his is my place, and here I grow herbs for
medicinal houses."

"I have heard of you, and heard your stuff recommended," said the
doctor.

"Good!" exclaimed the Harvester. "That saves time. I stopped here to
make a required explanation to you. The day you sent Ruth Jameson to
Onabasha, I saw her leave the train and recognized in her my ideal
woman. I lost her in the crowd and it took some time to locate her.
I found her about a month ago. She was miserable. If you saw what her
father did to her and her mother in Chicago, you should have seen what
his brother was doing here. The end came one day in my presence, when I
paid her for ginseng she had found to settle her debt to you. He robbed
her by force. I took the money from him, and he threatened her. She was
ill then from heat, overwork, wrong food----every misery you can imagine
heaped upon the dreadful conditions in which she came. It had been my
intention to court and marry her if I possibly could. That day she had
nowhere to go; she was wild with fear; the fever that is scorching her
now was in her veins then. I did an insane thing. I begged her to marry
me at once and come here for rest and protection. I swore that if she
would, she should not be my wife, but my honoured guest, until she
learned to love me and released me from my vow. She tried to tell
me something; I had no idea it was anything that would make any real
difference, and I wouldn't listen. Last night, when the fever was
beginning to do its worst, she told me of your entrance into her life
and what it meant to her. Then I saw that I had made a mistake. You were
her choice, the man she could love, not me, so I took the liberty of
sending for you. I want you to cure her, court her, marry her, and make
her happy. God knows she has had her share of suffering. You recognize
her as a girl of refinement?"

"I do."

"You grant that in health she would be lovelier than most women, do you
not?"

"She was more beautiful than most in sickness and distress."

"Good!" cried the Harvester. "She has been here two weeks. I give you my
word, my promise to her has been kept faithfully. As soon as I can leave
her to attend to it, she shall have her freedom. That will be easy. Will
you marry her?"

The doctor hesitated.

"What is it?" asked the Harvester.

"Well to be frank," said Doctor Harmon, "it is money! I'm only getting a
start. I borrowed funds for my schooling and what I used for her. She is
in every w