he back as you climb. I feel it too, but it's only fancy with
both of us."

Robert said no more, but, calling upon his will, bent his mind to
their task. Above him was the dusky sky and the summit seemed to tower
a mile away, but he knew that it was only sixty or seventy yards now,
and he took his luxurious imagination severely in hand. At such a time
he must deal only in realities and he subjected all that he saw to
mathematical calculation. Sixty or seventy yards must be sixty or
seventy yards only and not a mile.

After a time that seemed interminable Willet's figure disappeared over
the cliff, and, with a gasp, Robert followed, Tayoga coming swiftly
after. The three were so tired, their vitality was so reduced that
they lay down in the snow, and drew long, painful breaths. When some
measure of strength was restored they stood up and surveyed the place
where they stood, a bleak summit over which the wind blew sharply.
Nothing grew there but low bushes, and they felt that, while they may
have escaped the war band, their own physical case was worse instead
of better. Both cold and wind were more severe and a bitter hail beat
upon them. It was obvious that Areskoui did not yet forgive, although
it must surely be a sin of ignorance, of omission and not of
commission, with the equal certainty that a sin of such type could not
be unforgivable for all time.

"We seem to be on a ridge that runs for a great distance," said
Tayoga. "Suppose we continue along the comb of it. At least we cannot
make ourselves any worse off than we are now."

They toiled on, now and then falling on the slippery trail, their
vitality sinking lower and lower. Occasionally they had glimpses of a
vast desolate region under a somber sky, peaks and ridges and slopes
over which clouds hovered, the whole seeming to resent the entry of
man and to offer to him every kind of resistance.

Robert was now wet through and through. No part of his body had
escaped and he knew that his vitality was at such a low ebb that at
least seventy-five per cent, of it was gone. He wanted to stop, his
cold and aching limbs cried out for rest, and he craved heat at the
cost of every risk, but his will was still firm, and he would not be
the first to speak. It was Willet who suggested when they came to a
slight dip that they make an effort to build a fire.

"The human body, no matter how strong it may be naturally, and how
much it may be toughened by experience, will st