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218 Growing more intense, the cold eventually roused the sleeping man.

Hardly had his eyes unclosed and looked up into the eyes of Judith bending over him than he started up and out of her embrace, got unsteadily to his feet, and staggered away, with a gesture of exorcism. Hugging her new-born humility to her, Judith followed patiently, at a little distance.

Not far from where they had rested there was a break in the wall of the arroyo. Through this he scrambled painfully, the unheeded woman at his heels.

A pause there afforded both time to regain their breath and survey the desert for signs of assistance. It offered none. For leagues in any quarter it stretched without a break. The southward hills, however, seemed the nearer. They seemed to have won by now at least two thirds of the way across. And low down upon the slope of one of the hills a tiny light shone like a friendly star.

With tacit consent both turned that way, Alan leading, Judith his pertinacious shadow.

And then of a sudden she collapsed. The white world swam giddily about her, rocking like a confused sea. Her knees became as water. … She sank silently to the earth.

He turned and came back to her, lifted her head, and plied her in turn with the dregs of the canteen.