our nerve remedy," he said.

Instantly the Harvester tingled with interest.

"How does it work?" he inquired.

"Finely! Had a case that presented just the symptoms you mentioned.
High-school girl broken down from trying to lead her classes, lead her
fraternity, 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 a person of fifty. I began on fractional doses with it, and
at last got her where she can rest. It did precisely what you claimed it
would, David."

"Good!" cried the Harvester. "Good! I hoped it would be effective.
Thank you for the test. It will give me confidence when I go before the
chemists with it. I've got a couple more compounds I wish you would try
when you have safe cases where you can do no harm."

"You are cautious for a young man, son!"

"The woods do that. You not only discover miracles and marvels in them,
you not only trace evolution and the origin of species, but you get
the greatest lessons taught in all the world ground into you early and
alone----courage, caution, and patience."

"Those are the rocks on which men are stranded as a rule. You think you
can breast them, David?"

The Harvester laughed.

"Aside from breaking a certain promise mother rooted in the blood and
bones of me, if I am afraid of anything, I don't know it. You don't
often see me going head-long, do you? As to patience! Ten years ago I
began removing every tree, bush, vine, and plant of medicinal value from
the woods around to my land; I set and sowed acres in ginseng, knowing
I must nurse, tend, and cultivate seven years. If my neighbours had
understood 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 harvest that ginseng bed, I will clear more money than
my stiffest detractor ever saw at one time. I'll wager my bank account
won't compare so unfavourably with the best of them now. I did well
this morning. Yes, I'll admit this much: I am reasonably cautious, I'm
a pattern for patience, and my courage never has failed me yet, anyway.
But I must rap on wood; for