Asuddendarkeningofthelandscapebelow，andasingularopaquewhiteningoftheairaroundthem，arousedhimfromhisthoughts。
Thedriverdrewupthecollarofhisovercoatandlaidhiswhipsmartlyoverthebacksofhiscattle。Theairgrewgraduallydarker，untilsuddenlyitseemedtodisintegrateintoinvisiblegrittyparticlesthatsweptthroughthewagon。Presentlytheseparticlesbecameheavier，moreperceptible，andpolishedlikesmallshot，andakeenwinddrovethemstinginglyintothefacesofthepassengers，orinsidiouslyintotheirpockets，collars，orthefoldsoftheirclothes。Thesnowforceditselfthroughthesmallestcrevice。
\"We’llgetoverthiswhenoncewe’vepassedthebend；theroadseemstodipbeyond，\"saidMastertoncheerfullyfromhisseatbesidethedriver。
Thedrivergavehimasinglescornfullook，andturnedtothepassengerwhooccupiedtheseatontheothersideofhim。\"Idon’tlikethelooko’thingsdownthere，butefwearestuck，we’llhavetostrikeoutforthenextstation。\"
\"But，\"saidMasterton，asthewindvolleyedthesharpsnowpelletsintheirfacesandtheleaderswerescarcelydistinguishablethroughthesmoke-likedischarges，\"itcan’tbeworsethanhere。\"