SoeverydaytheolddoctorandIhuntedthecure-allplantamongthemountainsandvalleysoftheBlueRidge。Togetherwetoiledupsteepheightssoslipperywithfallenautumnleavesthatwehadtocatcheverysaplingandbranchwithinourreachtosaveusfromfalling。Wewadedthroughgorgesandchasms，breast-deepwithlaurelandferns；wefollowedthebanksofmountainstreamsformiles；wewoundourwaylikeIndiansthroughbrakesofpine——roadside，hillside，riverside，mountainsideweexploredinoursearchforthemiraculousplant。
Astheolddoctorsaid，itmusthavegrownscarceandhardtofind。Butwefollowedourquest。Daybydayweplumbedthevalleys，scaledtheheights，andtrampedtheplateausinsearchofthemiraculousplant。
Mountain-bred，heneverseemedtotire。Ioftenreachedhometoofatiguedtodoanythingexceptfallintobedandsleepuntilmorning。Thiswekeptupforamonth。
OneeveningafterIhadreturnedfromasix-miletrampwiththeolddoctor，AmaryllisandItookalittlewalkunderthetreesneartheroad。
Welookedatthemountainsdrawingtheirroyal-purplerobesaroundthemfortheirnight’srepose。