r its heavy winter blanket. At my back the low
bank with its stunted spruce trees hid the ridge of barren, rocky hills
and knolls that lay beyond.

A few embers of the rotten stump were smouldering, sending skyward,
with each fitful gust of the east wind, a fugitive curl of smoke. A
few yards away lay a dead tree, with its branches close to the snow.
If I could break some of those branches off, and get them back to my
smouldering stump, I might fan the embers into a blaze, get some heat
and melt snow in my cup for a hot drink. Not that I craved the drink
or anything else, but it perhaps would give me strength to go just a
little farther.

I pulled my piece of ragged blanket over my shoulders and struggled to
my feet. It was no use. I swayed dizzily about, took a few steps
forward and fell. I crawled slowly back to the smouldering stump and
tried to think. I felt no pain; I was just weary to the last degree.
Should I not now be justified in surrendering to the overpowering
desire to sleep? Perhaps, I argued, it would strengthen me. I could
no longer walk; why not sleep? But still I was told that I must not...

Was Hubbard still waiting and watching for me to come back?--somewhere
in that still wilderness of snow was he waiting and watching and
hoping? Perhaps he was dead, and at rest. Poor Hubbard...

Why did not the men come to look for us--the trappers that George was
to send? Had they come and missed me, and gone away again? Or was
George, brave fellow, lying dead on the trail somewhere below? How
long had I been wandering, anyway...

My sisters in far-away New York, were they hoping and praying to hear
from me? Perhaps they never would. There was a certain grave in a
little cemetery on the banks of the dear old Hudson. It had been
arranged that I should lie beside that grave when I went to sleep
forever. Would they find my bones and take them back?...

How enthusiastic Hubbard had been for this expedition! It was going to
make his reputation, he thought. Well, well, man proposes, God
disposes; it was His will and best for all.

I found myself dozing, and with an effort to recover myself sat up
straight. The sun was making its way above the horizon. I looked at
it and hoped that its warming rays would give me strength to do my
duty--my duty to live as long as I could. Anyway, the storms had
passed! the storms had passed!

I dozed again. It may have been that I was entering upon my fina