satisfaction of your ears, and it does sound
well. You will court her according to your ideas of the conventions, as
you understand them, and strictly in accordance with what you consider
the respect due her. If you had followed the thing you call the
'promptings of your heart,' you would have picked her up by main force
and brought her to my best ward, instead of merely suggesting it and
giving up when she said no. If you had followed your heart, you would
have choked the name and amount out of her and paid that devilish debt.
You walk away in a case like that, and then have the nerve to come here
and prate to me about following your heart. I'll wager my last dollar
your heart is sore because you were not allowed to help her; but on the
proposition that you followed its promptings I wouldn't stake a penny.
That's all tommy-rot!"

"It is," agreed the Harvester. "Utter! But what can a man do?"

"I don't know what you can do! I'd have paid that debt and brought her
to the hospital."

"I'll go and ask Mrs. Carey about your courtship. I want her help on
this, anyway. I can pick up Miss Jameson and bring her here if any man
can, but she is nursing a sick woman who depends solely on her for care.
She is above average size, and she has a very decided mind of her own.
I don't think you would use force and do what you think best for her, if
you were in my place. You would wait until you understood the situation
better, and knew that what you did was for the best, ultimately."

"I don't know whether I would or not. One thing is sure: I'm mighty glad
you have found her. May I tell my wife?"

"Please do! And ask her if I may depend on her if I need a woman's help.
Now I'll call off the valiant police and go home and take a good, sound
sleep. Haven't had many since I first saw her."

So Betsy trotted down the valley, up the embankment, crossed the
railroad, over the levee across Singing Water, and up the hill to the
cabin. As they passed it, the Harvester jumped from the wagon, tossed
the hitching strap to Belshazzar, and entered. He walked straight to her
door, unlocked it, and uncovering, went inside. Softly he passed from
piece to piece of the furniture he had made for her, and then surveyed
the walls and floor.

"It isn't half good enough," he said, "but it will have to answer until
I can do better. Surely she will know I tried and care for that, anyway.
I wonder how long it will take me to get her here. Oh, if I only co