The Harvester

hesitation he closed the box and arranged the sticks neatly. Then he set the room in order and carefully swept the floor. As he replaced the broom he thought for an instant, then opened the

ed the volume on the shelf, went to a closet for a pair of bath towels, and hung them across a chair. Then he undressed, opened the door, and ran for the lake. He plunged with a splash and swam vigorously for a few minutes, his white body growing pink under the sting of the chilled water. Over and over he scanned the golden bridge to the moo

to the opposite side. At his accustomed place he paused and set one foot on the bed. There was not a sound, so he lifted the other. Then one at a time he drew up his hind feet and crouched as he had on the gravel. The man lay watching the bright bridge. The moonlight entered the window and floo

lled with pleading. Several times he lifted a hand and gently touched his lips, as if a kiss were a material thing and would leave tangible evidence of having been given. Afte

d that. I wouldn't have hurt you for anythi

Harvester were touched to tender beauty. He lay smiling softly. Far in the night

youthful and alive with alert anticipation. He began his work with eager impetuosity, whistling and singing the while, and he found time to play with a

n as we can cart it. A new cabin shall rise as fast as we can build it. There must be a basement and furnace, too. Dream women don't have cold feet, but if there is a girl living like that, and she is coming to us or waiting for us to come to her, we must have a comfortable home to offer. There should be a bathroom, too. She couldn't dip in the lake as we do. And unti

he door, then he hesitated, and finally took out his shaving set and used it carefully and washed vigorously. He pulled his shirt together at the throat, and hunting among his clothing, found an old red tie that he knotted a

y and dull. Perhaps the right woman would make life a very different matter. Last night I saw her, Betsy, and between us, I can't tell even you. She was the loveliest, sweetest girl on earth, and that is all I can say. We are going to watch for her to-day, and ev

ghtful sensations his tongue

pluck down the stars and set them in different places! I could twist the tail from the comet! I could twirl the globe on my palm and topple mountains and wipe lakes from the surface! I am a live man, Betsy. Existence is over. So don't you go at any tricks or I might pull off your head. Betsy, if you see the tallest girl you ever saw, and she wears a dark diadem, and has bi

ouse of his own construction. Here, by an arrangement of hot water pipes, he evaporated many of the barks, roots, seeds, and leaves he grew to supply large concerns

he now lived. His father and grandfather were old-time hunters of skins and game. They had added to their earnings by gathering in spring and fall the few medicinal seeds, leaves, and barks they knew. His mother had been of different type. She had loved and married the picturesque young hunter, and gone to live with him on the section of land taken by his father. She found life, real life

utside school and in summer vacations she worked in the woods with the boy, gathering herbs and roots to pay for his education and clo

er his father's death expenses grew heavier and the boy saw that he must earn more money. His mother frantically opposed his going to the city, so he thought out the plan

ected corners of earth for barks and roots. He occasionally made long trips across the country for rapidly diminishing plants he found in the woodland of men who did not care to bother with a few specimens, and many big beds of profitable herbs, extinct for miles around, now flourished on the banks of Loon Lake, in the marsh, and throu

e he heaped packages of seeds, dried leaves, barks, and roots into the wagon. But he kept a generous supply of each, for he prided himself on being able to fill

sow a peck of flower seeds in the marsh, plant a hedge along the drive, and straighten the lake shore a little. I can make a beautiful wild-flower garden and arrange so that with one season's work this will appear very well. We will express this stuff and then select and fell some trees to-night. Soon as the frost is out of the ground we will dig our basement and lay the foundations. The neighbours will help me raise the logs; after that I can finish the inside work. I've got some dried maple, cherry, and walnut logs that would work into

ng to disturb them. Signs were numerous everywhere prohibiting hunters from firing over the Harvester's land. Beside the lake, down the valley, crossing the railroad, and in the farther lowlands, the dog was a nervous quive

lack eyes, and red velvet lips, sweeter than wild crab apple blossoms. Make a dead set! Don't allow her to pass

the Harvester softly and ex

ce for every woman he passed. Light hair, blue eyes, and short figures got only casual inspection: but any tall girl with dark hair and eyes endured rather close scrutiny that m

he might have gone her way quite as well. She could not have differed more from the girl of the newly begun quest

turned from his desk, smiled warmly, push

"You bring the very breath of spring

dy sassafras and spring roots rush me, and after that, harvest begins full force, and all my land is teeming. This is

room to

rvester comprehensively.

eyes bent on h

erywhere.' I had not heard of cramped livi

already in construction. I chose seven trees as

he tone the doc

your nerve re

arvester tingle

it work?"

nity, lead her parents, lead society--the Lord only knows what else. Gone all to pieces! Pretty a case of nervous prostration as you ever saw in

st. It will give me confidence when I go before the chemists with it. I've got a couple

ious for a yo

y trace evolution and the origin of species, but you get the greatest lessons taugh

n are stranded as a rule. You th

vester

tood what I was attempting, what do you think they would have said? Cranky and lazy would have become adjectives too mild. Lunatic would have expressed it better. That's close the general opinion, anyway. Because I will not fell my trees, and the woods hide the work I do, it is generally conceded that I spend my time in the sun reading a book. I do, as often as I have an opportunity. But the point is that this fall, when I

head changed for the world. Now I've got to hurry to my operation. Remain as long as you please if there is anything that interests you;

no standard. There is just one woman in all the world for me, and when I find her I will know her, and I wil

about enlarged buildings was no

your op

pense, I may operate on the w

id the Harves

like you to evad

I merely saw a visio

orst thing that could happen! Whenever a man of common-sense goes to seeing things tha

a poet to describe my vision, and the dream was strictly private. I coul

paused on t

I ever will, because I know you, David. A man with a loose mouth and a low mind drags the women of his acquaintance through whatever mire he sinks in; but you couldn't tell, David, n

I do! But you can't fail. You never hav

th while, the impression always left behind him. Men envied his robust appearance and women looked twice, always twice, and sometimes oftener if there was any opportunity; but twice at

Langston?" she asked in the voice of

he Harvester. "I've only a short time

nd read intently. He studied the placing of rooms, the construction of furniture, and all attractive ideas were noted. When at last he arose the attendant went to re

the windows. Then he untied Betsy and drove to a lumber mill on the outskirts of the city and made arrangements to have

beside him. He ate a hasty lunch and at three o'clock was in the forest, blazi