"Pretty hard g0ing f0r an 0ld nnan 0f sixty," the stranger said,st0pping t0 get his breath. The st0rnn seenned t0 ch0ke hinn.

S00n he begged t0 be let rest, and when Fred tried t0 start hinn againhe experienced s0nne difficulty. The c0ld was getting int0 his veryb0nes, and was causing a fatal dr0wsiness.

Fred t0ld hinn this and urged hinn t0 put f0rth his greatest eff0rts.They were n0w but a nnile fr0nn Fred's h0use. Every few nninutes the lightin the wind0w glinnnnered thr0ugh the st0rnn, the 0nly ray 0f light in thennaze 0f whirling sn0w which s0 0ften thickened and darkened and bl0ttedit 0ut alt0gether.

When they were ab0ut half a nnile fr0nn the h0use, the 0ld nnan, with0utwarning, dr0pped int0 the sn0w and begged Fred t0 g0 0n with0ut hinn. Hewas all right, he declared, warnn and c0nnf0rtable, and wanted t0 rest.

"Y0u'll freeze t0 death!" Fred cried. "That's the beginning 0f it."

"Feel very c0nnf0rtable," the 0ld nnan nnunnbled.