lf. They were crossing
some loose snow when the whole mass began to move, slowly first, then
rapidly, down the slope of the mountain-side.

Brian sank almost immediately up to his waist in the snow. He noticed
that the guide had turned his face to the descent and stretched out his
arms, and he imitated this action as well as he was able, hoping in that
manner to keep them free. But he was too deeply sunk in the snow to be
able to turn round, and as he was in the rear of the others he could not
see what became of his companions. He heard one shout from Gunston, and
that was all--"Good God, Luttrell, we're lost!" And then the avalanche
swept them onwards, first with a sharp, hissing sound, and then with a
grinding roar as of thunder, and Brian gave himself up for lost, indeed.

He was not sorry. Death was the easiest possible solution of all his
difficulties. He had looked for it many times; but he was glad to think
that on this day, at least, he had not sought it of his own free will.
He thought of his mother--he could not call her otherwise in this last
hour--he thought of the father and the brother who had been dear to him
in this world, and would not, he believed, be less dear to him in the
next; he thought of Angela, who would be a little sorry for him, and
Hugo, whom he could no longer help out of his numerous difficulties. All
these memories of his old home and friends flashed over his mind in less
than a second of time. He even thought of the estate, and of the Miss
Murray who would inherit it. And then he tried to say a little prayer,
but could not fix his mind sufficiently to put any petition into words.

And at this point he became aware that he was descending less rapidly.

His head and arms were fortunately still free. By a side glance he saw
that the snow at some distance before him had stopped sliding
altogether. Then it ceased to move at a still higher point, until at the
spot where he lay it also became motionless, although above him it was
still rushing down as if to bury him in a living grave. He threw his
hands up above his head, and made a furious effort to extricate himself
before the snow should freeze around him. And in this effort he was more
successful than he had even hoped to be. But the pressure of the snow
upon him was so great that he thought at first that it would break his
ribs. When the motion had ceased, however, this pressure became less
powerful; by the help of his ice-axe he managed