SNOW-BLINDED ON THE SUMMIT 19 



I found an open way that had been made into a 

 road. The woods were thick and the open road- 

 way readily guided me. Feeling and thrusting 

 with my staff, I walked for some time at normal 

 pace. Then I missed the way. I searched care- 

 fully, right, left, and before me for the utterly lost 

 road. It had forked, and I had continued on the 

 short stretch that came to an end in the woods by 

 an abandoned prospect hole. As I approached 

 close to this the snow caved in, nearly carrying me 

 along with it. Confused by blinded eyes and the 

 thought of oncoming night, perhaps, I had not 

 used my wits. When at last I stopped to think I 

 figured out the situation. Then I followed my 

 snowshoe tracks back to the main road and turned 

 into it. 



For a short distance the road ran through dense 

 woods. Several times I paused to touch the trees 

 each side with my hands. When I emerged from 

 the woods, the pungent aspen smoke said that I 

 must at last be near a human habitation. In fear 

 of passing it I stopped to use my ears. As I stood 

 listening, a little girl gently, curiously, asked: 



"Are you going to stay here to-night ?" 



