“They are!” cried the Girl. “How lovely! Which is more beautiful I do not know. And you won't like it if I say I must not.” She held the open case toward the Harvester. “'Possession is nine points in the law,'” he quoted. “You have taken it already and it is in your hands; now make the gift perfect for me by putting it on and saying nothing more.” “My wedding gift!” repeated the Girl. Slowly she lifted the beautiful ornament and held it in the light. “I'm so glad you just force me to take it,” she said. “Any half-normal girl would be delighted. I do accept it. And what's more, I am going to keep and wear it and my ring at suitable times all my life, in memory of what you have done to be kind to me on this awful day.” “Thank you!” said the Harvester. “That is a flash 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.