On the hill-tops the gray wolves howled across coulees to their neighbors, and slinking coyotes yapped foolishly at the moon.
Thurston drew the blanket up over his ears, for the fire had died to a heap of whitening embers and the cold of the cabin made the nose of him tingle.

The roar grew louder and nearer-then the cabin shivered and creaked in the suddenness of the blast that struck it.

A clod of dirt plumbed down upon his shoulder, bringing with it a shower of finer particles.

"Another blizzard!" he groaned, "and the worst we've had yet, by the sound." The wind shrieked down the chimney and sought the places where the chinking was loose.

It howled up the coulees, putting the wolves themselves to shame.