inging stride, his head high, his face flushed with vivid
outdoor tints, going somewhere to do something worth 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 least was the rule. He left a little roll of
bills at the bank and started toward the library. When he entered the
reading room an attendant with an eager smile hastily came toward him.

"What will you have this morning, Mr. Langston?" she asked in the voice
of one who would render willing service.

"Not the big books to-day," laughed the Harvester. "I've only a short
time. I'll glance through the magazines."

He selected several from a table and going to a corner settled with them
and for two hours was deeply engrossed. He took an envelope from his
pocket, traced lines, and 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 replace the magazines
on the table. They had been opened widely, and as she turned the
leaves they naturally fell apart at the plans for houses or articles of
furniture.

The Harvester slowly went down the street. Before every furniture store
he paused and studied the designs displayed in the windows. Then he
untied Betsy and drove to a lumber mill on the outskirts of the city and
made arrangements to have some freshly felled logs of black walnut
and curly maple sawed into different sizes and put through a course in
drying.

He drove back to Medicine Woods whistling, singing, and talking to
Belshazzar beside him. He ate a hasty lunch and at three o'clock was in
the forest, blazing and felling slender, straight-trunked oak and ash of
the desired proportions.

CHAPTER III. HARVESTING THE FOREST

The forest is never so wonderful as when spring wrestles with winter for
supremacy. While the earth is yet ice bound, while snows occasionally
fly, spring breathes her warmer breath of approach, and all nature
responds. Sunny knolls, embankments, and cleared spaces become bare,
while shadow spots and sheltered nooks remain white. This perfumes the
icy air with a warmer breath of melting snow. The sap rises in the trees
and bushes, sets buds swelling, and they distil a faint, intangible
odour. Deep layers of dead leaves cover the frozen earth, and the sun
shining on them raises a steamy vapour unlike an