登陆注册
5243000000040

第40章 CHAPTER IX(1)

THE HARVESTER GOES COURTING

"She is on Henry Jameson's farm, four miles west of Onabasha," said the Harvester, as he opened his eyes next morning, and laid a caressing hand on Belshazzar's head. "At two o'clock we are going to see her, and we are going to prolong the visit to the ultimate limit, so we should make things count here before we start."

He worked in a manner that accomplished much. There seemed no end to his energy that morning. Despatching the usual routine, he gathered the herbs that were ready, spread them on the shelves of the dry-house, found time to do several things in the cabin, and polish a piece of furniture before he ate his lunch and hitched Betsy to the wagon. He also had recovered his voice, and talked almost incessantly as he worked. When it neared time to start he dressed carefully. He stood before his bookcase and selected several pamphlets published by the Department of Agriculture. He went to his beds and gathered a large arm load of plants. Then he was ready to make his first trip to see the Dream Girl, but it never occurred to him that he was going courting.

He had decided fully that there would be no use to try to make love to a girl manifestly so ill and in trouble.

The first thing, it appeared to him, was to dispel the depression, improve the health, and then do the love making. So, in the most business-like manner possible and without a shade of embarrassment, the Harvester took his herbs and books and started for the Jameson woods. At times as he drove along he espied something that he used growing beside the road and stopped to secure a specimen.

He came down the river bank and reached the ginseng bed at half-past one. He was purposely early. He laid down his books and plants, and rolled the log on which she sat the day before to a more shaded location, where a big tree would serve for a back rest. He pulled away brush and windfalls, heaped dry brown leaves, and tramped them down for her feet. Then he laid the books on the log, the arm load of plants beside them, and went to the river to wash his soiled hands.

Belshazzar's short bark told him the Girl was coming, and between the trees he saw the dog race to meet her and she bent to stroke his head. She wore the same dress and appeared even paler and thinner. The Harvester hurried up the bank, wiping his hands on his handkerchief.

"Glad to see you!" he greeted her casually. "I've fixed you a seat with a back rest to-day. Don't be frightened at the stack of herbs. You needn't gather all of those. They are only suggestions. They are just common roadside plants that have some medicinal value and are worth collecting. Please try my davenport."

"Thank you!" she said as she dropped on the log and leaned her head against the tree. It appeared as if her eyes closed a few seconds in spite of her, and while they were shut the Harvester looked steadily and intently on a face of exquisite beauty, but so marred by pallor and lines of care that search was required to recognize just how handsome she was, and if he had not seen her in perfection in the dream the Harvester might have missed glorious possibilities. To bring back that vision would be a task worth while was his thought. With the first faint quiver of an eyelash the Harvester took a few steps and bent over a plant, and as he did so the Girl's eyes followed him.

He appeared so tall and strong, so bronzed by summer sun and wind, his face so keen and intense, that swift fear caught her heart. Why was he there? Why should he take so much trouble for her? With difficulty she restrained herself from springing up and running away.

Turning with the plant in his hand the Harvester saw the panic in her eyes, and it troubled his heart. For an instant he was bewildered, then he understood.

"I don't want you to work when you are not able," he said in his most matter-of-fact voice, "but if you still think that you are, I'll be very glad. I need help just now, more than I can tell you, and there seem to be so few people who can be trusted. Gathering stuff for drugs is really very serious business. You see, I've a reputation to sustain with some of the biggest laboratories in the country, not to mention the fact that I sometimes try compounding a new remedy for some common complaint myself. I rather take pride in the fact that my stuff goes in so fresh and clean that I always get anywhere from three to ten cents a pound above the listed prices for it. Iwant that money, but I want an unbroken record for doing a job right and being square and careful, much more."

He thought the appearance of fright was fading, and a tinge of interest taking its place. She was looking straight at him, and as he talked he could see her summoning her tired forces to understand and follow him, so he continued:

"One would think that as medicines are required in cases of life and death, collectors would use extreme caution, but some of them are criminally careless. It's a common thing to gather almost any fern for male fern; to throw in anything that will increase weight, to wash imperfectly, and commit many other sins that lie with the collector; beyond that I don't like to think. I suppose there are men who deliberately adulterate pure stuff to make it go farther, but when it comes to drugs, I scarcely can speak of it calmly. I like to do a thing right. Iraise most of my plants, bushes, and herbs. I gather exactly in season, wash carefully if water dare be used, clean them otherwise if not, and dry them by a hot air system in an evaporator I built purposely. Each package I put up is pure stuff, clean, properly dried, and fresh. If I caught any man in the act of adulterating any of it I'm afraid he would get hurt badly--and usually I am a peaceable man. I am explaining this to show how very careful you must be to keep things separate and collect the right plants if you are going to sell stuff to me. I am extremely particular."

同类推荐
  • 圣救度佛母二十一种礼赞经

    圣救度佛母二十一种礼赞经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 增广和剂局方药性总论

    增广和剂局方药性总论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 证道歌

    证道歌

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 词论

    词论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 巧冤家

    巧冤家

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 凰尊临世:帝君,撩宠不休!

    凰尊临世:帝君,撩宠不休!

    『1v1,无虐超宠!』“死女人,不准碰我!松手!停、停下!”漂亮的红色似鸡的翎鸟在女人揉弄羽毛的掌心下,如凤般娇娇地啼鸣几声。一朝错算,他成了它……他是自域外而来的神秘帝君,天之骄子,她是A国最年轻的医学博士,因命格契合而交集。圣地相邀?妖王求契?神兵为之出世?宁意尽皆淡然处之。只是……宁意一度觉得她的转世是机缘,可是谁能告诉她,这个天天黏上来,如何都扒拉不开的妖孽傲娇男人又是谁?难不成,机缘也是赠一送一?
  • 重生80做大佬

    重生80做大佬

    小企业家林小星意外重生回到了自己小时候,面对上一世因着意外去世的弟弟和亲妈,下定决心这辈子一定要保护好他们!于是,超级小镇前来助阵:【系统提示:您收获了奶牛加工厂一家!】【系统提示:您的面包工坊已造好!!】至于自小就出现在她身边的绝世米虫——秦四玉,这辈子她绝对不会让她再踩着自己家人往上爬!
  • 迢迢断流饮刀鸣

    迢迢断流饮刀鸣

    楚君战休宁,佳丽云鬓华。拢来半掌沙,簌簌似韶华。烽火燃无尽,长旅应无迹。回首谈笑间,佳人成风华。
  • 楚少追妻:冷傲大小姐

    楚少追妻:冷傲大小姐

    “妈咪,门口有个人自称我爹地。”“你认识他吗?”“不认识。”“不认识还让他站在门口碍事,轰走!”某宝贝贼兮兮的来到门口,看着这个和自己长得几乎一模一样人说:“我已经替你和我妈咪求过情了,可是她说她要你给她买她最爱吃的草莓奶昔。”某男跑遍了这个城市买了她最爱的草莓奶昔,然后全装进了某宝的肚子里。气的某男晚上翻墙进门,看着这一大一小抱在一起睡得正香的两个人,气的牙痒痒!
  • 江汉丛谈

    江汉丛谈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 上清太极真人撰所施行秘要经

    上清太极真人撰所施行秘要经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说身观经

    佛说身观经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Majorie Daw

    Majorie Daw

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 我是超级优等生

    我是超级优等生

    养成良好的学习习惯,我们就会主动地学习,改变老师和家长“要我学”的被动情景,变成渴望求知的“我要学”的积极心态,从而为自己制定合理的学习目标和计划,并且为达到目标而专注努力。
  • 江湖远·仗剑走天涯

    江湖远·仗剑走天涯

    本书为杨千紫作品集“相思传系列”之一,由十余篇风格空灵,文笔优美的短故事组成。武侠的世界里有刀光剑影,更有爱恨情仇。在这些精巧的短篇故事里,无论是风华绝代的佳人,还是快意情仇的剑客,都在这虚构的江湖中,淋漓尽致地展现着自己充满悲喜的人生。作者在她设置的小世界里,通过细腻的人物刻画与巧妙的情节设置,将读者带入了一个充满诗意、情感和侠义的武侠世界。作为一部短篇小说集,全书各篇各具特色且篇幅适中,适合喜爱此类虚构主题的读者阅读。作者文风老练、唯美,作品颇具散文般的赏读性。