She pushed it open before him and he felt the great warm breath of the room rush out upon him.

Then he was inside, swaying again uncertainly upon his feet.

In the hovering light that came from the fireplace he saw the bed in the far corner where the two small children were sleeping, saw Mara with her back to the door, facing him breathlessly, saw the heavy shadows all about; but he was conscious of hardly more than the vast heavenly warmth that rolled out from the fire and enfolded him and made him drunk.
Again he would have fallen, but she steadied him down on to a wide couch covered with buffalo robes, beside the big fireplace; and here he fell at once into a stupor.

She drew out the couch so that it caught more of the heat, pulled off the water-soaked boots and the stiffened coat, wrapped him in a blanket which she warmed before the fire, and covered him still again with one of the buffalo robes.
She went then to bring food and to make a hot drink, which she strengthened with brandy poured from a little silver flask.
Presently she aroused him to drink the hot liquor, and then, after another blank of stupor, she aroused him again, to eat.

He could take but little of the food, but called for more of the drink, and felt the soul of it thrill along his frozen nerves until they awoke, sharpened, alert, and eager.