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David； pointing to the towers of Sunnycrest that showed above the trees。
〃It's over there she lives。 I know those towers now； and I look for them
wherever I go。 I love them。 It makes me see all over again the rosesand
her。〃
〃You meanMiss Holbrook？〃
The voice was so different from the genial tones that he had heard
before that David looked up in surprise。
〃Yes； she said that was her name；〃 he answered； wondering at the
indefinable change that had come to the man's face。
There was a moment's pause； then the man rose to his feet。
〃How's your head？ Does it ache？〃 he asked briskly。
〃Not muchsome。 II think I'll be going；〃 replied David； a little
awkwardly； reaching for his violin； and unconsciously showing by his
manner the sudden chill in the atmosphere。
The little girl spoke then。 She overwhelmed him again with thanks；
and pointed to the contented kitten on the window sill。 True； she did not
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tell him this time that she would love； love； love him always； but she
beamed upon him gratefully and she urged him to come soon again； and
often。
David bowed himself off； with many a backward wave of the hand；
and many a promise to come again。 Not until he had quite reached the
bottom of the hill did he remember that the man； 〃Jack；〃 had said almost
nothing at the last。 As David recollected him； indeed； he had last been seen
standing beside one of the veranda posts； with gloomy eyes fixed on the
towers of Sunnycrest that showed red…gold above the tree…tops in the last
rays of the setting sun。
It was a bad half…hour that David spent at the Holly farmhouse in
explanation of his torn blouse and bruised face。 Farmer Holly did not
approve of fights； and he said so； very sternly indeed。 Even Mrs。 Holly；
who was usually so kind to him； let David understand that he was in deep
disgrace； though she was very tender to his wounds。
David did venture to ask her； however； before he went upstairs to bed：…
…
〃Mrs。 Holly； who are those peopleJack and Jillthat were so good to
me this afternoon？〃
〃They are John Gurnsey and his sister； Julia； but the whole town
knows them by the names they long ago gave themselves； 'Jack' and 'Jill。' 〃
〃And do they live all alone in the little house？〃
〃Yes； except for the Widow Glaspell； who comes in several times a
week； I believe； to cook and wash and sweep。 They aren't very happy； I'm
afraid； David； and I'm glad you could rescue the little girl's kitten for her
but you mustn't fight。 No good can come of fighting！〃
〃I got the catby fighting。〃
〃Yes； yes； I know； but〃 She did not finish her sentence； and David
was only waiting for a pause to ask another question。
〃Why aren't they happy； Mrs。 Holly？〃
〃Tut； tut； David； it's a long story； and you wouldn't understand it if I
told it。 It's only that they're all alone in the world； and Jack Gurnsey isn't
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well。 He must be thirty years old now。 He had bright hopes not so long ago
studying law； or something of the sort； in the city。 Then his father died；
and his mother； and he lost his health。 Something ails his lungs； and the
doctors sent him here to be out of doors。 He even sleeps out of doors； they
say。 Anyway； he's here； and he's making a home for his sister； but； of
course； with his hopes and ambitionsBut there； David； you don't
understand； of course！〃
〃Oh； yes； I do；〃 breathed David； his eyes pensively turned toward a
shadowy corner。 〃He found his work out in the world； and then he had to
stop and couldn't do it。 Poor Mr。 Jack！〃
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CHAPTER XIII
A SURPRISE FOR MR。 JACK
Life at the Holly farmhouse was not what it had been。 The coming of
David had introduced new elements that promised complications。 Not
because he was another mouth to feedSimeon Holly was not worrying
about that part any longer。 Crops showed good promise； and all ready in
the bank even now was the necessary money to cover the dreaded note；
due the last of August。 The complicating elements in regard to David were
of quite another nature。
To Simeon Holly the boy was a riddle to be sternly solved。 To Ellen
Holly he was an everpresent reminder of the little boy of long ago； and as
such was to be loved and trained into a semblance of what that boy might
have become。 To Perry Larson； David was the 〃derndest checkerboard of
sense an' nonsense goin'〃a game over which to chuckle。
At the Holly farmhouse they could not understand a boy who would
leave a supper for a sunset； or who preferred a book to a toy pistolas
Perry Larson found out was the case on the Fourth of July； who picked
flowers； like a girl； for the table； yet who unhesitatingly struck the first
blow in a fight with six antagonists： who would not go fishing because the
fishes would not like it； nor hunting for any sort of wild thing that had life；
who hung entranced for an hour over the 〃millions of lovely striped bugs〃
in a field of early potatoes； and who promptly and stubbornly refused to
sprinkle those same 〃lovely bugs〃 with Paris green when discovered at his
worship。 All this was most perplexing； to say the least。
Yet David worked； and worked well； and in most cases he obeyed
orders willingly。 He learned much； too； that was interesting and profitable；
nor was he the only one that made strange discoveries during those July
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days。 The Hollys themselves learned much。 They learned that the rose of
sunset and the gold of sunrise were worth looking at； and that the massing
of the thunderheads in the west meant more than just a shower。 They
learned； too； that the green of the hilltop and of the far…reaching meadow
was more than grass； and that the purple haze along the horizon was more
than the mountains that lay between them and the next State。 They were
beginning to see the world with David'