might　just　pass　out　in　the　middle　of　the　floor。　Will　you

stay　in　bed？〃

〃I　just　went　to　the　bathroom。〃

〃Good。　You　should　be　set　for　a　while。　Where　are　the　keys　to　your　car？〃

She　tried　to　remember。　〃I　think　I　put　them　in　the　pocket　of　my　jeans。〃

He　vanished　and　returned　moments　later　with　the　keys　in　hand。　〃I'm

hitching　a　ride　with　the　plow　down　to　your　car。　It　may　take　me　a　little

while　to　dig　it　out。　Does　it　have　snow　tires？〃　When　she　nodded；　he　said；

〃Good。　I'll　be　back　as　soon　as　I　can；　then　I'm　taking　you　to　the

doctor。〃

〃Mitch…〃　Her　hoarse　call　caught　him　at　the　door。　〃Your　arm…is　it　all

right　to　shovel？〃

She　heard　a　sharp　intake　of　breath；　then　a　grunt。　〃It'll　do。〃

While　he　was　gone；　she　suffered。　Her　head　hurt；　her　sinuses　hurt；　her

throat　hurt；　her　chest　hurt；　her　legs　hurt。　Curled　up　in　misery；　she

prayed　for　sleep。

She　must　have　dozed　off；　because　it　seemed　only　minutes　before　Mitch

returned　with　a　gruff　foot…stamping　at　the　front　door。　Lacking　the

strength　to　call　out；　she　waited　until　he　appeared　by　her　bedside；　ruddy

checked　from　the　cold；　but　eager　to　pack　her　up　and　leave。

He　did　it　without　a　fuss；　simply　snatching　her　up；　quilt　and　all；　and

carrying　her　out。　He　stopped　short　at　the　front　door。　Swearing　softly；

he　back　tracked　and　deposited　her　on　the　sofa；　went　into　the　kitchen；

and　returned　with　her　wool　hat；　which　was　now　warm　and　dry。　He　put　it　on

her　head；　scooped　her　up　again　and　didn't　put　her　down　until　they

reached　his　car。

She　wheezed　heavily　for　most　of　the　trip　into　the　village。　Between

darkness　and　the　new　walls　of　snow　lining　the　roads；　there　wasn't　much