Костер

           Anymanwhowasamancouldtravelalone. Butitwassurprising,therapiditywithwhichhischeeksandnosewerefreezing. Andhehadnotthoughthisfingerscouldgolifelessinsoshortatime. Lifelesstheywere,forhecouldscarcelymakethemmovetogethertogripatwig,andtheyseemedremotefromhisbodyandfromhim. Whenhetouchedatwig,hehadtolookandseewhetherornothehadholdofit. Thewireswereprettywelldownbetweenhimandhisfinger-ends. 

           Allofwhichcountedforlittle. Therewasthefire,snappingandcracklingandpromisinglifewitheverydancingflame. Hestartedtountiehismoccasins. Theywerecoatedwithice;thethickGermansockswerelikesheathsofironhalf-waytotheknees;andthemocassinstringswerelikerodsofsteelalltwistedandknottedasbysomeconflagration. Foramomenthetuggedwithhisnumbedfingers,then,realizingthefollyofit,hedrewhissheath-knife. 

           Butbeforehecouldcutthestrings,ithappened. Itwashisownfaultor,rather,hismistake. Heshouldnothavebuiltthefireunderthesprucetree. Heshouldhavebuiltitintheopen. Butithadbeeneasiertopullthetwigsfromthebrushanddropthemdirectlyonthefire. Nowthetreeunderwhichhehaddonethiscarriedaweightofsnowonitsboughs. Nowindhadblownforweeks,andeachboughwasfullyfreighted. Eachtimehehadpulledatwighehadcommunicatedaslightagitationtothetree—animperceptibleagitation,sofarashewasconcerned,butanagitationsufficienttobringaboutthedisaster.