"The Master-Knot of Human Fate" by Ellis Meredith is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around two central characters, a man and a woman, who navigate their way through a world transformed by a catastrophic event, seemingly left alone in a wilderness setting. Their journey explores themes of survival, companionship, and the search for meaning amidst chaos. At the start of the narrative, the man and woman are depicted climbing a Rocky Mountain trail, surrounded by the natural beauty of their environment. They share an intricate, non-romantic camaraderie, marked by mutual understanding and support. However, the peace of their excursion is shattered when they witness a catastrophic flood that obliterates their surrounding civilization. The pair's struggle for survival leads them to a deserted log cabin, where they begin to establish a new life, rediscovering their individual and shared identities as they confront the aftermath of the disaster. The opening establishes an atmosphere of tension and uncertainty, setting the stage for an exploration of human resilience in the face of devastating change. (This is an automatically generated summary.)