It almost seemed as if his spirit were out there in the great waste,
seeking hers.
She reached the shelter and entered, borne upon snowflakes. Yes, the body
was still there. She hovered over it like a bird over its nest. For
Scott's sake, should she not return?
And then very suddenly there came a great sound close to her--the loud
barking of a dog;--and in a second--in less--she had returned.
A long, long shiver went through the poor frozen thing that was herself,
and she knew that she moaned as one awaking....
Vaguely, through dulled senses, she heard the great barking yet again,
and something immense that was furry and soft brushed against her. She
heard the panting of a large animal close to her in the hut, and very
feebly she put out a hand.
She did not like that loud baying. It went through and through her brain.
She was not frightened, only dreadfully tired. And now that she was back
again in the body, she longed unspeakably to sleep.
But the noise continued, a perfect clamour of sound; and soon there came
other sounds, the shouting of men, the muffled tread of feet sorely
hampered by snow. A dim light began to shine, and gradually increased
till it became a single, piercing eye that swept searchingly around the
wretched shelter. An arc of fog surrounded it, obscuring all besides.
Dinah gazed wide-eyed at that dazzling arc, wondering numbly, whence it
came.
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