Grainier now lives in his cabin year-round. In January, all is silent except the distant trains and howling wolves. He sometimes howls along. Gladys never visits again, but he dreams of her and often wakes to the sound of the train. Even though he never remarries, Grainier is not completely isolated, for he runs his hauling business. To afford lodging for his horses during the winter, he logs one final summer. However, his body is so broken down that at the end of the season, he returns to Bonners Ferry, never to work as a woodsman again.

Once, Grainier rides the train to Spokane, gets a hotel, and goes to the county fair, where he pays to ride an airplane. As he lifts off with the young pilot, Grainier notices the fragile wings and how the pilot’s father must manually turn the propeller. In the air, Grainier feels ill and has no sense of direction. The pilot says something incomprehensible and forces the plane toward the earth. Grainier’s stomach drops, and his life flashes before his eyes. The plane lands with a jolt. Ill, Grainier returns to his hotel and vows to leave Spokane.

Eddie Sauer, who Grainier has known since childhood, provides an excuse to leave.