Part 1
The Trail of the Meat
Darkspruceforestfrownedoneithersidethefrozenwaterway. Thetreeshadbeenstrippedbyarecentwindoftheirwhitecoveringoffrost, andtheyseemedtoleantowardseachother,blackandominous,inthefadinglight. Avastsilencereignedovertheland. Thelanditselfwasadesolation,lifeless,withoutmovement, soloneandcoldthatthespiritofitwasnoteventhatofsadness. Therewasahintinitoflaughter,butofalaughtermoreterriblethananysadness —alaughterthatwasmirthlessasthesmileofthesphinx,alaughtercoldasthefrostandpartakingofthegrimnessofinfallibility. Itwasthemasterfulandincommunicablewisdomofeternitylaughingatthefutilityoflifeandtheeffortoflife. ItwastheWild,thesavage,frozen-heartedNorthlandWild.
Buttherewaslife,abroadinthelandanddefiant. Downthefrozenwaterwaytoiledastringofwolfishdogs. Theirbristlyfurwasrimedwithfrost. Theirbreathfrozeintheairasitlefttheirmouths,spoutingforthinspumesofvapourthatsettleduponthehairoftheirbodiesandformedintocrystalsoffrost. Leatherharnesswasonthedogs,andleathertracesattachedthemtoasledwhichdraggedalongbehind. Thesledwaswithoutrunners. Itwasmadeofstoutbirch-bark,anditsfullsurfacerestedonthesnow. Thefrontendofthesledwasturnedup,likeascroll, inordertoforcedownandundertheboreofsoftsnowthatsurgedlikeawavebeforeit. Onthesled,securelylashed,wasalongandnarrowoblongbox. Therewereotherthingsonthesled—blankets,anaxe,andacoffee-potandfrying-pan; butprominent,occupyingmostofthespace,wasthelongandnarrowoblongbox.
Inadvanceofthedogs,onwidesnowshoes,toiledaman. Attherearofthesledtoiledasecondman. Onthesled,inthebox,layathirdmanwhosetoilwasover —amanwhomtheWildhadconquered andbeatendownuntilhewouldnevermovenorstruggleagain.
