The Harvester

into the store-room. Then followed July herbs. He first went to his beds of foxglove, because the tender leaves of the second year should be stripped from them at flowering time, an

es, so the Harvester hastily

uired, taking the whole plant. That only brought a few cents a

een weeded that spring, he could gather great arm loads of it with a sickle, but he had to wa

ambering over the thickets, and Singing Water ran close beside. So the Harvester left digging these roots until nearly the last, because he so disliked to disturb the bed. He could not have done it if he had not been forced. All of the demand for his fern never could be suppl

ashing, rapidly dried in currents of hot air, and shipped them in bottles to the trade. He

eech tree and looked down the swaying length of delicate green. He was lean and rapidly bronzi

then I never could muster courage to do it at all. I'd give a small farm to know if those violets revived for her. I was crazy to

s as to go to work before he had pronounced it safe. When the fern bed was finished, the Harvester took time to make a trip to town, but there was no word waiting him; so he went to the mullein. It lay on a sunny hillside beyond the couch grass and joined a few small fields, the only cleared land of the six hundred acres of Medicine Woods. Over rocks and little hills and hollows spread the pale, grayish-yellow of the gree

ty troilus with an attempt at trailers, big asterias, velvety black with longer trails and wide bands of yellow dots. Coenia were most numerous of all and to the Harvester wonderfully attractive in rich, subdued colours with a wealth of markings and eye spots. Many small moths, with transparent wings and noses red as blood, flashed past him hunting pollen. Goldfinches, intent on thistle bloom, wavered through

he would like

at once to big laboratories. The listed price was seventy-five cents a pound, but the beautiful golden bottles of the Harvester always brought more. The work was worth while, and he liked the location and gathering of this particular crop: for these reasons he always left it until the

g bed. Long years he had laboured diligently; soon came the reward. He had not realized it before, but as he studied the situation he saw t

head where I dig a root, as the Indians did. That's the idea! The more I grow, the more money; and I may need considerable for her. One thing I'd like to know: Are these plants cultivated? All the books quote the wild at highest rates and all I've ever sold was wild. The start grew here naturally. What I added from the surrounding country was wild, but through and among it I've sown seed I bought, and I've tended it with every care. But this is deep wood and wild conditions. I think I have a perfect right to so label it. I'll ask Doc. And an

ent down the bank, Belshazzar at his heels, and at last found the place. Many trees had been cut, but there remained enough for shade; the fields bore the ragged, unattractive appearance of old. The Harvester smiled grimly as he remembered that the man who lived there once had charged him for damage he might do to trees in driving across his woods, and boasted to his neighbours that a young fool wa

n't know who he is or where he came from, but he's no farmer. Perhaps he

bout taking it, he never thought at all. He once had permission from the owner to dig all the shrubs, bushes, and weeds he desired from that stretch of woods, and had paid for possible damages that might occur. As he bent to the task there did come a fleeting thought that the patch was weedless and in unusual shape for wild stuff. Then, with swift strokes of his light mattock, he lifted the roots, crammed them into his sack, whistled to Belshazzar, and going back to the wagon, drove away. Reaching home he washed the ginseng, an

ore in my life did a trick like that. I wonder if I hurried a little. I certainly was free to take it. He always wanted the stuff dug up. Of all the stupid tricks, Belshazzar, that was

ing straight ahead. Contrary to his usual custom of coming to heel in a strange wood, Belshazzar suddenly darted around the man and took the path they had followed the previous day. The animal was performing his office in life; he had heard or scented something unusual. The Harvester knew what that meant.

ing girl. Her frame was long and slender, a thick coil of dark hair; bound her head. A second more and the Harvester bent and softly patted Belshazzar's head. The beast broke point and looked up. The man caught the dog's chin in a caressing grip, again touched

came swiftly to

ied in a spa

investigating nose and

friendly dog!" said

by offering his nose for a kiss. The

ut suppose you belong to the man who stole my ginseng, and t

ar press

don't care whose dog yo

face against his satiny shoulder. The Harvester could endure

ng it back to-morrow. There wasn't more than twenty-five

o him in one long look. Words rolled from the lips of the man in a jumble. Behind the tears there was a dull, expressionless blue in the girl's eye

it. Every one knew I did, and no one ever objected before. Once I paid Henry Jameson for the privilege of cleaning it from these woods. That was six or seven years ago, and it didn't occur to me that I wasn't at liberty to dig what has grown si

nd his tones appealing, as he leaned

dog, while she dried her eyes under cover of the

of relief, she suddenly straightened t

It makes all the difference in the world! I need that money! I need it unspeakably.

er, "and make yourself comfortable on this log i

ated, seated herself, and waited. The Ha

eatly in drying; but I've handled enough that I know the weight I carried home will come to six pounds at the very least. Then you must figure on some loss, because I dug this b

his face intently, and the Harv

hen, there would be

eight. When I replace the shrinka

understand you to sa

oo much, you lose in weight. If you carry it in a small lot to the drug

iv

a start

expect?" asked the

he could get fifty cents a

cle he should know something about the price also. Will you tell me wha

times and hunting deer, and they spoke of people who made money long ago

name La

aid nothing brought enough to make it pay any one, except this ginseng plant, and the Langston man almost had stripped the country. Then uncle said he used to get stuff here, and he might have got some of that. I asked what it was like, so they told me and I hunted until I f

mission," said

on drug roots and herbs. Because he understood, his eyes were very bright, and his voice a trifle crisp. A latent anger springing in his breast was a good curb fo

was a very small boy I have lived by collecting herbs and roots, and I get more for ginseng than anything else. Very early I tired of hunting other people's woods for herbs, so I began transplanting them to my ow

ange of expression

rily, "and you could have no possible

an evaporating house. They will dry to the proper degree desired by the trade, so that they will not lose an extra ounce in weight, and if I send them with my stuff to big wholesale houses I deal with, they will be graded with the finest wild ginseng. It is worth more than the cultivated and you will get

uble would th

ount when I sell. I should very much like to do it. It would be a comfort to see the money go into your hands. If you are a

d at him

er to do it for a stranger? It must be some trou

g to pay you eight

ieve that. If you wanted to make money you needn't have told me

atone for those tears I ca

consequence to any one. You needn't

that feature of the case. Say I'm peculiar, and allow me to do it because it wou

ou care to

ch. We will cal

you what it will mean

would," plead

en a stranger wi

d make the stra

must face life and bear

narrow view of life. It cuts other people out of the joy of service. If you can'

is my affair; I must

nseng matter is settled that you profited by trusting me. The same will hold good along other lines, if you only can bring yourself to think so. At any rate, try. Telling a trouble

bent to

ever since I have been here, but every one else I have met says I can't, and not

o me that ease, not work, is the thing you require. You appear extre

been sick in all my life. I have been having trouble and working too much, but I'll be b

surgeon of the city hospital. Through him I happen to know that he has a free bed in a beautiful room, where you could res

ter stood, and tall and

not accept charity. If you can put me in the way of earning, even a few cents a day, at anything I could do outs

y will come for you and take you to ease and perfect rest until you are strong again. I will see that your aunt is ca

, and while I don't in the least understand it, I do hope you feel I am grateful. If half you say about the ginseng com

peak of were paid,

d give up in peace,

business of securing rest for the tired and over weary, and they would come and prevent that if you tried it. Please let

ok from his pocket and s

the address, you shall be free to go to

head to foot sh

hy

ndicate that you are over tired. Believe

uld changing cr

ut I have no one save myself to provide for and I have funds lying idle that I would be

owing him rather than a perfect stranger. What you

me to see you to-morrow and bring you some pamphlets. With these and with a little help you soon ca

e a hint of colour flushed her cheek. Bu

his part of the c

om here, east of Ona

now Henry

and by r

w anything kind o

ever

think I am telling you this to harrow your sympathy further. The reason I explain is because I am driven. If I do not, you will misjudge me when I say that I only can see you here. I understood what you meant when you said Uncle Henry should have known the price of ginseng if he knew it was for sale. He did. He knew what he could get for it, and what he meant to pay me. That is on

an added hardship. Why do you remain? Why subje

et. I don't care to discuss it, I only want you to say you understand, if

hot in protest. "You may be very sure that I will not misju

will be

, beside a ragged highway. The man sat on the log she had vacated, held his head between his hands and tried to think, but he could not for big

y heart ache until it feels like jelly. There seems to be just one thing to do. Get that fool debt paid like lightning, and lift her out of here quicker than that. Now, we wi

rs of sober repression made their weight felt, so he climbed into the wagon and politely requested Betsy to make her best time to Onabasha. Betsy had been asked to make haste so frequently of late that she at first almost doubted the sanity of her master, the law of whose life, until recently, had been to take

appeared like a materialized embodiment of living joy. Doctor Carey turned at

found he

up and down while he gulped at the lump in his throat, and big t

hat's great! Sit down and tell me, boy! Is she sick, as we f

g I told you about getting on the old Jameson place last night. To-day, I learned I'

he co

s s

n't we think

e had to satisfy ourselves th

logical way to go at it

ng along on my way to the place, and he ran past me and

e she

; there

ook han

urse you sp

spoke t

you pl

-yes. But, Doc, if ever a wom

get any kind o

frightening her, but I tried to get her to come here and she won'

dea how mu

r to pay it, but she had no hesitation in telling m

how did she come to tell you fi

ester ex

r double until you get that off her mind, and while you are at it, put in your best licks, my boy; perk right up an

I'd hate like the nation for her to know it. Seems as if a

he doctor. "Just you make love to her.

od old-fashioned w

rence whose way i

'Each man makes l

hat name be fore," said the doctor.

I don't want her to care for a trick or a pretence. I do want her to love me. Not that I am worth her attention, but because she needs some strong man fearfully, a

ad followed the thing you call the 'promptings of your heart,' you would have picked her up by main force and brought her to my best ward, instead of merely suggesting it and giving up when she said no. If you had followed your heart, you would have choked the name and amount out of her and paid that devilish

Harvester. "Utter! B

! I'd have paid that debt and

a sick woman who depends solely on her for care. She is above average size, and she has a very decided mind of her own. I don't think you would use force and do wha

One thing is sure: I'm mighty glad y

's help. Now I'll call off the valiant police and go home and ta

hey passed it, the Harvester jumped from the wagon, tossed the hitching strap to Belshazzar, and entered. He walked straight to her door, unlocked

s comfortable and happy! Happy! She doesn't appear as if she ever had heard that word. Well this will be a good place to teach her. I've always enjoyed myself here. I'm going to have faith that I can win her and make her happy