from scrapes, when Ron put his ear to Paul's chest. Ron could barely hear Paul's heart beat above a loud rasping sound, "Paul is hurt, bad."
    Ron couldn't think straight, he didn't know what to do. He didn't want Paul to regain consciousness and find himself alone. Finally, he decided to stay with Paul was not the best course of action. He ran all the way to the well, a mule and a wagon would be there. He leaped on a waiting wagon, threw the water barrels off, and yelled, "Paul fell from the canyon wall." He jumped down and ran, leading the mule.
    As he passed the general store, the storekeeper ran out and took the mule, "Git in the wagon." A little further, the livery man rode up and took the mule. The storekeeper climbed into the wagon and they went as fast as the mule would go.
    Paul was still motionless when they arrived. One of the men checked his arms and legs, no broken bones as far as he could tell. They lift Paul into the wagon. The livery man looked at the pile where Paul landed, at the wall, and back at the pile, "He didn't lose very much blood, that's some help."
    They took turns walking the mule back to Nowhere. Ron told the men how he had watched Paul. As they left the canyon, Paul's father joined them. Soon, more people followed the wagon. By the time they reached Nowhere, the whole village was walking beside or behind the wagon. The story was told over and over. They went to the well and washed Paul, wrapped him in blankets, and put him to bed. The old women took care of him, everyone else returned to the fields.
    Ron would visit Paul every morning and evening. During a visit, Paul said, "I can't move my left leg." They stared at each other. After a moment, Ron said, "Maybe it will move if you wait some more," it was a long wait. When he tried to stand, he fell. He could lay flat and sit straight, but he could not stand or walk without bending over.
    The carpenter made him a crutch, he could walk, but very slowly. Ron made him try every day. Paul never quit, he still wanted to reach the fourth step, but no matter how hard he tried, he didn't improve.
    He sat to work and moved by raising his body on extended arms and rocking his body in the direction he wanted to go. He couldn't work in the fields, so he tended the mission garden and did light work around the mission, tasks he would do for the rest of his life. A few weeks later he moved to the mission.
    This was not the only fateful event. When the boys were ten, prospectors found gold north of the escarpment. Slowly, the village population grew as miners and related workers moved to the village. The livery and the general store were built plus stables to house the mules for the ore and freight wagons.
    The miners left their families in Nowhere and camped at the mines, and returned to Nowhere on their days off. Their wives and children worked in the fields. With so many people to work the fields, the boys had more free time to explore the canyon. The mining families left Nowhere, when a well was completed near the mines, they built a new village around the well.
    The stage coach went to the mines once a week and used Nowhere as a way station. Travel time across the step was much less than going around the end of the tongue. The inn was built after stage coach travel was routine. Then a construction crew built a railroad around the end of the tongue. They moved into the houses vacated by the miners.
    When the railroad was finished the construction workers left. Freight was shipped to the mines by rail and hauled to Nowhere by wagon. The mule skinners left as the railroad took their work and the mules and the stable workers followed. Some of the new families stayed and became farmers, they were too poor to move.
    The next fateful event took everyone by surprise. The stage coach stopped at the top of the south incline as usual when bandits appeared out of thin air, robbed them, and disappeared as fast as they came.
    The bandits were stupid, mean, and cruel and quickly became hated intruders. They harassed the people and took what ever they wanted. Their leader, Ben, was smart enough to realize he needed the villagers, he needed food and supplies. Soon, he put strict limits on what the bandits could do and take.
    If any bandit disobeyed his orders, he shot them on the spot. He had a curious way of doing it. He went to the offender, put his arm around him, "You've been a bad boy, haven't you? Have a cigar while we talk." While the man smoked the cigar, Ben explained in great detail what he had done wrong and why he should not break his rules. When the man finished the cigar, Ben ended his chatter with, "You will never do that again will you?", and before the man could answer, Ben shot him.
    The bandits could enter the livery, the general store, and the inn, but they had to pay. If a villager was inside a house or working anywhere outside, the bandits dare not bother them. They were free to do what they wanted, to anyone they found playing or loitering in the streets, so long as they didn't disable them.
    They raped any woman or young girl walking in the streets, right out in the open, if they could catch them. If anyone tried to stop them, they were stabbed to death, except for the priest. Several men died trying to protect their wives and daughters.
    Ron's mother and father were killed trying to protect his sister. Ron didn't grieve, he would not talk to anyone, except Paul. Ron moved in with Paul, his brothers and sisters were adopted by other families. Ron transformed his grief into a bitter hatred of the bandits. He vowed revenge. He knew he had to wait, he was a long way from being able to challenge the bandits, but he knew his time would come.
    The bandits rarely bothered Ron or Paul because they never went near the mission, it was as if they would catch the plague. They would not let the priest get closer than twenty feet. If he moved towards them, they moved away or went to the side and around him.
    Ron discussed his plans with Paul every night. Paul wanted to take part, but he knew he was limited. Paul helped refine the plan. Finding a way to the top of the fourth step was an integral part of the plan. They talked with the other boys and learned who wanted to join them.
    The villagers had a slight advantage over the bandits. Although the bandits were strong, they were fat and slow, and except for the old and the very young, all the others could out run any of the bandits. When anyone first saw the bandits, they yelled 'Bandit' and everyone ran to the nearest house or the mission. When Paul heard 'Bandit' he rang the mission bell.
    Slowly, a warning procedure evolved, Paul went to the top of the bell tower at sunrise and on the hour till sunset. If he saw any sign of the bandits, he rang the bell three times, if not he rang it once.
    Going up and down the ladder was very difficult for Paul. Ron tied a large rope to a log laid across the bell tower walls. Paul leaned his crutch in the corner and pulled himself hand over hand to the top. If he needed to rest, he looped the rope over the foot of his bad leg and under the foot of his good leg forming a foot hold in the rope. Within a month he could pull himself to the top of the bell tower faster than anyone could climb the ladder. He was in good physical condition before he fell, now his upper body strength was enormous.
    One bandit learned about his strength the hard way. Paul was returning to the mission after delivering a message, the bandit rode sideways into him, pushing him off balance. Paul anticipated the bandit's form of fun and before he fell he let go of his crutch, grabbed the bandit's foot, and threw him out of his saddle.
    The bandit added to his mistake by kicking at Paul. Paul grabbed his foot, pulled and twisted. When the bandit landed on Paul, he wrapped both arms around the bandit and squeezed. The bandit yelled, "You're breaking my ribs. I can't breath," and pulled a knife.
    Paul let go with one arm, grabbed the hand with the knife, and squeezed. Paul nearly broke the bandit's hand. When Paul released his grip, the knife slid from the bandit's lifeless hand. Again he wrapped both arms around the bandit and squeezed. He would have killed the bandit except Ben and two others rode up and watched the whole episode with pleasure. They pulled Paul's arms from the bandit before he passed out. Ben said, "That'll teach you to pick on a cripple. Leave him alone."
    The bandits soon tired of going to Nowhere only to find all the villagers indoors or working. They only came for supplies and the village settled into a routine.
    Paul urged Ron to return to the canyon, he wanted someone to reach the top of the fourth step. Ron didn't want to go because so many people had left Nowhere, everyone was needed in the fields to insure enough food for winter. Paul continued until Ron agreed to go one day a week. He waited until Paul rang the all clear bell at dawn and left.
    Ben understood that he couldn't hold up the stage coach or the train very often or they would stop their service. He restrained himself to once or twice a year, he waited until his informants told him something of value was being shipped.
    He raided the mining village once, he would never do it again, they had sentries posted, were well armed, and could shoot. During the raid five bandits were killed and three more died in the hidden valley from their wounds.
    Ben and his bandits were fat and their horses were large and slow. To over come this deficiency Ben had a large band, thirty five when they first moved to the hidden valley. He used a small number of bandits in his robberies. He held up a stage coach or a train near a small town or robbed the bank.
    The sheriff would learn of the robbery very quickly, form a posse, and ride after the robbers. Invariably, they caught up with the small group and were led into an ambush. The bandits forced them to surrender, took everything, left them tied and naked, and raped and looted the village at will.
    They took as many horses, loaded with loot, as they could control. Ben kept the money and gold, but divided the rest. Small groups went in different directions to sell what they could. After spending their money on drunken debauchery, they returned to the hidden valley, to regroup, and do it all over again.
    Soon, the army was after the bandits, many smaller group were annihilated trying to capture them. Most of their robberies were far from Nowhere, the hidden valley was a refuge, they returned to rest and to recover. They entered before winter and stayed until the spring melt.
    The advantage of the hidden valley was that a single man with plenty of ammunition could hold an entire army at bay. They were safe in the valley, no one could force them out as long as they had supplies. The disadvantage was just as obvious, a small band of armed men could keep them inside until they starved.
    Keeping the entrance a secret was imperative. That's why Ben never allowed any bandit to have a woman. They were very careful not to leave a trail to the entrance. Blood dripping from a wound was a cause for concern because it was so easy to over look, but removing horse dung and covering urea was a constant chore. They avoided going into the valley after dark so they could see to make sure they didn't leave a trail.
    Two unmarried men from Nowhere joined the bandits with the false hope of giving some of the stolen money to their families. One was killed during his first robbery. The bandits wouldn't share with Joe until his third robbery. By then they were afraid of him because he had learned to shoot so well.
    Joe went with four others to sell their share of the loot. He didn't spend all of his money, he was going to give it to his family. The others knew he didn't spend all of his money and they argued with him. They wanted him to spend his money on them, he refused.
    Finally they gave up and began the journey to the hidden valley. When they reached the small steam, one of them started the argument again. The other three were tired of the bickering and slowed their horses until they were out of hearing. After they watered their horses at the tip of the tongue, Joe rode north as the other three rode up. The one yelled at him, "Where'd you think you're going?"
    "To give my family the rest of my money. It's shorter this way."
    "Oh no you're not." He spurred his horse and rode after Joe and they raced to the incline. He was no match for Joe, his horse was slow and was carrying fifty more pounds. The other three watered their horses and followed at a slower pace.
    When Joe reached the incline he dismounted and walked his horse. When the one reached the incline he shot at Joe, but he was to far away and missed. Joe didn't give him a second chance, he grabbed his riffle and shot.
    The others heard the shots and spurred their horses. Joe continued to walk, they would not challenge him while he was above them. They stopped at the bottom of the incline out of rifle range and watched him go over the rim. Then they rode as fast as they could.
    Joe panicked, he didn't know what to do, he rode blindly into the canyon and into the box canyon. Ron heard the horses and knew it was the bandits. He ran in and out of the unexplored caves, trying to find a place to hide. To late the bandit saw him as he ran around the wall of one cave into the next one.
    Joe knew that Ron was the only person who would be in the canyon and rode after Ron as fast as he could, hoping that Ron knew a place to hide before the other three caught up with him. He slowed his horse to a walk when he entered the cave, dismounted, and walked his horse through the tunnel.
    "Ron, I need your help." He knew Ron heard him and he felt safe, he calmed down and his senses returned, he knew what he had to do. He took his riffle and yelled to Ron, "Take care of my horse. Don't make a sound and don't come out until I come back."
    He walked quietly back to the tunnel entrance and peered cautiously around the tunnel wall. He ducked behind the wall, the others were in the box canyon, riding three abreast. He waited until he thought they had passed the cave. When he peeked out again, he couldn't see them and moved quickly out of the tunnel and out of the cave. He shot the first one in the back, reloaded, aimed, and fired with quick smooth confidence. He shot the next one in the side, and the last one in the chest as they turned to attack him. Their horses stopped a short distance from the fallen riders. He watched for movement as he pick up his spent shells. He checked each bandit to make sure they were dead and removed their guns, just in case.
    He mounted a horse and yelled, "Hide the bodies and the horses, I have to get another one," and rode off without waiting for an answer. He paused briefly at the canyon entrance, to look across the third step from north to south. Not seeing anyone, he rode quickly to the north incline. Again he searched and again he didn't see anyone. He descended quickly, loaded the dead bandit on his horse, and led the horses up the incline. Again he checked the third step and down the incline, seeing no one he rode slowly back to the box canyon.
    He couldn't find the tunnel and he couldn't see Ron. "Ron," he called loudly. In a moment, Ron rode to the rim of the fourth step and Joe rode into that cave. When he reached the top, "Where are we going to bury them?"
    "We need shovels first." Joe dismounted, untied his horse from rocks Ron had stacked next to the stream, and tied the other horse in its place. Joe looked around, "You've never been here before?"
    "I found it as you rode after me."
    "Well let's ride around and see what's here."
    "I did, but we can do it again."
    "Let's go." They rode slowly along the edge of the box canyon, talking as well as looking.
    "Teach me to ride and shoot."
    "After we take care of some unfinished business."
    "Well the shooting can wait, but we are riding now, so tell me as we go."
    Pausing between each sentence to look around, "I had to kill 'em. I shouldn't have told them what I was going to do with my money. I couldn't let them tell Ben. He would kill me and my family. If Ben thought we were captured or killed, he might not. I can't leave the canyon until all the bandits are dead. They'll never let me live. They will kill a deserter on sight and anyone with him."
    In between Joe's comments on his riding, Ron told Joe, in detail about the plans he and Paul had made. "Killing the bandits is my number one goal. I know many other things must be done first, but I'm going to kill them. All of them."
    When they reached the sixth step, they turned, following it to the edge of the fourth step and then followed the edge to the tip. They enjoyed the view, until the shadow of the mountains covered them and bedded down for the night. Ron used a bandit bedroll, they ate what little food was in the saddle bags, drank water from the stream, and went to sleep.
    They woke before sunrise. Joe gave Ron his money, "Buy what you can at the store and order the rest. Don't tell anyone I'm alive, but see if my family is all right.
    Ron readied a horse, mounted, rode to the mission, and found Paul, "Let's go to the top." Paul looked down, "Where'd you get the horse?" He looked at Ron, "You've found it, haven't you." "Yes," and Ron told him about Joe and the cave.
    "I'm going to stay there for a while, I don't know when I'll be back. I don't know how we will get supplies when Joe's money is gone."
    "When can I go?"
    "When the others join us, I will take you."
    "Then tell me about it." Ron described the upper steps.
    "I can't wait to see it." Paul looked intently at Ron, "Trees, didn't you say trees?"
    "Yes. Why?"
    "Cut fire wood and trade for supplies at the general store." Ron hugged Paul, "Now, I can't wait to get started," and left to check on Joe's family. He traded the horse and saddle for a mule and a small wagon plus a sack of oats at the livery and bought supplies at the general store.
    He was back on the forth step by afternoon. He left the mule and wagon in the cave and carried a shovel with him to the top. Joe was gone, two horses were gone. He turned to go back down the path when he noticed an arrow of stones. He saddle a horse and took the shovel. He found Joe near the water fall, he had cleared an area to build a stable against the sixth step wall. He had gathered firewood and was stacking a fire place. "Your family is fine and Paul has not seen the bandits all week."
    Together they disassembled the wagon and reassembled it on the fourth step. It took both of them to get the mule through the tunnel. They took the supplies they needed for the day and left the rest in the tunnel. They loaded the bandits in the wagon, stripped them and buried them on the sixth step, washed, and had something to eat.
    They cut trees to make the roof, they didn't waste a thing. They piled the limbs and small branches and let them dry. When dry, they broke easily and were used for kindling and cooking. The larger limbs were cut to fire place size and stacked to dry. Whenever they were idle or cold, they cut and stacked firewood.
    Three other tasks occupied a large share of their time. Clearing rocks, making hay, and cutting the exposed clay layer into strips and shingles. They took the mule and wagon and cleared a small area until the wagon was full of rock and clay, cut the grass, returned to the sixth step, built the walls of the stable until the wagon was empty and did it all over again. One room at a time they built the box canyon camp.

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