The Angler's Story 61 



it into the snow. He brought it back and, not- 

 ing the yellow light stealing up from the east, 

 equipped himself and staggered off to the south. 

 An hour later, when the sun illumined the splen- 

 did series of caiions, he stopped among some 

 rocks to heat the milk, noting that there was 

 but a spoonful left. He was living entirely on 

 jerked meat, keeping the chocolate and brandy 

 as a reserve. For the first time he took a drink, 

 and exulted as the stimulant swept through his 

 veins and arteries bearing new and false sensa- 

 tions of strength to his brain. " Brace up, kid," 

 he whispered as a wail came from the bag; 

 " we 're goin' to get there, an' don't you forget 

 it. Why, I can smell grub." It was so real, 

 this trick of the imagination, that the man 

 jumped up, a wild light in his eyes. 



Up mountains, down terrific slides, striding, 

 sliding, rushing on, this now fearful figure held 

 its course. His face was swollen out of all pro- 

 portion, his eyes almost closed, his teeth met 

 between the lips which were bloody and cracked. 

 The last time he stopped to feed the child he 

 had thrown away the can and forced the infant 

 to take melted chocolate, drinking some himself. 

 His roll of jerked beef had disappeared; some 

 animal had stolen it in the night. Even this 

 catastrophe did not have any particular effect 

 upon the man ; his mind was benumbed to al- 

 most any influence. But one dominant idea 



