CHAPTER XII

A chill, gray, somber dawn was breaking when Ellen dragged herself into the cabin and crept under her blankets, there to sleep the sleep of exhaustion.

When she awoke the hour appeared to be late afternoon. Sun and sky shone through the sunken and decayed roof of the old cabin. Her uncle, Tad Jorth, lay upon a blanket bed upheld by a crude couch of boughs. The light fell upon his face, pale, lined, cast in a still mold of suffering. He was not dead, for she heard his respiration.

The floor underneath Ellen's blankets was bare clay. She and Jorth were alone in this cabin. It contained nothing besides their beds and a rank growth of weeds along the decayed lower logs. Half of the cabin had a rude ceiling of rough-hewn boards which formed a kind of loft. This attic extended through to the adjoining cabin, forming the ceiling of the porch-like space between the two structures. There was no partition. A ladder of two aspen saplings, pegged to the logs, and with braces between for steps, led up to the attic.

Ellen smelled wood smoke and the odor of frying meat, and she heard the voices of men. She looked out to see that Slater and Somers had joined their party--an addition that might have strengthened it for defense, but did not lend her own situation anything favorable. Somers had always appeared the one best to avoid.

Colter espied her and called her to "Come an' feed your pale face." His comrades laughed, not loudly, but guardedly, as if noise was something to avoid. Nevertheless, they awoke Tad Jorth, who began to toss and moan on the bed.

Answer the following questions:
1. Where did Ellen drag herself?
2. Why?
3. how tired was she?
4. Did she get under a blanket?
5. How long did she sleep?
6. What was her uncle's name?
7. Where they alone in this cabin?
8. What did Tad lay on?
9. Was he dead?
10. How did she know?
11. What furniture did they have in the cabin?
12. Was there a partition?
13. Was there a ladder?
14. what was used for steps?
15. Where did it lead?
16. Who did Ellen see join the party?
17. What did she hear to know?
18. How did Somers appear?
19. What did Colter say?
20. Who laughed?

Numbered answers:
1. into the cabin
2. to sleep
3. exhausted
4. yes
5. until late afternoon.
6. Tad Jorth
7. yes
8. a blanket bed upheld by a crude couch of boughs
9. no
10. she heard his respiration.
11. beds
12. no
13. yes
14. braces
15. the attic.
16. Slater and Somers
17. the voices of men
18. best to avoid.
19. "Come an' feed your pale face."
20. His comrades