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along？〃
〃Very well；〃 nodded Simeon Holly curtly； his eyes still on David's
face。
Perry Larson turned to the woman； and by a flourish of his arms and a
jumble of broken English attempted to make her understand that he was to
take her where she undoubtedly wished to go。 The woman still looked
uncomprehending； however； and David promptly came to the rescue；
saying a few rapid words that quickly brought a flood of delighted
understanding to the woman's face。
〃Can't you ask her if she's hungry？〃 ventured Mrs。 Holly； then。
〃She says no； thank you；〃 translated David； with a smile； when he had
received his answer。 〃But the boy says he is； if you please。〃
〃Then； tell them to come into the kitchen；〃 directed Mrs。 Holly；
hurrying into the house。
〃So you're French； are you？〃 said Simeon Holly to David。
〃French？ Oh； no； sir；〃 smiled David； proudly。 〃I'm an American。 Father
said I was。 He said I was born in this country。〃
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〃But how comes it you can speak French like that？〃
〃Why； I learned it。〃 Then； divining that his words were still
unconvincing； he added： 〃Same as I learned German and other things with
father； out of books； you know。 Didn't you learn French when you were a
little boy？〃
〃Humph！〃 vouchsafed Simeon Holly； stalking away without answering
the question。
Immediately after dinner Perry Larson drove away with the woman
and the little boy。 The woman's face was wreathed with smiles； and her
last adoring glance was for David； waving his hand to her from the porch
steps。
In the afternoon David took his violin and went off toward the hill
behind the house for a walk。 He had asked Mrs。 Holly to accompany him；
but she had refused； though she was not sweeping or dusting at the time。
She was doing nothing more important； apparently； than making holes in a
piece of white cloth； and sewing them up again with a needle and thread。
David had then asked Mr。 Holly to go； but his refusal was even more
strangely impatient than his wife's had been。
〃And why； pray； should I go for a useless walk nowor any time； for
that matter？〃 he demanded sharply。
David had shrunk back unconsciously； though he had still smiled。
〃Oh； but it wouldn't be a useless walk； sir。 Father said nothing was
useless that helped to keep us in tune； you know。〃
〃In tune！〃
〃I mean； you looked as father used to look sometimes； when he felt out
of tune。 And he always said there was nothing like a walk to put him back
again。 II was feeling a little out of tune myself to…day； and I thought； by
the way you looked； that you were； too。 So I asked you to go to walk。〃
〃Humph！ Well； IThat will do； boy。 No impertinence； you
understand！〃 And he had turned away in very obvious anger。
David； with a puzzled sorrow in his heart had started alone then； on his
walk。
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JUST DAVID
CHAPTER VII
〃YOU'RE WANTEDYOU'RE
WANTED！〃
It was Saturday night； and the end of David's third day at the
farmhouse。 Upstairs； in the hot little room over the kitchen； the boy knelt
at the window and tried to find a breath of cool air from the hills。
Downstairs on the porch Simeon Holly and his wife discussed the events
of the past few days； and talked of what should be done with David。
〃But what shall we do with him？〃 moaned Mrs。 Holly at last； breaking
a long silence that had fallen between them。 〃What can we do with him？
Doesn't anybody want him？〃
〃No； of course； nobody wants him；〃 retorted her husband relentlessly。
And at the words a small figure in a yellow…white nightshirt stopped
short。 David； violin in hand； had fled from the little hot room； and stood
now just inside the kitchen door。
〃Who can want a child that has been brought up in that heathenish
fashion？〃 continued Simeon Holly。 〃According to his own story； even his
father did nothing but play the fiddle and tramp through the woods day in
and day out； with an occasional trip to the mountain village to get food
and clothing when they had absolutely nothing to eat and wear。 Of course
nobody wants him！〃
David； at the kitchen door； caught his breath chokingly。 Then he sped
across the floor to the back hall； and on through the long sheds to the
hayloft in the barnthe place where his father seemed always nearest。
David was frightened and heartsick。 NOBODY WANTED HIM。 He
had heard it with his own ears； so there was no mistake。 What now about
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JUST DAVID
all those long days and nights ahead before he might go； violin in hand； to
meet his father in that far…away country？ How was he to live those days
and nights if nobody wanted him？ How was his violin to speak in a voice
that was true and pure and full； and tell of the beautiful world； as his father
had said that it must do？ David quite cried aloud at the thought。 Then he
thought of something else that his father had said： 〃Remember this； my
boy；in your violin lie all the things you long for。 You have only to play；
and the broad skies of your mountain home will be over you； and the dear
friends and comrades of your mountain forests will be all about you。〃
With a quick cry David raised his violin and drew the bow across the
strings。
Back on the porch at that moment Mrs。 Holly was saying：
〃Of course there's the orphan asylum； or maybe the poorhouseif
they'd take him； butSimeon；〃 she broke off sharply； 〃where's that child
playing now？〃
Simeon listened with intent ears。
〃In the barn； I should say。〃
〃But he'd gone to bed！〃
〃And he'll go to bed again；〃 asserted Simeon Holly grimly； as he rose
to his feet and stalked across the moonlit yard to the barn。
As before； Mrs。 Holly followed him； and as before； both involuntarily
paused just inside the barn door to listen。 No runs and trills and rollicking
bits of melody floated down the stairway to…night。 The notes were long…
drawn； and plaintively sweet； and they rose and swelled and died almost
into silence while the man a