13 



er, though, and would scarce bring himself 

 to lap this bitter water. 



It begins to skim over. In spite of its 

 gliding ripples, long, slender, jagged crystals 

 shoot out from either bank. The sun is al- 

 most down. The wind has taken on an edge 

 of steel. Darkness shall see these shooting 

 lines of ice locked in one glassy whole, save 

 and except at the "boiling holes," where 

 waters of the upland dance out to meet the 

 drainings of the swamp. They will save 

 flock and feather from thirst through the 

 little space of cold. 



Three days is its utmost limit. For see, 

 the moon rides in the west a new crescent 

 moon, barely able to silver this white world. 

 She holds a star in her horns, hangs far to 

 south sure portents that the wind will fol- 

 low her long ere she swells to quarter. 

 Night falls without darkness, j From earth 

 to sky there is ebb and flow of light. All 

 the happy huntsmen are trooping home, hun- 

 gry and full-handed, to hearth-fires glowing 

 red. There is no sound abroad save the 

 sough of wind through snow -clad boughs, 

 undervoiced by the faint complex human 

 hum. Presently a fine note breaks through 

 the bell in a town-steeple is ringing its call 

 to prayer. So far, so faint, it is barely a 



