man, and he spared you because he loved you,
of course. I will make you well and rosy again, and then I will go and
find him, and arrange everything for you. I have spared you, too, and if
he doesn't want you to remain here with me, Mrs. Carey would be glad
to have you until I can free you. Judges are human. It will be a simple
matter. Hush, Ruth, listen to me! You shall be free! At once, if you
say so! You shall have him! I will go and bring him here, and I will go
away. Ruth, darling, stop crying and hear me. You will grow better, now
that you have told me. It is this secret that has made you feverish
and kept you ill. Ruth, you shall have happiness yet, if I have got to
circle the globe and scale the walls of Heaven to find it for you."

She struggled from his arms and ran toward the lake. When the Harvester
caught her, she screamed wildly, and struck him with her thin white
hands. He lifted and carried her to the laboratory, where he gave her a
few drops from a bottle and soon she became quiet. Then he took her to
the sunshine room, laid her on the bed, locked the screens and her door,
called Belshazzar to watch, and ran to the stable. A few minutes later
with distended nostrils and indignant heart Betsy, under the flail of an
unsparing lash, pounded down the hill toward Onabasha.

CHAPTER XVII. LOVE INVADES SCIENCE

The Harvester placed the key in the door and turned to Doctor Carey and
the nurse.

"I drugged her into unconsciousness before I left, but she may have
returned, at least partially. Miss Barnet, will you kindly see if she
is ready for the doctor? You needn't be in the least afraid. She has no
strength, even in delirium."

He opened the door, his head averted, and the nurse hurried into the
room. The Girl on the bed was beginning to toss, moan, and mutter.
Skilful hands straightened her, arranged the covers, and the doctor was
called. In the living-room the Harvester paced in misery too deep for
consecutive thought. As consciousness returned, the Girl grew wilder,
and the nurse could not follow the doctor's directions and care for her.
Then Doctor Carey called the Harvester. He went in and sitting beside
the bed took the feverish, wildly beating hands in his strong, cool
ones, and began stroking them and talking.

"Easy, honey," he murmured softly. "Lie quietly while I tell you. You
mustn't tire yourself. You are wasting strength you need to fight the
fever. I'll hold your hands tight, I'll str