Костер

           Withhishelplesshandshecouldneitherdrawnorholdhissheath-knifenorthrottletheanimal. Hereleasedit,anditplungedwildlyaway,withtailbetweenitslegs,andstillsnarling. Ithaltedfortyfeetawayandsurveyedhimcuriously,withearssharplyprickedforward. Themanlookeddownathishandsinordertolocatethem,andfoundthemhangingontheendsofhisarms. Itstruckhimascuriousthatoneshouldhavetousehiseyesinordertofindoutwherehishandswere. Hebeganthreshinghisarmsbackandforth,beatingthemittenedhandsagainsthissides. Hedidthisforfiveminutes,violently,andhisheartpumpedenoughblooduptothesurfacetoputastoptohisshivering. Butnosensationwasarousedinthehands. Hehadanimpressionthattheyhunglikeweightsontheendsofhisarms,butwhenhetriedtoruntheimpressiondown,hecouldnotfindit. 

           Acertainfearofdeath,dullandoppressive,cametohim. Thisfearquicklybecamepoignantasherealizedthatitwasnolongeramerematteroffreezinghisfingersandtoes,oroflosinghishandsandfeet,butthatitwasamatteroflifeanddeathwiththechancesagainsthim. Thisthrewhimintoapanic,andheturnedandranupthecreek-bedalongtheold,dimtrail. Thedogjoinedinbehindandkeptupwithhim. Heranblindly,withoutintention,infearsuchashehadneverknowninhislife. Slowly,asheploughedandflounderedthroughthesnow,hebegantoseethingsagain—thebanksofthecreek,theoldtimber-jams,theleaflessaspens,andthesky. Therunningmadehimfeelbetter.