ight and follow the driveway to the front
of the cabin. He leaned forward watching in an agony of suspense. Her
beautiful face was transfigured with joy, aflame with love, radiant with
smiles, and her tall figure fleecy white, rimmed in gold. Up the shining
path of light she steadily advanced toward his door. Then the Harvester
understood, and from his exultant heart burst the wordless petition:

"LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, HELP ME TO BE A MAN!"

With outstretched arms he arose to meet her.

"My Dream Girl!" he cried hoarsely. "My Dream Girl!"

"Coming, Harvester!" she answered in tones of joy, as she dropped the
white flower and lifted her hands to draw his face toward her.

"Is that the kiss you wanted?" she questioned.

"Yes, Ruth," breathed the Harvester.

"Then I am ready to be your wife," she said. "May I share all the
remainder of life's joys and sorrows with you?"

The Harvester gathered her in his arms and carried her to the bench on
the lake shore. He wrapped the white robe around her and clasped her
tenderly as behooved a lover, yet with arms that she knew could have
crushed her had they willed. The minutes slipped away, and still he held
her to his heart, the reality far surpassing his dream; for he knew that
he was awake, and he realized this as the supreme hour that comes to the
strongman who knows his love requited.

When the first banner of red light arose above Medicine Woods and
Singing Water the cocks on the hillside announced the dawn. As the gold
faded to gray, a burst of bubbling notes swelled from a branch almost
over their heads where stood a bark-enclosed little house.

"Ruth, do you hear that?" asked the Harvester softly.

"Yes," she answered, "and I see it. A wonderful bird, with Heaven's
deepest blue on its back and a breast like a russet autumn leaf, came
straight up the lake from the south, and before it touched the limb that
song seemed to gush from its throat."

"And for that reason, the greatest nature lover who ever lived says
that it 'deserves preeminence.' It always settles from its long voyage
through the air in an ecstasy of melody. Do you know what it is, Ruth?"

The Girl laid a hand on his cheek and turned his eyes from the bird to
her face as she answered, "Yes, Harvester-man, I know. It is your first
bluebird----but it is far too late, and Belshazzar has lost high office.
I have usurped both their positions. You remain in the woods and reap
their harvest, you enter the lab