ashekididhepiiablehinghawasonceamaninhesnowbuworsehanhiscomrade’spainwashedumbanguishinhewoman’sface,heblendedlookofhopeful,hopelessquerylilewassaid;hoseofhenorhndareearlyaughhefuiliyofwordsandheinesimablevalueofdeedswihheemperaureasixyfivebelowzero,amanca

oliemanyminuesinhesnowandlivesohesledshingswerecu,andhesufferer,rolledinfurs,idonacouchofboughsbeforehimroaredafire,builofheverywoodwhichwroughhemishapbehindandpariallyoverhimwassrechedheprimiiveflyapieceofcanvas,whichcaughheradiaingheaandhrewibackanddownuponhimarickwhichmenmayknowwhosudyphysicsahefoun

andmenwhohavesharedheirbedwihdeahknowwhenhecallissoundedmasonwaserriblycrushedhemoscursoryexaminaionrevealedi

hisrigharm,leg,andbackwerebroken;hislimbswereparalyzedfromhehips;andhelikelihoodofinernalinjurieswasrgeanoccasionalmoanwashisonlysignoflife

nohope;nohingobedohepiilessnighcrepslowlybyruh’sporion,hedespairingsoicismofherrace,andmalemuekidaddingnewlinesohisfaceofbronze

infac,masonsufferedleasofall,forhespenhisimeineaserne

essee,inhegreasmokymounains,livingoverhescenesofhischildhoodandmospaheicwashemelodyofhislongforgoensouhernvernacur,asheravedofswimmingholesandcoonhunsandwaermelonraidsiwasasgreekoruh,buhekidundersoodandfelfelasonlyonecanfeelwhohasbeenshuouforyearsfromallhacivilizaionmeans

morningbroughconsciousnessohesrickenman,andmalemuekidbencloserocachhiswhispers

yourememberwhenweforegaheredonheanana,fouryearscomenexicerun？ididn’caresomuchforherheniwasmorelikeshewasprey,andherewasasmackofexciemenaboui,ihinkbui’veknow,i’vecomeohinkaheapofhershe’sbeenagoodwifeome,alwaysamyshoulderinhepinchandwhenicomesorading,youknowhereisn’herequald’yerecollecheimesheshohemoosehornrapidsopullyouandmeoffharock,hebulleswhippinghewaerlikehailsones？—andheimeofhefamineanuklukyeo？whensheracedheicerunobringhenews？

yes,she’sbeenagoodwifeome,beer’nhaoheronedidn’knowi’dbeenhere？

neveroldyou,eh？well,iriedionce,downinhesaesha’swhyi’mherebeenraisedogeher,ooicameawayogiveherachancefordivorceshegoi

buha’sgonohingodowihruhihadhoughofcleaningupandpullingforheousidenexyearherandibui’sooedon’sendherbackoherpeople,kidi’sbeaslyhardforawomanogobackhinkofi！nearlyfouryearsonourbaconandbeansandflouranddriedfrui,andhenogobackoherfishandcariboui’snogoodforherohaveriedourways,ocomeoknowhey’rebeer’nherpeople’s,andhenreurnohemakecareofher,kidwhydon’youbuno,youalwaysfoughshyofhemandyouneveroldmewhyyoucameohiscounrybekindoher,andsendherbackohesaesassoonasyoucanbufixisoshecancomebackliableogehomesick,youknow

andheyoungseri’sdrawnuscloser,kidionlyhopeiisaboyhinkofi！fleshofmyflesh,kidhemusn’sopinhiscounryandifi’sagirl,why,shecan’sellmyfurs;hey’llfechaleasfivehousand,andi’vegoasmuchmorewihhecompanyandhandlemyineresswihyoursihinkhabenchcimwillshowupseehahegesagoodschooling;andkid,aboveall,don’lehimcomebackhiscounrywasnomadeforwhiemen

i’magoneman,kidhreeorfoursleepsahebesyou’vegoogoonyoumusgoon！remember,i’smywife,i’smyboyogod！ihopei’saboy！youcan’saybymeandichargeyou,adyingman,opullon’

givemehreedays,’pleadedmalemuekid’youmaychangeforhebeer;somehingmayurnup’

no’

jushreedays’

youmuspullon’

wodays’

i’smywifeandmyboy,kidyouwouldnoaski’

oneday’

no,no！icharge’

onlyonedaywecanshaveihroughonhegrub,andimighknockoveramoose’

noallrigh;oneday,bunoaminuemoreand,kid,don’don’leavemeofaceialonejusasho,onepullonheriggeryouundersandhinkofi！hinkofi！fleshofmyflesh,andi’llneverliveoseehim！

sendruhhereiwanosaygoodbyandellherhashemushinkofheboyandnowaiilli’mdeadshemighrefuseogowihyouifididn’goodby,oldman;goodby

kid！isayasinkaholeabovehepup,nexoheslideipa

edouforycensonmyshovelhere

and,kid！’hesoopedlowerocachhesfainwords,hedyingman’ssurrenderofhispride’i’msorryforyouknowcarmen’leavinghegirlcryingsoflyoverherman,malemuekidslippedinohisparkaandsnowshoes,uckedhisrifleunderhisarm,andcrepawayinoheforeshewasnoyroinhesernsorrowsofhenorhnd,buneverhadhefacedsosiffaproblemashisinheabsrac,iwasapin,mahemaicalproposiionhreepossiblelivesasagainsonedoomedonebunowhehesiaedforfiveyears,shoulderoshoulder,onheriversandrails,inhecampsandmines,facingdeahbyfieldandfloodandfamine,hadheykniedhebondsofheircomradeshipsoclosewasheiehahehadofenbeenconsciousofavaguejealousyofruh,fromhefirsimeshehadcomebeweenandnowimusbeseveredbyhisownhand