he tired a
little of swinging the ax he carried the cut pieces to the cabin and
stacked them near the door. Now and then he would halt a moment to gaze
away across the whitened slopes and rolling hills. The sense of his
physical power matched something within, and his heart warmed with more
than the vigorous exercise.

When he had worked thus for about two hours and had stacked a pile of
wood almost as large as the cabin he considered it sufficient for the
day. So he went indoors. Moore was so busily and earnestly writing that
he did not hear Wade come in. His face wore an eloquent glow.

"Say, Wils, are you writin' a book?" he inquired.

"Hello! Sure I am. But I'm 'most done now.... If Columbine doesn't
answer _this_ ..."

"By the way, I'll have two letters to give her, then--for I never gave
her the first one," replied Wade.

"You son-of-a-gun!"

"Well, hurry along, boy. I'll be goin' now. Here's a pole I've fetched
in. You keep it there, where you can reach it, an' when the fire needs
more wood you roll one of these logs on. I'll be up to-night before
dark, an' if I don't fetch you a letter it'll be because I can't
persuade Collie to write."

"Pard, if you bring me a letter I'll obey you--I'll lie still--I'll
sleep--I'll stand anything."

"Ahuh! Then I'll fetch one," replied Wade, as he took the little book
and deposited it in his pocket. "Good-by, now, an' think of your good
news that come with the snow."

"Good-by, Heaven-Sent Hell-Bent Wade!" called Moore. "It's no joke of a
name any more. It's a fact."

Wade plodded down through the deep snow, stepping in his old tracks, and
as he toiled on his thoughts were deep and comforting. He was thinking
that if he had his life to live over again he would begin at once to
find happiness in other people's happiness. Upon arriving at his cabin
he set to work cleaning a path to the dog corral. The snow had drifted
there and he had no easy task. It was well that he had built an inclosed
house for the hounds to winter in. Such a heavy snow as this one would
put an end to hunting for the time being. The ranch had ample supply of
deer, bear, and elk meat, all solidly frozen this morning, that would
surely keep well until used. Wade reflected that his tasks round the
ranch would be feeding hounds and stock, chopping wood, and doing such
chores as came along in winter-time. The pack of hounds, which he had
thinned out to a smaller number, would be a care on his hands.