of the proper spirit.
Allow me to put it on you."

"No!" said the Girl. "Not yet! After a while! I want to hold it in my
hands, where I can see it!"

"Now there is one other thing," said the Harvester.

"If I had known for any length of time that this day was coming and
bringing you, as most men know when a girl is to be given into their
care, I could have made it different. As it is, I've done the best I
knew. All your after life I hope you will believe this: Just that if you
missed anything to-day that would have made it easier for you or more
pleasant, the reason was because of my ignorance of women and the
conventions, and lack of time. I want you to know and to feel that in my
heart those vows I took were real. This is undoubtedly all the marrying
I will ever want to do. I am old-fashioned in my ways, and deeply imbued
with the spirit of the woods, and that means unending evolution along
the same lines.

"To me you are my revered and beloved wife, my mate now; and I am sure
nothing will make me feel any different. This is the day of my marriage
to the only woman I ever have thought of wedding, and to me it is joy
unspeakable. With other men such a day ends differently from the close
of this with me. Because I have done and will continue to do the level
best I know for you, this oration is the prologue to asking you for
one gift to me from you, a wedding gift. I don't want it unless you can
bestow it ungrudgingly, and truly want me to have it. If you can, I will
have all from this day I hope for at the hands of fate. May I have the
gift I ask of you, Ruth?"

She lifted startled eyes to his face.

"Tell me what it is?" she breathed.

"It may seem much to you," said the Harvester; "to me it appears only
a gracious act, from a wonderful woman, if you will give me freely, one
real kiss. I've never had one, save from a Dream Girl, Ruth, and you
will have to make yours pretty good if it is anything like hers. You are
woman enough to know that most men crush their brides in their arms and
take a thousand. I'll put my hands behind me and never move a muscle,
and I won't ask for more, if you will crown my wedding day with only one
touch of your lips. Will you kiss me just once, Ruth?"

The Girl lifted a piteous face down which big tears suddenly rolled.

"Oh Man, you shame me!" she cried. "What kind of a heart have I that it
fails to respond to such a plea? Have I been overworked and starved so
long there is no f