Like his
companions, he had borne a child in his arms all day over the soft,
yielding snow. Like them, he was drenched to the skin, and his clothing
was frozen stiff and hard with ice. Yet he kept up the fire, built a
great sheltering wall about the sufferers, and went here and there
amongst the wailing and dying. With unabated violence the storm
continued its relentless fury. The survivors say it was the coldest
night they ever experienced. There is a limit to human endurance. The
man was getting stone-blind. Had he attempted to speak, his tongue would
have cloven to the roof of his mouth. His senses were chilled, blunted,
dead. Sleep had stilled the plaintive cries of those about him. All was
silent save the storm. Without knowing it, this heroic man was yielding
to a sleep more powerful than that which had overcome his companions.
While trying to save those who were weaker than himself, he had been
literally freezing. Sightless, benumbed, moving half unconsciously about
his work, he staggered, staggered, staggered, and finally sank in the
snow. All slept! As he put no more fuel upon the fire, the flames died
down. The logs upon which the fire had rested gave way, and most of the
coals fell upon the snow. They were in almost total darkness.
Presently some one awoke. It was Mrs.
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