Snow-Blind

ly down, and Bella knelt opposite and drew away Hugh's mackinaw coat, with which he had wrapped his trove. It was not a woman whom they looked down upon, but a girl, and very young-perhaps

ef was tied loose

ng like a little bleating lamb with cold and pain and hunger and fright-th

the handkerchief. The small figure moaned and moved it

nd," echo

soup, Bella, and-perhaps, hot water-I

ne of the girl's small clenched hands. It was like ice. At the touch she moaned, and Hugh ordered sharply: "Let her

-scared by the woods, blinded by the pain, starving. When I found her, you'd have thought she'd be afraid of a wild m

d a spoonful between the clenched teeth. The girl swallowed and began again to whimper: "Oh,

r; then fiercely to Bella: "Can't we do

roat, and a faint stain of color came back to her lips and cheeks. Bella presently reappeared with salve and lotion, and Hugh helped her hold the swollen lids apart, his big ha

scared to feel you gone. You're so warm. You're so strong. Will you t

usual, they were the audience, those two. They sat, each in a chair, the width of the room apart; below them, his grizzled head and warped face transfigur

d. I'll take care of you. Go to sleep. I'm strong enough to keep off anything.

nder. This was a Hugh he had never seen before. For the first ti