p from him, and he sprang back just
in time to see the two warriors sink into a narrow but icy gulf, from
which they never rose again. Uttering a cry of horror, he picked up his
rifle and ran for the forest. He knew that chance, or perhaps the will
of the greater powers, had saved him again, but, as he ran, he shuddered
many times, not from the cold, but at the ghastly fate that had
overtaken the warriors. The impression faded by and by. When one is in a
bitter struggle for life he does not have time to think long of the fate
of others, and the savage wilderness through which he fled was too
bitter of aspect then to breed a long pity.

He was quite sure that he had shaken off the Indians, for the time,
anyhow, and again the vital question with him was warmth. The running
was bringing a measure of it, but he could not run forever, and he soon
sank to a walk in order to save himself. But he maintained this gait for
a long time, in truth, until dawn was only three or four hours away, and
then he decided that he would build a fire. It was a risk, but he chose
to take the smaller risk in order to drive off the greater.

It never before took him so long to kindle his blaze. He found a place
sheltered from the wind, whittled many shavings from dead wood, and used
his flint and steel until his hands ached, coaxing forth the elusive
sparks and trying to make them ignite the wood. They died by hundreds,
but, after infinite industry and patience, they took hold, and he
sheltered the tiny and timid blaze with his body, lest it change its
mind and go away after all. Though it sank several times, it concluded
finally to stay and grow, and, having decided, it showed vigor, burning
fast while Henry fed it.

As the fire threw out abundant heat he reveled in it. Now he knew better
than ever before that fire was life. He could feel the blood which had
seemed to be ice in his veins thawing and flowing in a full warm flood
again. The beat of his heart grew stronger and the stiff hands acquired
their old flexibility. His face stung at first, but he rubbed ice over
it, and presently it too responded to the grateful heat. An immense
comfort seized him and he felt drowsy. Comfort would become luxury if he
could lie down and sleep, but he knew too much to yield to the demands
of his body. After spending two hours by the fire and becoming
thoroughly soaked in heat, he put out the coals and went on again. As he
walked, he ate the last of his foo