His one chance lay in fair weather, and the discovery of an old trail made by Bram and his pack.
An old trail would lead to fresher ones.

Also he was determined to stick to the edge of the scrub timber, for if the Barren was Bram's retreat he would sooner or later strike a trail--unless Bram had gone straight out into the vast white plain shortly after he had made his camp in the forest near Pierre Breault's cabin.

In that event it might be weeks before Bram would return to the scrub timber again.
That night the last of the blizzard that had raged for days exhausted itself.

For a week clear weather followed.

It was intensely cold, but no snow fell.